Charlie Kirk would not have wanted this

The shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk has caused understandable distress for so many Americans, including not just his fans and supporters but millions of other people who are rightly dismayed by the prospect of political violence. That's partly because we just aren't accustomed to it: While it is commonplace for politicians and media figures to warn of violent political rhetoric leading to more actual violence, it remains the case that ideologically-motivated killings of national figures are blessedly rare. The targeted attacks on members of Congress such as Reps. Gabby Giffords (D–Ariz.) and Steve Scalise (R–La.), as well as the attempted assassinations of presidents Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford, are memorable because this type of violence doesn't happen very often.