Whoopi Goldberg says Charlie Kirk’s shooting is ‘beyond devastating’ as she condemns political violence
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘The View’ co-host Whoopi Goldberg said on Thursday, September 11, that conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's killing is "beyond devastating" and condemned political violence in the country. She added that no one should be afraid to speak out about their views.
The 31-year-old MAGA activist was shot dead on Wednesday, September 10, at a Turning Point USA event in Utah. A suspect remains at large, and investigators said they have recovered a weapon and have "good footage" of the shooter, described as "college age." They also released two images of a "person of interest."
Whoopi Goldberg condemns political violence after Charlie Kirk’s death
Whoopi Goldberg said during the show, "I don't even know how to start this because this is, it's just beyond devastating. Our hearts, of course, go out to the family of Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed yesterday on a college campus in Utah."
"I mean, isn't a fundamental part of being an American that we are able to express our opinions to each other without fear, without this kind of horror happening?," she added.
Goldberg continued, "And it seems to be something we have been seeing more and more of, and it's not even left or right. It's just people being taken out because of their beliefs and their thoughts."
She also spoke about other examples of political violence, saying, "This is not how we do it. And we say this every time, but somehow it's not resonating. And I hope that young Republicans never forget that they have a voice. It's already been proved. They have a voice. We all have voices. We should never be afraid."
Meanwhile, former communications aide to President Donald Trump and co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said she hoped the assassination would not affect Americans' ability to speak their minds.
She stated, "Listen, regardless of your politics, we have got to get to a place in this country where we see people we disagree with not as our enemies but as fellow Americans with different viewpoints that we are willing to engage."
"I hope it doesn't have a chilling effect, whether you're left or right, on your ability to speak your mind. I know the one thing we all agree about on this table, we all share points and we should be able to do that without fear," Griffin added.
Sara Haines says she aligned with Charlie Kirk's willingness to debate
During the show, co-host Sara Haines said she aligned with Charlie Kirk's willingness to debate and engage with people who disagreed with him.
"Although we don't all align with his views, what I deeply aligned with was he said, 'When we stop talking, that's when things get bad.' The irony of a man who would go across the country to college campuses, that's the pinnacle of thought differences," she said.
Haines added, "He would talk to people openly who disagreed. It's what we try to exemplify every day and say this is what we need more of. So, the irony of being violently killed while saying those words of what we need more of in this country, I know all of us agree on that part, as there's never a place for political violence."
Meanwhile, co-host Joy Behar reflected on the 1960s and recalled the killing of President John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, and Robert Kennedy, among others.
Similarly, co-host Sunny Hostin expressed that she was devastated by Kirk's untimely death. He is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children.
She said, "I cannot believe that someone would kill another person because they were speaking their beliefs. You know, this is antithetical to who we are as Americans. The First Amendment is the First Amendment for a reason. We should be able to voice whatever opinions we have."
