The Claire Scrolls

On Dignity

On September 10th, 2025 the right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University. The gunman is, at time of writing, still at large; their identity and motivations remain unknown, despite what the media may insist. The subject of Kirk’s murder has been the sole subject of discussion on social media for the past twenty-four hours, despite today being the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Charlie Kirk is someone that the media class and those who are chronically online knew very well, but the average American had a dim awareness of his existence until yesterday. It must be a confusing time to be a normal person in America, assuming any normal people are left.

I could talk about how assassinations set a worrying precedent for the future. I could talk about how the right wing media is using this as an excuse to declare war on their political enemies. I could talk about how Charlie Kirk once said that gun violence was a worthwhile cost for the Second Amendment. But all of this has been talked about extensively by those more educated and more eloquent than I, so I won’t. In fact, I don’t even really want to talk about the assassination.

Instead, I want to talk about dignity.

Dignity is one of those tricky concepts, like respect or empathy. It’s something everyone allegedly deserves, something the media always calls for, and yet, it is never given out equally nor fairly. It is a word that is nebulous in its definition and implications. According to the media and politicians, dignity means we must honor Kirk’s legacy. It means we must pray for his family. It means we must be respectful of his life.

But was Charlie Kirk affording black women dignity when he said they were less intellectually capable than white men? Was Charlie Kirk affording gay folks dignity when he said they should be stoned to death? Was he affording trans people dignity when he called on us to be eradicated? Why are the press, including the so-called liberal press, calling on us to come together and mourn this man? Asking me, a trans woman, to mourn Charlie Kirk is akin to asking someone to mourn the death of their assaulter, or for a slave to mourn the death of their master.

I have much anger. I have much worry. I do not think the murder of anyone is justifiable. What happened was horrifying. I condemn violence. But asking me to mourn Charlie Kirk is a bridge too far. Why is a white man who, ultimately, was nothing more than a small-minded bigot afforded more dignity than the living?

Why is a man who mocked the death of George Floyd afforded dignity he did not afford others?

Where is the dignity for the rest of us?

Men like Charlie Kirk are the main characters of this messed up country, and those that he hurt are simply props who must nod our heads and behave. Dignity is something only given to men like Kirk; never to his victims.

To the media, Charlie Kirk was a person. Those he targeted are barely even alive.

Take care of each other, and remember; you owe no one your respect. Dignity is earned, not given.