On one hand: dude was an absolute grifter shill who advocated for atrocities and everything I stand against. Enabled the culture that led to his demise. I can get behind political violence when it is a fight or die conflict. The slaves did not negotiate their ay out of servitude.
On another - children won't see their father again. Wife won't hold her husband. Immeasurably fucked. I don't agree with the death penalty. There's an underlying humanity that I refuse to let go, even if I understand Charlie didn't share that same sense of humanity. I refuse to be reduced to his level like that.
Utility - honestly very limited. Kirk was largely a tool for re-election, the damage is largely already done. This didn't mean he was harmless, but he was no longer critical for Maga operations. His removal of power is a good thing, but these are dangerous means. If anything, this is a moment for conservatives to rally around and use as a shield for more heinous actions. The moment (the now debunked) rumours of bullet casings with trans rights slogans started floating around I knew the play. We're seeing it now with the shooter’s girlfriend being targeted for being trans and the narrative of political violence being a one sided issue. They are gearing up to oppress. The music is stopping. The party is over.
Violence will beget violence, and trust me, they are way more equipped and willing then we are to enact it.
Emotionally - it's incredibly fucking upsetting to see people feel a need to slowly shed empathy to fight those who have all but cast it aside years ago. And I won't begin to claim any idea of how much of that is justified when it's clear that the barrage of moral grandstanding, politicians irl clip farming and worthless newsanchor ‘analysis’ that always boils down to ‘nobody fucking knows what's going on / any day now this will magically resolve or backfire’ has brought us to where we are now. I have no coherent view to espouse.
IDK MAN ITS SCARY SHIT WE IN FOR DAWG.