“Late Night With Seth Meyers” got off to a somber start on Thursday as its host addressed the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk and warned of the cost of America’s growing problem with political violence.
“We’re horrified by this grotesque tragedy, and our condolences go out to his family and loved ones,” Meyers told viewers. “It should never be a matter of political ideology to mourn and to extend our fullest and deepest empathy to those who are suffering.” The NBC star went on to condemn political violence altogether.
“Political violence is abhorrent and anathema to the highest ideals of this country,” Meyers remarked. “It corrodes us and threatens the very foundations of our democracy. The great promise of our democratic experiment is that we can engage with one another and resolve our differences through dialogue, not violence. We must hold true to that promise and strive toward it with our fullest effort, even when it feels furthest away.”
Meyers said he would be remiss not to note that, in addition to Kirk’s assassination, there was a school shooting in Colorado on Wednesday, just two weeks after another in Minnesota. “There have already been over 300 mass shootings and 47 school shootings this year alone,” the comedian said. “We’ve said this many times on this program and we’ll say it again — gun violence is a plague in this country. We desperately need reasonable gun safety laws to stop this epidemic of tragedy and pain.”
“No matter the identity or ideology of these perpetrators, one thing is always constant — the guns,” Meyers added. “We must make it possible for children to go to school, and for everyone to engage in public debate, without the threat of gun violence looming over them.”
The former “SNL” cast member went on to list a number of politically motivated acts of violence that have rocked America in recent years, including Kirk’s shooting, the murders of Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in June, the arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family in April, the Jan. 6 insurrection and the two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump.
“This rising tide of political violence will only lead to a darker and more dangerous place, and it must end,” Meyers warned. “In a moment like this, it is the responsibility of all public figures to marshal their dignity and compassion and lead us to a calmer, more rational place. This effort cannot be one-sided, and it must start at the top.”
The “Late Night” host also cited a 2024 study that found that the vast majority of Americans, regardless of their political affiliation, wholly reject political violence. “They are waiting for their leaders to join them,” Meyers concluded.
