Podcaster Joe Rogan warned that the country could be headed toward a “bona fide civil war,” pointing to what he called the “dark territory” of people celebrating the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk.
Speaking Tuesday on his show, the “Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan said he believes the risk of civil conflict now stands at “a seven” in the wake of Kirk’s September murder.
Kirk was murdered during a Turning Point USA public event held outdoors on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Mockery of his killing has continued to spread across far-left circles on social media.
“Charlie Kirk gets shot and people are celebrating! Like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You want people to die that you disagree with? Where are we right now on the scale of one to civil war? … Are we at seven? Because I thought we were at five. I thought there we were at like four, four or five,” Rogan said.
“But after the Charlie Kirk thing, I’m like, oh, we might be like seven. This might be like step seven on the way to a bona fide civil war,” he added.
Kirk’s death drew online celebrations, mockery, and justifications from many on the political left, who criticized his views on issues like transgender rights, immigration, and race. These reactions — ranging from explicit gloating to ironic memes — were amplified on social media platforms, leading to a backlash including firings, doxxing, and visa revocations.
“Like, regular people celebrating somebody getting murdered in front of their wife and kid on television in front of the whole world, as soon as you celebrate that, like man, you’re in dark territory,” Rogan said.
“And if the worst thing you could say about that guy is that he said some things I disagree with, and you’re celebrating that he got shot in the neck in front of the world? Whoa, and you work at an insurance company? This is nuts. And you thought it was OK to say that on Instagram? This is nuts!” he added.
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