Rainn Wilson Discusses Reactions to Charlie Kirk’s Death
On his “Soul Boom” podcast, Rainn Wilson, known for his role in “The Office,” shared thoughts about how some of his liberal friends reacted to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA. He noted that their responses carried a tone of, well, perhaps a “good riddance” sentiment.
“I was speaking with some friends at an event recently, and they said, ‘You won’t catch me shedding any tears.’ There’s definitely an air of dismissal, but I thought, ‘No, that’s not right,'” he conveyed to fellow actor Mark Ruffalo.
Wilson disagreed with Kirk’s viewpoint but emphasized that it’s never right to resort to violence, even against those whose opinions we find annoying or extreme.
He mentioned that a segment of their conversation was from an upcoming episode that hadn’t been aired yet. Ruffalo shared his thoughts too, indicating that Kirk’s assassination contributed to the ongoing political divisions in the country.
He expressed grief over the situation, recalling that it hits close to home, particularly since his own brother was a victim of gun violence. “This isn’t a win for anyone,” he reflected, acknowledging the shared suffering of Kirk’s family.
Wilson acknowledged Kirk as a “political enemy,” but despite their differences, he felt sorrow upon hearing the news of Kirk’s death.
He pushed back against Ruffalo’s use of the term “enemy,” arguing that it fuels unnecessary division. “How can someone who strongly opposes certain beliefs, like Kirk did, expect to unite the country?” Wilson mused.
Ruffalo then pivoted to discuss gun control, noting that firearms resembling “weapons of war” were still accessible. He conceded he wasn’t sure about the specifics of the weapon used in Kirk’s assassination but insisted it fit that alarming category.
Wilson interjected, pointing out that the firearm recovered was a bolt-action rifle, commonly used for hunting but limited to single shots before needing to be reloaded. Unlike semi-automatics, these require manual effort to chamber each round.
This design is straightforward yet effective, which might explain its popularity among hunters and target shooters.
