Another journalist fired for quoting Charlie Kirk

[Takket]

The media continues to purge people for “thought crimes”.

https://karenattiah.substack.com/p/the-washington-post-fired-me-but?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=2bz6j

Some personal news:

I've been fired from the Washington Post in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting.

Thread incoming.

substack.com/@karenattiah...

— Karen Attiah (@karenattiah.bsky.social) 2025-09-15T11:07:10.888Z

[Rowdyag]

2. To answer your question

NO. Also,They seem to have gotten their backbones from the same factory as republicans

[agingdem]

3. so in the aftermath of Kirk shooting the various media outlets

Last edited Mon Sep 15, 2025, 09:58 AM - Edit history (1)

demanded their reporters/bloggers/anchors refrain from disparaging the vile racist/antisemitic/homophobic/misogynist/blame the gun victim/pig...ok, then how about this..

to paraphrase Bette Davis when learning of Joan Crawford's death.."You should never say bad things about the dead, only good...Charlie Kirk is dead....good"...

[soldierant]

59. Charlie was a staunch supporter of Israel

which mad him not nearly antisemitic enough for a Groyper. All the other adjectives you used were on the nose.

[agingdem]

61. Charlie was a staunch supporter of Israel much like

Last edited Wed Sep 17, 2025, 04:57 AM - Edit history (1)

evangelical Christians...anticipating the Rapture and the conversion of the Jews or their death if they don't comply...in Kirk's case it's not that he "supported" Israel but why he supported Israel...

[johnnyfins]

5. Hold on. Give them a minute.

They've used up most of their stern words, in recent letters. Consultants are looking into things as we type.

[poozwah]

8. no balls

the fear their corporate masters.

[rzemanfl]

39. Marking for later.

[Skittles]

57. what do THE most delicate body part have to do with anything?

they have no COURAGE

[Magoo48]

18. Too focused on their hat-in-hand rounds perhaps?

[Hieronymus Phact]

21. Democrats never work the media

They just think everything is self evident, they just have to legislate or whatever, and leave it to the media to handle the publicity.

[melm00se]

25. They fully expect

that things will return to "normal" when Trump leaves.

I am afraid that this trust is misplaced as Trump has shown how to muzzle the press.

Until the press stand up for their own protection and power, they will continue to have this weapon weilded against them.

[Walleye]

27. We never stand a chance while Trump is still alive. He will never shut up.

[melm00se]

34. even when he is

no longer with us, his blueprint will continue and people will follow it until they get bitch-slapped back.

[kacekwl]

35. We don't have the 24-7 media monster megaphone

the fascists do. It's really hard to respond to the hundreds of lies and misinformation spread across the world every hour. Then when the MSM both sides everything and the rule of law, justice department and the Supreme Court is corrupt against democracy where do you start. Even if democrats form a full time organization to push back it would be pissing for n the wind.

[D. Spaulding]

51. As far as waiting for Trump to leave,

Look at the money being accumulated by $Trump family, look at the funds of Larry Ellison, Musk, Theil, etc. Trump may leave, but the same people in power now, are going to do and spend everything they have to stay there when he's gone.

[Lonestarblue]

60. The media is mostly owned or controlled by wealthy Republicans who are Trump friends.

We no longer have a free press that is interested in the truth. Sucking up to Trump is all that matters.

[MakeThemCry]

44. I know, right?

If this is the extent of the testicular fortitude coming from that party we're truly fucked.

To put it mildly.

I hope they get it together.

[Celerity]

4. This is madness:

My commentary received thoughtful engagement across platforms, support, and virtually no public backlash.

And yet, the Post accused my measured Bluesky posts of being "unacceptable”, “gross misconduct” and of endangering the physical safety of colleagues — charges without evidence, which I reject completely as false. They rushed to fire me without even a conversation. This was not only a hasty overreach, but a violation of the very standards of journalistic fairness and rigor the Post claims to uphold.

[eppur_se_muova]

14. Just a reminder of who owns the Post now, and what steps he has taken to "improve it" ...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/jeff-bezos-turns-washington-post-152938125.html

[dalton99a]

20. +1

[Arazi]

31. They manufactured an excuse to fire her

This was something they wanted to do anyway.

Iirc, most of their big name marquee writers are already gone. Their purge is almost complete

[intheflow]

6. Honestly, not surprising.

WaPo of old is deader than Marley's ghost. What surprises me is that she lasted as long as she did there. She's an excellent voice for justice and antiracism, obviously they want to silence her.

