I pray he doesn’t. I pray he suffers a debilitating stroke, that he wastes away in a chair, refusing to step down or stop taking press conferences. I pray he suffers tremors, and delirium, slurred and broken speech, visibly decaying.

I want his followers to see him as the pathetic husk that he is. I want him to live decades in that chair, I want him to have endless trials in that chair. Death is the easy way out.

“No John, you’re wrong. Dying is worse. Because, well, it is. Isn’t it?”

This reminded me of my favourite scene in Luther. I think dying is worse too. Once he’s dead, it’s over. We get so caught up in wanting to see justice, but is there no greater justice than death? The desire to see him suffer is coming from a place of anger, hate, and malice. Not justice. It’s gaudy. It also gives him the opportunity to live. Why would you give him that gift? Death is final.

I used to hear about Charlie Kirk all the time, from local conservatives, but not so much anymore. I don’t think there’s any way to look at it, other than death being the ultimate punishment. He didn’t get to be a big martyr icon, he was in the news and left behind. Dying presents a golden opportunity that should not be taken for granted, no more speaking.

Finally, I just want to say this, one who wishes to see suffering and pain, is one who wishes to create martyrdom. And I don’t want that.

Charlie Kirk is absolutely still talked about by the right, and it absolutely has undertones of martyrdom.

It’s not about justice, it’s about breaking the spell. It’s about destroying the ridiculous, yet widespread, picture of him as a charismatic strongman. If he just dies, his devotees can hold onto that image, and carry the enthusiasm to the next one. If he withers away pathetically over years, the magic of the movement leaks away, and the cult may awkwardly wither with him.

But more importantly, the people behind him pulling the strings will be able to get away with much worse if obedient JD fills his seat. The saving grace of Trump’s incompetence is his tendency to screw up the plan given by his puppeteers. His buffoonery is currently the most effective factor in slowing Project 2025.