James Uthmeier honors Charlie Kirk with portal combating ‘violent extremism’

During a press conference in Orlando, Attorney General James Uthmeier discussed the legacy of conservative organizer and thought leader Charlie Kirk by rolling out a portal designed to ferret out “violent extremism” on college campuses.

“Everybody knows about the recent assassination and what it represents,” Uthmeier said at Valencia College.

“Charlie Kirk was an individual that believed in discourse, that believed in debate, that believed in the exchange of ideas. And what happened to him was such a tragedy because he literally would sit down on campuses and invite people to engage in discussion. You could ask him any question. He wasn’t afraid of any question, and unfortunately, someone who disagreed with his ideology chose not to respond with discussion or debate, but instead to assassinate him and take his life.”

To that end, his office is rolling out the Combat Violent Extremism Portal in an effort to ensure that the violence that struck Kirk in Utah this month never recurs in Florida.

The goal, Uthmeier said, is to ensure “safe academic environments, where people feel confident to engage in discussion free from attack, free from violence.”

The portal allows for the anonymous submission of “screenshots, videos, and other evidence of threats of violent extremism” to the AG’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

It is not, he said, an attempt to drive “cancel culture” or “silencing individuals.” Rather, it’s a way to stop a “call for violence … before people are shot, before explosives go off, before people are injured or lose their lives.”

Uthmeier said violence on the Left is a reason this initiative is necessary, in order to demonstrate “no tolerance for political violence or extremism.”

“We’ve seen political violence more so than ever. We’ve seen BLM (Black Lives Matter) riots that burn cities down. We’ve seen people that launch attacks in Catholic churches and schools, killing children,” Uthmeier said. “We saw the Pennsylvania Governor’s home set ablaze by a pro-Palestinian radical. We’ve seen assaults on federal immigration law enforcement officials.”

Educators are also on watch for having promulgated the idea that violence is an acceptable mode of political actions.

“Any educator who makes vile, despicable comments celebrating and encouraging violence in schools will be investigated and held accountable,” said Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas. “Thank you Attorney General James Uthmeier for supporting these efforts and helping us ensure Florida’s students have the highest quality teachers leading their instruction.”

The Commissioner noted that a Clay County teacher perceived as being happy about Kirk’s death on social media will be subject to license revocation for “gross immorality … failure to protect the health, safety and welfare of students … reduced effectiveness as an educator, and … failing to distinguish her personal views from that of a public educational institution.”

Uthmeier offered support for this play, saying that “when you are celebrating murder requiring the state to go through extra security measures, that’s not right, and we’re going to put a stop to it.”

Post Views: 0