SAN DIEGO — The first rule of communications strategy goes like this: If you don't define yourself, your enemies, adversaries and competitors will gladly do it for you, and often in unflattering terms.
That's true with businesses, causes and nonprofit organizations. It's especially true in politics, where another version of the same idea also applies. It goes like this: If you can silence, threaten or bully your enemies, adversaries and competitors, you'll be free to define anyone or anything with nothing but flattery.
The White House — and the entire Trump administration, which is led by political appointees eager to stay in the good graces of the boss — prefers to remember Charlie Kirk fondly.
The conservative activist and professional provocateur was shot and killed on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, during a question and answer session with students. The event was the first stop on what was supposed to be a national tour put together by Turning Point USA, the youth organization that Kirk co-founded.
At a massive public memorial for Kirk that is scheduled for Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, we'll hear nothing but affection, adulation and appreciation. The stadium has a capacity of 63,400, and every seat is likely to be filled.
On stage, Kirk will be praised by a parade of speakers that will include everyone from Secretary of State Marco Rubio to conservative media personality Tucker Carlson to President Donald Trump.
Erika Kirk will also speak in honor of her husband, and we should respect that. She and her two young children didn't deserve to endure this terrible loss.
But the others — the politicians and the charlatans — will be there as part of a massive sales job. They'll be selling the narrative that Kirk was a patriot who never insulted, disparaged or attacked anyone. They'll talk about how Kirk beat liberals at their own game by creating Turning Point USA and getting young people on college campuses excited about politics again.
Speakers are also likely to insist that Kirk was a man of faith, someone who let God's teachings guide his words and deeds. The 31-year-old talked openly about his religious convictions, even quoting verses from scripture at many of his speaking engagements.
Convincing America that Kirk was a swell guy who never harmed anyone becomes much easier to do if you can slap a muzzle on those who say otherwise. A pair of House Republicans have introduced resolutions to punish Rep. Illhan Omar, D-Minn., for commenting on Kirk's death and sharing a social media post that criticized him.
You see what's happening here. To do right by Charlie, the GOP is turning itself inside out. Ten minutes ago, Republicans used to oppose speech codes and cancel culture and playing the victim and not taking responsibility for one's actions. Now they can't wait to punish anyone who dares to disparage Kirk.
And, oddly enough, in their book, the concept of disparagement includes quoting Kirk's words verbatim. Some of those words were poison, and so we aren't likely to hear them from any speakers at the Kirk memorial.
For instance, Trump only hears harmful speech when it comes from the left; he ignores it when it comes from the right. In fact, the administration wants to use the Kirk tragedy to crack down on liberal groups that interfere with its agenda.
Still, there is no evidence that the alleged assailant — 22-year-old Tyler Robinson — took marching orders from any liberal group. What the evidence — which includes text messages from Robinson to his roommate and alleged romantic partner — does suggest, however, is that the shooter thought Kirk was a hateful person who spread toxic views.
Look at the videos that Kirk produced, and you will see where Robinson got that idea. Kirk seemed to harbor special animosity for feminists, immigrants, transgender individuals and Black Americans.
He thought women should "submit" to their husbands, that being transgender meant you were mentally ill and needed "therapy," and that America was "at its peak" when it took in fewer immigrants.
He also thought "prowling blacks go around for fun to go target white people" and that Black women such as former first lady Michelle Obama and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson do not have sufficient "brain processing power" and so they had to use affirmative action to "steal a white person's slot."
Oh yeah, what a lovely guy. May he rest in peace, and take his views with him.
To find out more about Ruben Navarrette and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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