Alabama’s two Democratic Congressmembers, Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures, voted against a resolution last week honoring the life of slain conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a similar resolution earlier in the week in honor of Kirk, whose fatal shooting on the campus of Utah Valley University during an event on Sept. 10 has reverberated across the nation.
ALGOP Chair John Wahl expressed disappointment Friday in the representatives in a statement calling the resolution an opportunity to condemn political violence.
“Charlie Kirk loved this country and his generation. He dedicated his career to giving a voice to young conservatives across this nation,” Wahl said. “Even if someone disagreed with his political views, his tragic death should be an opportunity for all of us to come together in condemning violence and recognizing the value of every human life. This should not be about partisanship; it is about respect, compassion, and our shared humanity.
“This tragedy highlights the division and discord that is becoming all too common in American politics. We should be able to put politics aside when it comes to condemning political violence. I truly wish that we could’ve all come together in recognizing this for what it was: a useless, senseless act of violence that everyone—regardless of political party—should be able to condemn. Failing to do so only deepens the divide in this country.”
Sewell released a statement Friday condemning Kirk’s killing and political violence in general, but defending the decision not to honor Kirk’s life.
“If condemning violence was the purpose of today’s resolution, it would have my full support. That’s why I signed on to a resolution led by Rep. Marc Veasey condemning Charlie Kirk’s assassination and all political violence,” Sewell said. “I would have also supported the Senate resolution which passed unanimously earlier this week. In a clear effort to further divide Americans and Members of Congress, unfortunately, the resolution House Republicans brought to the floor today included divisive language glorifying the viewpoints Charlie Kirk espoused.
“Charlie Kirk called the passage of the Civil Rights Act a mistake. He has repeatedly disparaged the accomplishments of African Americans and insulted our intelligence. He said ‘Blacks were actually better off in the 1940s… They committed less crimes.’ As a Black woman and the representative of our nation’s civil rights district, I cannot vote to celebrate an ideology that runs counter to the values that so many of our fellow Alabamians fought, bled, and died for.”
Kirk’s murder has led to consequences across the country, including in Alabama, for professors and other employees who celebrated Kirk’s death or criticized Kirk in the wake of the shooting.