[Queso Delicioso]

7. I wish I could cancel my subscription again

It's been dead for a while now though. Bezos buying it was the kiss of death.

[MaineBlueBear]

9. Another black lady targeted to be silenced

I hope she goes on to bigger and better things.

Washington Post is weak.

[niyad]

13. Amazing how that is woking, is it not?

[MaineBlueBear]

47. Nope

not amazed at all, friend.

[sop]

10. Attiah's thread on her Bluesky post is excellent.

[cer7711]

11. Here's an old white guy chiming in.

Her firing is ourtrageous!
What did she say but the truth?
The Washington Post should bring her back ASAP--and count themselves lucky if she doesn't sue.

[niyad]

12. Help me out here. Journalists are being fired for QUOTING the words

of the hateful monster on whom so many are practically bestowing sainthood? QUOTING HIS OWN WORDS is a firing offense???

I either need more caffeine, or a large, stiff drink.

[womanofthehills]

37. There is a list!!! Dangerous stuff!

Lisa Kip, a conservative activist, has published a list on GETTR that is making the rounds on social media.i saw it on X I am sure people on the list will be targeted by crazies!

Lisa Kip -“I’ve only just begun creating a spreadsheet of people who’ve said vile things about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. So far, teachers and professors are by far the most represented.”

She lists their name, state, profession and where the work. I saw her list online and she lists a NM nurse & her place of work.

She is endangering people’s lives -
She has also said other horrific stutt online

Lisakip - “I am so done with Palestine, They could bomb it into oblivion and I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep.”

Ironic and sick -the women who makes horrific statements going after others because of their statements .

This is a whole new level of harassment.

[niyad]

38. I am not in social media, so I thank you. She is horrifying and disgusting.

May she receive everything she deserves.

[Wiz Imp]

42. Some examples of the so-called "vile" things said about Kirk that have led to people being fired

“Save your sympathies for the innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire of MAGA’s violent political messaging machine.”

“Hope the bullet’s OK.”

"America became greater today"

"Good riddance"

“This may not be the obituary we were all hoping to wake up to, but it is a close second for me.”

“37 years in public education, ready to take a bullet for my kids. No I’m not shedding a tear, he chose to sacrifice himself for the rights [to] be protected. Karma’s a bitch.”

“Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. “You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place.”

“Why are y’all sad? Your man said it was worth it,”

“Truly don’t care if you think it’s insensitive or poor timing to decline to respect an evil man who died.”

"Yes I am making his death political, no I do not care, If all you do is spew hate, you're bound to get some in return."

"Charlie Kirk died the same way he lived: bringing out the worst in people,"

"Could this have been the consequences of his actions catching up with him?"

"#karma is a b*tch,"

"Good riddance to bad garbage,"

[ananda]

15. The bloodless Krystallnacht continues.

And boy is it ugly and damaging not only to
the media, but to every institution or business
where people are fired.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

16. She was the last Black person in the Opinions section.

[Celerity]

22. no, Theodore Johnson and Colbert King are still there (and there may be others)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/

[WhiskeyGrinder]

24. Ah, Black woman then, I think

[muriel_volestrangler]

32. She says "last remaining Black full-time opinion columnist" in her Substack article

It looks like King writes once a week, Johnson about 3 times a month.

[Celerity]

46. see post 45

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220643080#post45

[Wiz Imp]

43. From her Substack

I was the last remaining Black full-time opinion columnist at the Post, in one of the nation’s most diverse regions. Washington D.C. no longer has a paper that reflects the people it serves. What happened to me is part of a broader purge of Black voices from academia, business, government, and media — a historical pattern as dangerous as it is shameful — and tragic.

[Celerity]

45. look at the claim in the reply I responded to:

She was the last Black person in the Opinions section.

that was a broader statement (ie it did not use the 'full-time' qualifier)

[IronLionZion]

17. They're silencing Charlie Kirk since it's his quotes

The best way to honor Charlie Kirk's memory is to release the Epstein files. It's what Charlie wanted. Do it for Charlie.

[sop]

19. You'd think corporate media would have come up with some positive or inspirational quotes from Kirk by now.

An "I have a dream..." or "Ask not what your country can do for you..." moment to support their absurd hagiography of the man. If he was so "great" you'd think corporate media would show at least one public utterance that wasn't completely racist, homophobic, misogynist or just downright cruel.

