Hollywood actor Michael Keaton (74) sparked fierce controversy after saying it is ironic that conservative political activist Charlie Kirk (Charlie Kirk·향년 31세) was shot dead, the Daily Mail reported on the 17th (local time).
Kirk was shot in the neck and died during a public debate at Utah Valley University in the United States on the 11th (local time). Kirk was a staunch defender of gun ownership rights and a leading conservative commentator who had driven debates over "gun control."
The suspect, Tyler Robinson (22), was arrested the next day and charged with murder, and investigators are probing the relationship with Robinson's transgender female partner Luna (real name Lance Tweeks·22), who had been living with him, as a motive for the crime.
Keaton mentioned the Kirk case while speaking at the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) 50th anniversary gala held on the 16th.
He said, "I didn't agree with Kirk on many things, but he left behind two children and a wife. We must not forget that," and added, "Shooting someone is not the answer. The fact that he was shot dead is an unbelievable irony."
But the remark drew criticism from both sides.
The conservative camp angrily said, "It's not irony but leftist violence." An internet user criticized, "Charlie was someone who tried to defend the Second Amendment (right to bear arms). Keaton doesn't even understand that meaning."
The progressive camp instead took issue with Keaton mentioning Kirk's bereaved family. Sharp responses poured in, saying, "His wife is also an accomplice. There's no reason to sympathize," and "A person who spread hate for money never cared about his family in the first place."
Some said, "That's why people turn away from Hollywood. Keaton is truly an idiot," even belittling the actor's education.
Meanwhile, there were voices defending Keaton. They emphasized that Keaton viewed the "deceased's death" as a "human tragedy," not a political controversy, saying, "It was a much more mature remark than most celebrities'" and "He should be praised for looking after the family of the deceased."
Keaton's comment, which became "uncomfortable" to both the conservative and progressive camps, shows that Kirk's death is spreading as another spark in the culture war rather than a simple incident.
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