Introduction:
Kane Brown Faces Intense Backlash After Tribute to Charlie Kirk
Kane Brown has found himself at the center of a heated controversy after posting a tribute to late conservative activist Charlie Kirk on social media Wednesday (Sept. 10). The country superstar says the backlash has been so severe that he plans to step away from posting for a while.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. Brown reacted with an emotional post, calling for more compassion and unity across political lines. But instead of receiving support, he was met with criticism from fans on both ends of the political spectrum.
One fan accused Brown of ignoring the recent murders of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed in June. “Why didn’t you post about the Democratic representatives being murdered?!!!!” the commenter asked.
Others blasted Brown for acknowledging tragedy beyond their own political side. “Stand up don’t be silent and bow down to those liberal POS that are joyful a father died!!! You have a huge platform use it!” one angry fan wrote.
Another critic went further, telling Brown that by honoring Kirk, he had “offended [his] ancestors” as a Black man. That comment struck a nerve, prompting Brown to respond.
“I’ve been called a n—-r my whole life,” he wrote. “I don’t want those people dead.”
In an Instagram Live clip later posted to his feed, Brown broke down in tears. “I’ve been crying for two hours,” he admitted. “At the end of the day dude, I just want everybody to love each other… left side, right side, Black, white, different language speaking, different country living, just love each other. If you see somebody down, just pick ‘em up.”
Clearly frustrated by the backlash, Brown told his fans the video would be his “last post for a while,” signing off with, “Be safe guys and love one another.”
As of Thursday morning (Sept. 11), authorities continue a wide-scale manhunt for the suspect responsible for Kirk’s killing. Multiple persons of interest have been questioned and released.