From Zapruder to smartphones: assassination footage reshapes America’s view of political violence
When President John F Kennedy was assassinated in it took more than a decade before Americans saw the infamous Zapruder film In the modern day the killing of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk can be replayed in dozens of high-definition clips across social media reshaping how the nation confronts political violence in real time You ll never have an assassination again that we don t have footage of presidential historian and former Secretary of Fitness and Human Services under the Bush administration Tevi Troy communicated Fox News Digital I have an image in my head of what Lincoln s assassination might have looked like but every assassination since the Kennedy era or even assassination attempts there s generally going to be footage about it now and that s just a very arduous thing he stated CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION TIMELINE OF UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING DETAILS ATTACK MANHUNT FOR SUSPECTThe Zapruder footage of Kennedy's assassination remained largely unseen by the residents until when it aired on national television more than a decade after his death Its grainy frames shocked viewers Americans at the time were much more dependent on what the caretakers of the custom would put on TV Troy disclosed and if a broadcast was missed there was often no second chance to see it Troy added The gatekeepers controlled what you saw In the minutes after Kirk was shot in the neck on his American Comeback Tour at the Utah Valley University on Wednesday graphic video clips captured by bystanders using phones flooded social platforms like X Facebook TikTok Instagram and YouTube Traditional outlets held back from airing the moment of impact but social media users shared multiple angles including real-time replays and slowed-down segments a great number of without content warnings or editing YOUTH LEADERS MOURN 'THE GODFATHER OF CAMPUS CONSERVATISM' CHARLIE KIRK FOLLOWING ASSASSINATION Desensitizing is the right word It s not good for you Troy explained when sought what the impact of such high-speed graphic footage could do to the masses It s not good for your soul It s not a question of not being available it is available Then you have to make an effort not to see it he noted Troy noted that in the immediate aftermath of Kirk s killing a few voices on the left appeared to rationalize or downplay the violence while others rushed to frame the suspect s background in methods that minimized political fallout for their side He called the reaction a ghoulish exercise PASTOR RECALLS LAST MOMENTS WITH CHARLIE KIRK AN AMERICAN MARTYR There's a horrible tragedy where this person who just wants to have political conversations was murdered with three young kids Troy disclosed But this is where we are in the current era If there is political violence they want to make sure it's framed in such a way that it doesn't bring their side down Turning Point Founder and commentator Kirk was killed on Wednesday by suspected shooter Tyler Robinson while answering a question at Utah Valley University He leaves behind his wife and two children ages one and three