[IronLionZion]

23. Or his own supporters could have found something

unless there isn't any

[uponit7771]

36. THIS !!!

[surfered]

26. Free speech for me, but not for thee!

[Ocelot II]

28. I should resubscribe so I can cancel my subscription again.

[stevegc]

29. This is absurd.

[snowybirdie]

30. Think I'll just

Quote a,good Republican. "We all die someday" (Joanie Ernst, US Senate)

[Jilly_in_VA]

33. Just waiting now

for a "Charlie Kirk song" to be sung lustily by Proud Little Boys et al, a la the Horst Wessel Lied.

[snot]

40. I'm horrified by all the censorship

that's been pushed by both establishment political parties, though re- different subjects.

At best, it's a band-aid solution to much deeper problems; more often, it's an inherently tyrannical power that begs to be abused.

[Wiz Imp]

41. Wow. She didn't say a single word that should offend anyone. WaPo claimed her posts were "unacceptable",

“gross misconduct” and of endangering the physical safety of colleagues — charges without evidence. What about these posts is supposed to be "unacceptable” or “gross misconduct”? Let alone endangering the physical safety of colleagues. I mean, are you freaking kidding me?

This is a complete list of the posts she was fired over (this started right after it was announced Kirk was dead):

I wish I had hope for gun control and that I could believe “political violence has no place in this country”. But we live in a country that accepts white children being massacred by gun violence. Not just accepts, but worships violence.

For everyone saying political violence has no place in this country… Remember two Democratic legislators were shot in Minnesota just this year. And America shrugged and moved on.

When people say political violence has no place in this country: People get shocked when I pointed out that gun sales skyrocketed over 200% under Obama, even while he was just the nominee.. And jumped even more when he became president.

Political violence has no place in this country… But we will also do nothing to curb the availability of the guns used to carry out said violence. The denial and empty rhetoric is learned helplessness— because the truth is.. America is sick and there is no cure in sight.

Because America, especially white America is not going to do what it needs to do to get rid of the guns in their country. It will be thoughts and prayers, “violence has no place” out of a performance of goodness, not out of the resolve to convince their communities to disarm.

Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence.

Again. I don’t care for empty rhetoric.

Murder is wrong. And America will move on and not change. Both things are true and both things are bad. Have I performed enough goodness for you?

If you’ve ever called the (armed) police on someone committing a crime, or voted to increase police funding—- then yes, you believe in the threat of lethal violence to deal with others.

Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man that espoused violence is…. not the same as violence

“Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously. You have to go steal a white person’s slot”. -Charlie Kirk

It goes beyond demand for Black care and forgiveness for white violence… They will not only still kill black people, but they will make the killers rich and famous.

What's crazy is that we don't know who the shooter is, or what the motivation for shooting Kirk was. But already, rhetorical charges of political terrorism, and blaming the left.

That's it! That's what she was fired for.

[BattleRow]

54. Re:Obama era..

I recall when Reverend Wright of Chicago was castigated for saying that the chickens will come home to roost.
Rev Wright wasn't wrong.

[Cha]

56. Twilight Zone Shit. nt

[returnee]

48. American hypocrisy...

…off the charts. Even IF you want to call printing a direct quote dissent, instead of what it is (just plain reporting news) it’s still just plain anti-American to suppress dissent.
Despite all the flag waving these people don’t understand freedom of speech.

[North Coast Lawyer]

49. double standard

Yet Fox commentators who advocate for the murder of homeless people still have their job.

[Hassler]

50. In a move to follow current political climate

WaPo is in a white-ification moment

[progressoid]

52. Hey, let's boycott Amazon again.

[Jarqui]

53. Want blunt honesty after reading that?

I'm more disturbed by what happened to her than I am Charlie Kirk.
What happened to Kirk is horrific and wrong - in spite of awful things he said.

But I've been sitting here watching the erosion of the media - the arbiter for democracy.
If this continues, there won't be a democracy or it might lead to horrible consequences and many people killed.

Both things are bad/awful.
I fear the consequences of the latter will be much worse which is why it disturbs me more.

[Cha]

55. Fcuk Bezos and his personal Propaganda

Machine.

This is CRAZY.. sorry about Karen Attah being fired for not WHITE Washing the CK Hate Machine.

[Crunchy Frog]

58. Time to finally cancel my subscription. Should have done it a long time ago.