Poll: Majority of voters call firing over Kirk comments 'appropriate'

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(The Center Square) - Half of registered voters agreed that people celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination should be fired, according to a new poll.

ABC briefly suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for the last week over comments he made about Kirk’s assassination. Kimmel was reinstated by the company on Monday. 

Kimmel’s temporary suspension as well as several other firings in universities and sports organizations across the country has raised concerns about freedom of speech and censorship.

Before ABC announced the suspension, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel’s comments on Kirk’s assassination.

"These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead," Carr said.

The poll, conducted by RMG Research and the Napolitan News Service on 1,000 registered voters, found 51% of respondents said it is appropriate for private companies to fire people who celebrate an assassination like Charlie Kirk’s online.

The poll showed steep partisan divides as 80% of Republican respondents and 27% of Democrat respondents agreed that it is appropriate for private companies to fire people who celebrate an assassination like Kirk’s.

“Sadly, the poll shows that early reactions have been just as partisan as everything else in the political world,” said Scott Rasmussen, founder of the Napolitan Institute.

Faculty in universities, public schools and professional sports organizations have announced resignations or been fired over scrutiny from comments made appearing to celebrate Kirk’s assassination over the last several weeks.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. called for Middle Tennessee State University to fire assistant dean Laura Slosh-Lightsy over comments she made on social media about Kirk’s death.

“Looks like ol’ Charlie spoke his fate into existence,” Slosh-Lightsy wrote. “Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy,” according to Blackburn’s post.

The poll also found 59% of voters believe reporters and public officials should be fired if they celebrate an assassination on social media.

Eighty-eight percent of Republicans agreed that public officials and reporters should be fired while 34% of Democrats said the same.

MSNBC fired its senior political analyst Matthew Dowd after he speculated Kirk was killed by a supporter firing off their gun. Dowd also suggested Kirk’s rhetoric contributed to his killing.

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

Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women’s Forum, said there is a distinction between protecting freedom of speech and allowing people to continually be employed.

“An employee’s right to free speech does not include a right to employment,” Lukas said.