Source: New York Yankees / Getty

On Wednesday afternoon, controversial far-right political voice Charlie Kirk was murdered, and the country’s reaction has once again proved how divided America is. 

Now, that split has found its way into the world of sports because there was a moment of silence for the slain commentator during the NFL’s Thursday night football game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders.

The game was hosted at the Packers’ Lambeau Field, and about 25 minutes before kickoff, a message came over the loudspeaker.

“The National Football League asks that you please join us in a moment of silent reflection following the murder of Charlie Kirk,” the announcer said. “The NFL condemns all violence in our communities. It will take all of us to stop hate. Thank you.”

The Packers weren’t the only professional sports team to honor Kirk’s death; the New York Yankees did the same prior to their Wednesday night game against the Detroit Tigers. 

Yankee Stadium’s Jumbotron showed a photo of Kirk next to text that read “Remembering Charlie Kirk.”

The following day, President Trump was in New York City to watch a Yankees game after a pregame ceremony honoring the lives lost on 9/11.

Kirk was, of course, an avid Trump supporter and was largely credited with delivering the youth vote to the Republican Party for the 2024 election. The 31-year-old gained that influence after founding Turning Point USA, a conservative youth-focused organization, in 2012.

An integral part of his movement was debate, and he’d travel around to college campuses to engage students, which is also what led to his death because he was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

The lone shot came while he was answering a question about mass shooting stats, and he was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, has since been taken into custody, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Trump’s close relationship with Kirk has led to him saying he’ll posthumously be presented the Presidential Medal of Honor, in a ceremony that will “have a very big crowd. Very, very big.”

He continued: “Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika, and his beautiful children, fantastic people they are. We miss him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage that he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on.”

Kirk definitely pushed some harmful views, like his views on transgender rights, saying Black women are intellectually inferior, referring to the Civil Rights Movement as “a mistake,” and calling George Floyd a scumbag, among many other troubling viewpoints.

That split led to his being honored at a sporting event, which did not sit well with everyone. See the reactions below.

Green Bay Packers, NY Yankees Hold Moment Of Silence For Charlie Kirk, X Remembers His Hateful Views  was originally published on cassiuslife.com