Impact of Footage on Political Violence Perception
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 marked a significant moment in American history, but strangely, it wasn’t until over a decade later that the public finally saw the infamous Zapruder film. Fast forward to today, and the recent murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is all over social media, with numerous high-definition clips available for anyone to view, showcasing how real-time coverage shapes public responses to political violence.
Presidential historian Tebi Troy noted, “We’ll never see an assassination again without footage.” He reflected on how, while there was some imagery of Lincoln’s assassination, most notable incidents since Kennedy have been extensively documented on film. “That’s a huge shift. It complicates how we perceive these events,” he shared.
Interestingly, while the Zapruder film of Kennedy’s assassination was largely absent from public view until it aired in 1975, Kirk’s shooting resulted in multiple video angles being shared across platforms like X, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube moments after he was shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University. Traditional news outlets often hesitated to show such violent moments, but social media took a different route, sharing real-time replays that left little to the imagination.
Troy remarked, “People are desensitized. It’s not healthy. This constant availability means you have to actively try not to see these things.” His thoughts reflected a certain tumultuousness in reactions following Kirk’s murder, where some voices bolstered arguments minimizing political implications while others seemed torn by the violence itself. He described the prevailing atmosphere as “a scary movement.”
“There’s a tragic irony in how someone just wanting to engage in political dialogue met such a violent end,” Troy stated, alluding to the broader societal implications. Charlie Kirk, aged 31 and the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while speaking to students, leaving behind a grieving family that includes his wife and two young children.
