Virginia Imam: ‘World a Better Place’ Without Charlie Kirk Who ‘Died Disrespecting Black People’

The shocking assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk has not only shaken conservatives nationwide — it has exposed just how openly some on the left and in radical circles are willing to celebrate political violence.

In a Friday sermon delivered in Norfolk, Virginia, Imam Ismail Saleem declared the world is “a better place” without Charlie Kirk, mocking the grief of his supporters and sneering that Kirk “gets what he deserves.” Rather than mourning the loss of a husband and father, Saleem told his congregation that Kirk’s death “makes me smile. Their tears make me smile. Their anger makes me smile.”

Saleem went further, justifying his glee by attacking Kirk’s record. “He died disrespecting black people, so I don’t care about him at all,” the imam said, dismissing those offering prayers for Kirk’s family as misguided. “Does anybody hope that this man’s children grow up to be like him or continue his legacy and his work?” he asked the crowd.

His words weren’t an off-the-cuff remark — they were part of a broader sermon in which he mocked Americans for showing empathy to Kirk’s wife and children while accusing them of ignoring suffering abroad. “They weren’t crying when they see Palestinian children dying every single day, when they lose their parents… so why would I cry? Let them see how we feel. See how it feels for people to not care about you at all,” Saleem said.

The imam’s rhetoric was laced with resentment, framing Kirk’s supporters as immoral and suggesting that only by “stop[ping] being racist” could they deserve compassion. It was a chilling window into the mindset that seeks to dehumanize political opponents — one that has grown louder in the days since Kirk was gunned down while speaking at Utah Valley University.

And it isn’t just fringe figures like Saleem. On Sunday, Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley echoed similar disdain, rejecting calls to honor Kirk as a hero. “You do not become a hero in death when you were a weapon of the enemy in your life,” Wesley said, labeling Kirk an “unapologetic racist” whose death did nothing to change his legacy.

This isn’t about debate, disagreement, or even harsh criticism. This is about leaders — both religious and political — normalizing hatred, mocking widows and fatherless children, and suggesting that political assassination is something to smile about. It reflects a dangerous erosion of basic decency, and it should deeply concern anyone who values free speech, civil society, and the safety of public life.

The tragic murder of Charlie Kirk has revealed more than just a security failure. It has exposed a growing culture where violence against conservatives is excused, rationalized, and even celebrated. And when voices from the pulpit join in that chorus, it sends a clear and dangerous signal: some lives, some families, and some griefs simply don’t count.