George Floyd and Charlie Kirk.

(ThyBlackMan.com) October 14th is the shared birthday of George Floyd and Charlie Kirk. There are those who venomously argue that it is the only thing that the two men share.

Both men died prematurely. Then again everyone dies prematurely regardless of their age to those who truly care about the person.  Floyd and Kirk were the victims of political violence although there are many who dismiss both of their murders as being politically motivated.

George Floyd was executed by a white police officer while other officers looked on because Floyd was Black. The same type of treatment handled out by the officer while other officers looked on would not have occurred if George Floyd looked like Charlie Kirk.

Charlie Kirk was assassinated because of his conservative views on LGBTQ rights.

Both Kirk’s and Floyd’s deaths received both national and international attention. Both were far better known after their murders than when they were alive.

Floyd’s death launched a national and international movement demanding law enforcement accountability and reform. His face and death became a symbol for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Prior to his death Kirk had made a name for himself as a youthful leader on the political right championing opposition to abortion, DEI and LGBTQ rights.

After both men’s murder follows of their respective movements sought their canonization of and made them saints despite men, like all men and women, imperfect.

To that end, their past were power washed to appear Christ-like.  Movement followers attempted to minimize both men’s deeds and words that distracted from the narrative they walked on water.

At the same time, movement followers opposed to the ideas for which the two men’s names were now attached went into overdrive denouncing and discrediting the men. They refused to see anything other than the men’s flaws. Instead of seeing them as being Christ-like as their movement followers sought, opponents of the movements attempted to present the men as follow travelers of the anti-Christ.

Many went as far as celebrating the men’s death and blaming the men for their deaths. Some cheered the men’s murders as heroes and not as the murderers that they were. The phrase “he did it to himself” was voiced often and loudly to justify their murder and acquit their murderer.

For the most partisan and passionate followers of the movement the two men’s names were attached, the very thought of the two men’s names appearing in the same sentence would be an outrage.

The two men, they would argue, were polar opposites. They shared nothing in common. One represented all that was good. The other was the personification of all that was evil.

However, the two men, like all men and women, had more in common than they had in differences. Unfortunately, society seems more committed to seeking and exploiting the differences that keep one from others. In promoting banners, symbols, flags and pennants as well as ideas and concepts that lead men and women to take up arms against each other.

George Floyd and Charlie Kirk had more in common than they had in differences.

Each man became actively involved in Christian outreach endeavors. Both were active in outreach to youth. Both used videos to reach youth.

Both were tall men. Charlie Kirk was 6 foot, 5 inches. George Floyd was 6 foot, 6 inches.

Both men attended college.

Both men were fathers. Both had daughters. Daughters who would not be able to experience the joy of seeing their father’s joy when they graduated from high school and college.

Daughters who would not have the privilege of having their father walk them down the aisle on their wedding day. Not having the change to place their newborn baby in their father’s arms, and so much more.

After each man’s murder each man’s name and photo were omnipresent throughout what seemed endless news cycles. But just mere months after their murder their names and photos vanished into history.

The murder of Charlie Kirk and George Floyd were both senseless, unconscionable, barbaric, criminal and tragic. However, by far the greatest tragedy surrounding their deaths was the inability and defiant unwillingness of the followers of their respective movements to recognize and accept both men’s humanity.

Their inability and defiant unwillingness to recognize and accept each man’s humanity ensures that political violence in America will not just continue to happen but to be accepted and expected. Currently, a majority of Americans believe political violence in pursuit of political objectives is warranted and justified.

Such attitudes guarantee that America will see more George Floyds and Charlie Kirks die. It will also guarantee, sooner rather than later, that America itself will die.

On October 14th Charlie Kirk would have been 32 years old. George Floyd would have been 53.

Staff Writer; Al Alatunji

Question or comment regarding this article? Feel free to send a message to: Alatunji@ThyBlackMan.com.