Fort Worth Council Member Faces Backlash Over Charlie Kirk Post Amid Political Violence

Fort Worth City Council member Elizabeth Beck faced widespread criticism after posting and quickly deleting a social media message referencing a 2023 quote from conservative activist Charlie Kirk shortly after his fatal shooting. Beck's post, which highlighted Kirk's statement that gun deaths were an "unfortunate" but necessary consequence of protecting Second Amendment rights, was interpreted by many, including Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and local GOP leaders, as condoning political violence. Mayor Parker condemned Beck's action, emphasizing elected officials' responsibility to promote civility and stating that Kirk's killing was a political assassination with no justification. Beck responded by decrying "extreme tribalism" and reaffirmed her stance that political violence is unacceptable regardless of political affiliation. The incident sparked calls from Republicans, including Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French, for Beck's removal from office, while other city council members supported the call for maintaining high standards of decency and denounced the post. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over political discourse and violence in the U.S.