Conservative Talk Hosts Highlight and React to the Danger Posed by Constant Leftist Threats

As Charlie Kirk’s memorial service approaches, heightened threats against conservative figures have sparked diverse reactions across the political landscape. 

Prominent thought leaders, such as “Timcast IRL” host Tim Pool, have stepped back from public events. In contrast, others, such as The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, Michael Knowles, and Ben Shapiro, have vowed to expand their public appearances on university campuses. 

“Louder with Crowder” host Steven Crowder is also on defense with promises to get louder and advocating for lawful violence as a defense, stating:

“I am advocating for lawful violence defensively that has been abandoned for years. And I want it to replace where grace was afforded before… adding, “ruthless, unapologetic hair-trigger defensive violence, where the left is so afraid to show up and be violent so that you can actually exercise your First Amendment right.”

Across the wide breadth of reactions, the acknowledgment of the history and increasing violent threats from the radical Left is universal, with these hosts, and other public figures, stressing the need for increased security and vigilance amidst the escalation of violence.

During a Tuesday episode Tim Pool voiced his concerns about attending Kirk’s memorial, explaining:

“I apologize if I shouldn’t be talking about this, but it needs to be said. I do not feel that we can have security to go, and that was the intention of these terrorists. And it is terror. 

Explicitly stating that I can go to this funeral because they can secure the event, and I’m sure it will be, the president will be there, but they can’t secure the airports, they can’t secure the buses, they can’t secure the routes. And it is in Arizona, where it takes one crackpot.

And so this is the conversation I’ve been having for the past several hours, and I probably shouldn’t talk about it on the show, but it needs to be said.”

Pool added: 

“We are living in a society, we are living in a system where prominent social media platforms will allow a prominent streamer with millions of followers to go out and say, ‘If you didn’t want your friend dead, you shouldn’t have voted for Trump.’ I got the message loud and clear, brother! I got it loud and clear! Maybe not Donald Trump and Pam Bondi, whoever else needs to say: ‘If you are speaking to more with the intention to destroy people’s lives and make them live in fear so they will not express their political opinion, this is overt terror.’ 

He concluded:

“We decided today we will be doing our ‘Culture War’ live events. We will.. The… the university events, we will not do. Because they are going online right now saying that I should die and they will kill me, and they’re doing it in ways that when we talk to law enforcement, Law enforcement can’t do anything about it. Nor can we sue them, nor will the social media platforms take this stuff down because publishing a list of names is free speech.”

WATCH:

Since 2022, Pool has been “swatted” at least fifteen times, with additional incidents in 2023. He has also experienced death threats that lead to event cancellations, deplatforming, death threats with his home and studio addresses posted online, burglaries and break-ins at his properties/studio, and even a physical attack on an employee at his studio’s former location by a man “in a dress.”

Conversely on September 11^th, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus and leading host Ben Shapiro took to his podcast and stated: 

“I saw a lot of rumors online today. I was made aware of this by my team that I’m… that I cancelled some sort of college tour. That’s bullshit. I saw those rumors. They are false. I will be coming to college campuses, many of them this year. So will we all, I’m sure. Because we’re Americans, and we’re not going to be deterred.

Charlie’s voice is not silent. We’re going to pick up that blood-stained microphone where Charlie left it. And so those would intimidate, who would seek to stop us, who would seek to end free discussion, believe that they have ownership over public spaces and can violently threaten and kill people who speak freely. We are not going to stop. And I have two words: F**k You.

We will not stop telling the truth, we will never stop telling the truth. We will never stop debating and discussing. We will never stop standing up for what America is and for what she should be. And we will never let Charlie Kirk’s voice die. Goodbye to my friend Charlie Kirk, may your memory be a blessing for your family, and for your country, and for all of us.”

Shapiro has faced a series of death threats over the years, most notably in May 2019, when the FBI arrested a Washington state man for making “extremely serious” death threats against Shapiro and his family. 

Responding to critics who have accused him of calling for violence on Monday, Steven Crowder made himself inescapably clear:

“I want to be really, really, clear, especially while we’re at this boiling point in our country, where people may take some clips and tell you that Steven Crowder is irresponsible. He advocated violence. That’s right. I am… I want to be crystal clear about that. I am advocating for lawful violence defensively that has been abandoned for years. And I want it to replace where grace was afforded before. So, I want to be clear. I’m not calling for anyone to go out in the street and commit random acts of violence or even targeted acts of violence. That is not what I am calling for. But I am calling for lawful violence to protect you and your own, where you afforded grace to the left before.”

On Thursday, Crowder clarified even further: 

“The left wants you dead. They want you dead. If your face is melted by acid, you’re in a coma because of a concrete milkshake, someone firebombs your car, so you get third-degree burns, just as good. None of these are hypotheticals because we’ve managed to block all of them at least once. You saw the one that got through.

So the alternative, when people say tone down the temperature, well, we know that we can’t tone it down by sitting down at a table with anyone who will discuss or listen. 

So, what does that mean? The only way to tone it down is to be silent. 

Well, that’s not an option. So if it’s silence or the only way that this can be done is ruthless, unapologetic, hair-trigger defensive violence, where the left is so afraid to show up and be violent so that you can actually exercise your First Amendment right. Guess which one I pick. And I’m telling you this, it is a binary choice. It’s silence or fill your hands, you son of a… 

There is no more sitting down at a table and assuming that the left is peaceful and assuming that they share the same fundamental values that we hold, and that this country was based upon. We don’t.”

Though their reactions differ, the clear, consistent, and persistent theme is the increased and ongoing threat they and all conservatives now face. Charlie Kirk’s public assassination on a college campus proves that.