1. United States
2. Nev.
3. Letter

In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s killing, I am furious—not only at the violence itself, but at the immediate lies and scapegoating that followed. Before facts were even known, far-right pundits and influencers rushed to blame transgender people, spreading baseless claims that had no connection to reality. This was not a mistake. This was deliberate. Let’s call it what it is: cruelty as strategy. Instead of facing the real issues—political violence, radicalization, gun access—bad actors once again chose to weaponize tragedy by targeting an already vulnerable group. Trans people, who are already disproportionately victims of harassment and violence, were smeared and scapegoated to feed the outrage machine. And every time this happens, it makes them less safe. This is not free speech—it is hate speech masquerading as “opinion.” It is reckless, it is cowardly, and it is putting real lives at risk. I demand that you and your colleagues: 1. Publicly condemn this scapegoating. Any leader who stays silent while lies are spread about trans people is complicit in the danger those lies create. 2. Confront the disinformation pipeline. Social media companies and media outlets must not be allowed to profit from incendiary lies that incite hate. Congress must hold them accountable with real oversight and enforcement. 3. Stand up for trans lives. Enough empty gestures. Trans Americans deserve equal rights, equal safety, and protection from being used as political punching bags. Make no mistake: this scapegoating is not just rhetoric. It emboldens violence. It paints targets on the backs of innocent people. And every time Congress allows these lies to go unchecked, more blood is on your hands. If you care about truth, if you care about democracy, if you care about human lives, then you cannot stay silent. Call this hatred what it is and fight it—not tomorrow, not in the next election cycle, but right now.