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Former ESPN host Samantha Ponder revealed on social media she’s received “disturbing” messages after she expressed her sorrow for the death of Charlie Kirk last week.
Ponder, who also spoke about her concerns for safety while riding the New York City subway following the stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska, wrote on X that her direct messages have increasingly gotten worse since mourning the loss of the 31-year-old conservative influencer.
“My DMs are more disturbing than ever (and trust me, that’s sayin something). Apparently only perfect people can be mourned when they’re murdered in their 30s with a wife and young children,” she wrote. “When a man is shot, debating opinions with anyone for all to see, he must align with our chosen dogma perfectly. If not, he had it coming/shouldn’t have said those mean things, so you should shut up about it.
“How can we see someone post about sadness over the death of ANYONE they cared about, even someone we think was flawed, and say “Stop being sad about them. I didn’t like their opinions.” Mourn with those who mourn. If I ever see hypocrisy, let me see it in myself. God forbid every word we’ve ever spoken be the prerequisite for sympathy when we die.”
Kirk was assassinated at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem. Tyler Robinson was charged in his killing.
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Ponder was among the sports figures who spoke out about Kirk’s death and mourning for his family and loved ones.
“I feel changed by this. At first, admittedly, more fearful,” she wrote on Thursday. “But as I consider what’s at stake for our country and our children, I am emboldened to speak the truth with love even more.
“I spent so much of my professional career as a coward… shamefully afraid to say true things because it might jeopardize my position. One of the great things about having no ‘position’ anymore is the realization that a platform is actually useless without courage. I mourn for Charlie’s family. I mourn for our country. But I have renewed hope that many, like me, will find the courage to lovingly speak the truth boldly in the public square, as he often did.”
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