By Mark Ellis —
A recent Rutgers University study points to an ominous rise of what they term “assassination culture” on the radical left in the US.
Currently there are three accused assassins being tried for politically-related crimes: Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin; Ryan Routh, charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump; and Luigi Mangione, accused of killing the United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson.
The study, conducted by Rutgers political scientists Dr. Emily Chen and Dr. Marcus Hale, surveyed 1,200 adults across the political spectrum in July 2025, revealing that 52% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that “assassinating political leaders like Donald Trump is somewhat justified if they threaten democracy” (Rutgers University Center for Political Participation, “The Erosion of Democratic Norms,” September 10, 2025).
An even higher 58% said the same for Elon Musk, citing his influence on free speech and technology as a perceived danger. The report, based on a nationally representative sample, found that 47% of Democrats and 39% of Republicans viewed political violence as a “necessary tool” in extreme cases, with younger respondents (18–34) showing the highest tolerance at 62%.
The idea that lethal violence could become a permissible tool in political discourse marks a dangerous decline of democratic norms. The report’s authors warn that such rhetoric does not remain safely online or purely hypothetical; once normalized, it can pave the way for real violence with tragic consequences, as in the case of the three incidents cited above.
The Bible’s teaching is clear: even enemies are to be loved, vengeance belongs to God, and we are invited to participate in the ministry of reconciliation – exemplified by Charlie Kirk’s public discourse.
Furthermore, the report observes a correlation between the consumption of certain online platforms, extremist ideation, and support for political violence. The way memes and social media echo chambers amplify outrageous rhetoric appears to condition attitudes to accept or even embrace violent options.
The Rutgers report said the social media platform Bluesky, the Democrat alternative to x, “plays a significant and predictive role in amplifying radical ideas.”
“The number of posts on Bluesky celebrating Kirk’s death got so bad, the site was forced to warn users that glorifying violence or harm violates their guidelines,” William La Jeunesse told Harris Faulkner on Fox & Friends.
Ari Fleischer agreed the trend is disturbing. “The FBI and Utah authorities are discovering that this was a politically motivated hit job because the killer didn’t like Charlie Kirk’s ideas. Who would celebrate that? There’s a sickness that is largely a sickness from the left…College campuses are a big part. Professors are a big part of preaching this, and I’m afraid we have a generation that’s grown up believing it
Fox captured on video supporters of Luigi Mangione, the alleged murderer of the United Healthcare CEO, cheering when they heard the judge had dropped the domestic terrorism charge against Mangione. “These people thought that was a good idea to cheer. I mean, this exists in this country, and it’s not just a sliver of people,” Faulker stated.
What was he (Kirk’s alleged killer) reading on social media that told him Charlie Kirk was such an evil person. Whose messages was he reading, who polluted his mind? They got Charlie Kirk so twisted and wrong that they put these ideas in a killer’s head, because there is culpability there as well. This is what happens when people call the opposition Nazis and fascist.”
Sadly, a long list of Democrat leaders referred to President Trump as a Nazi or fascist.
Christian leaders have responded with calls to prayer and repentance. Dr. Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, tweeted, “When we justify violence against our neighbors, we’ve lost sight of God’s command to love. Let’s pray for America’s healing.
Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA, echoed this, saying, “This study grieves my heart. It’s a wake-up call for the church to stand for truth and model Christ’s love in a divided nation” (Harvest.org, September 13, 2025).
The Rutgers report also highlights a generational gap, with 68% of Gen Z respondents (18–24) viewing political violence as “sometimes acceptable,” compared to 35% of those over 65. Dr. Chen, one of the study’s authors, linked this to declining church attendance, noting that only 24% of young adults regularly attend services, down from 40% in 1990 (Pew Research Center, 2023). “Without a moral anchor, society drifts toward chaos,” she observed.
As the church prays for America’s divided heart, the Rutgers study serves as a sobering reminder for believers: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
May God raise up a generation committed to truth, compassion, and the ministry of reconciliation, as modeled by Charlie Kirk.
