Charlie Kirk’s death provokes unrest at MIT
Spencer Sindhusen ’27: “To see him slain in cold blood was absolutely horrifying to me”
Vivian Hir–The Tech
On Sept. 10, conservative podcaster and activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a public event at Utah Valley University, a stop of his “The American Comeback” debate tour. Kirk was known for founding Turning Point USA in 2012, a nonprofit organization credited for its role in shaping the conservative youth movement. While his death has prompted condemnations of political violence, others have questioned Kirk’s legacy in promoting culturally conservative beliefs, including his traditional views of women and pro-life stance on abortion. Tyler Robinson, the current suspect for Kirk’s killing, is in custody as of Sept. 18.
On Sept. 11, an anonymous email claiming to represent MIT Campus Conservatives invited the undergraduate body to a memorial at the MIT Chapel at 8 p.m. the following day. The email praised Kirk as “a fierce conservative and Zionist activist, a devoted father, and an inspiring voice for open, thought-provoking debate.”
When a student responded and asked whether the message was a joke, the anonymous account denied the claim and called the student body a “liberal hivemind entrenched with rabid antisemitism.” No memorial was observed on Sept. 12 at the arranged time and place. A vigil was held at Harvard’s Widener Library on Sept. 13 with an attendance of over 100 people. MIT Campus Conservatives does not appear to be an Association of Student Activities (ASA)-recognized organization. According to Spencer Sindhusen ’27, president of the MIT College Republicans, their group was not responsible for sending the anonymous email and had no knowledge about the vigil beforehand.
Sindhusen says Kirk played an important role in shaping his conservative politics, despite having held liberal beliefs in his youth. He credits Kirk for increasing youth engagement in conservative movements and for influencing the outcomes of the 2016 and 2024 elections. “To see him slain in cold blood was absolutely horrifying to me,” Sindhusen wrote.
Sindhusen disagrees with those who believe that Kirk left behind a legacy of “many hateful-isms who polarized the country.” Instead, he commends Kirk for being “genuinely enthusiastic to engage with the youth,” even with those who shared different views from him. Sindhusen was “repelled” by some reactions to Kirk’s death, in particular the “celebrations in one form or another,” and hoped that society could be “more civilized” and respectful in regards to differences in political beliefs.
MIT Democrats declined to comment about students’ responses to Kirk’s death.
Incidents surrounding Kirk’s death were not limited to the undergraduate body. On Sept. 11, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard announced on its X account that an employee had been suspended “in response to a deeply offensive comment” on their personal social media. The next day, the Broad posted an update stating that this employee was no longer working at the Institute.
David Cameron, Director of External Communications for the Broad Institute, sent a statement to The Tech identical to the X post announcing the Broad employee’s termination. Cameron wrote, “There is no place in any institution, nor in our society, for statements such as this.”
On Sept. 12, President Kornbluth sent out an email to the MIT community regarding recent campus incidents related to political violence and Kirk’s death. She cited “several instances of disturbing imagery and text on campus,” including a hand-drawn swastika and some messages on an email list that allegedly promoted violence.
Kornbluth condemned these acts, stating that hatred for political and ideological differences has become normalized and could lead to violence. “Belonging to the MIT community is a privilege, not a right, and it comes with the responsibility to treat each other with decency and respect.” Kornbluth wrote. The MIT Police is currently investigating the incidents.