SPLC Put a Target on Charlie Kirk's Back

Southern Poverty Law Center

The SPLC is no stranger to inciting violence. 

Yes, yes, I know they piously declare that they are fighting violence and hate, and state that the assassination of Kirk was not justified. But the man who shot up the Republicans' Congressional baseball game that almost left Steve Scalise dead was a follower of the SPLC, and the man who shot up the Family Research Council specifically said that the Southern Poverty Research Center influenced his decision to attack the people there. 

Advertisement

The SPLC specifically targeted Charlie Kirk one day before his murder in its "Hatewatch" newsletter, and went after him and Turning Point USA all the time

Charlie Kirk's name is mentioned on the Southern Poverty Law Center's website in 38 posts. His image is plastered all over stories that describe Christian values and the rule of law as hateful. In a report entitled "The Year in Hate and Extremism 2024," Kirk's name appears 18 times.

In a post one day before Kirk was shot and killed, he was mentioned in the Montgomery-based organization's "Hatewatch" newsletter, which boasts, "The Southern Poverty Law Center works to dismantle white supremacy in public forums and online, exposes hate and anti-democracy extremism, and counters disinformation and conspiracy theories with research and community resources. The Intelligence Project monitors and exposes white supremacy and its impact on communities." 

A report released in May 2025 titled "The Year in Hate and Extremism 2024" includes a section called "Turning Point USA: A case study of the hard right in 2024." The report, which is part of the "Dismantling White Supremacy" series, targets Kirk and TPUSA. The preface describes, "Equipped with comprehensive data and research, the SPLC's preeminent Year in Hate and Extremism report once again provides a clear analysis of the groups upholding white supremacy in the United States: who they are, where they are, and the tactics and strategies they're using. This report also covers the anti-democracy trends to monitor on the ground in communities and the formulas for prevention that can shape our collective future."

Of the groups and people included in their report, "Their power comes from the use of force, the capture of political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories. We hope this report not only exposes the responsible parties and people but helps reverse the momentum of the hard right by empowering our readers and inspiring you to action. When the problem is overwhelming, it can seem like there's no clear path forward. But by breaking down the players, tactics and code words, our own strategy can emerge."

Advertisement

Force? Charlie Kirk literally spent his life reaching out to people with whom he disagreed and inviting them to converse with him. 

The SPLC, though, doesn't care, and Pravda Media and the censorship complex use them as authorities on "hate groups." 

Did the SPLC say, "Go out and kill Charlie Kirk?" Of course not. It would cost them donations and access to the media for them to do so. 

But did they intentionally put a target on his back by spreading lies and hoaxes to incite their followers? 

Hell yes, they did. They knew they were lying. It is their entire shtick to lie about conservatives. It is how they raise money, gain clout, and intimidate people into hiding their approval of conservative voices. Nobody wants to be labeled a Nazi or a supporter of a hate group. 

I know. When I ran an organization called the Taxpayers League of Minnesota in the early 2000s, I got a call from a Sheriff who interviewed me because I was put on one of those hate group lists by some left-wing organization or another. He wanted me to know that the Sheriff was aware that the group was accused of being a hate group. It was intimidating, as it was meant to be. 

I have no idea if we were put on a watch list or not, but at the time, I shrugged it off as just a cost of being in politics and moved on. Five years later, the Family Research Council shooting happened. 

Advertisement

I got death threats. I shrugged them off. They were few and far between. But I still recall that when the tragic collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis collapse, liberal pundits literally blamed me. A Star Tribune columnist, within six hours of the fatal disaster, pointed a finger at me and, in my view, put a target on my back. Ed wrote about it at the time and later at Hot Air

Politics is no stranger to overheated rhetoric, but there is a line. When the SPLC labels Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA a group that uses FORCE to impose white supremacy, they know that they are inciting people. 

They know it because they have seen the results before. 

Now, to be clear, I doubt that the SPLC inspired the murder of Kirk--it sure looks like a Trantifa-inspired hit. But they likely inspired all those celebrating his death, calling for repeats with other conservative influencers, and the frenzy that we see on college campuses. 

  • Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.

Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join Hot Air VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Ed Morrissey 12:40 PM | September 15, 2025
Advertisement
Advertisement