The Manufactured Scapegoat: How the Right Is Twisting Charlie Kirk’s Murder Into an Attack on the Trans Community
Why the MAGA machine is desperate to pin Kirk’s death on trans Americans...and what it means for their politics, and for those targeted.
The Manufactured Scapegoat: How the Right Is Twisting Charlie Kirk’s Murder Into an Attack on the Trans Community
Why the MAGA machine is desperate to pin Kirk’s death on trans Americans…and what it means for their politics, and for those targeted.
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #551: Monday, September 15th, 2025.
Let’s Cut Through the Noise
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder…social media lit up like a slot machine. A real tragedy…a real crime…and instantly…an avalanche of lies…half-truths…and conspiracy garbage. Among the worst: the effort to tie this act to the trans community.
Blurry video frames…cherry-picked rumors, wild “eyewitness” claims…all weaponized into the narrative: “The shooter was trans. This is what happens when we let them run wild.”
It’s a lie. And it’s a predictable one. Because for the right, especially the MAGA wing that wrapped itself around Kirk in life and martyrdom in death, the trans community is the perfect scapegoat.
Why the Trans Community?
1. The Politics of Fear
Fear sells. And the trans community has been turned into the fear flavor of the decade. In the 1950s…it was communists. In the 1960s…it was civil rights leaders. In the 1980s…gay men with AIDS. Today…it’s trans people. Why? Because they are a small minority…misunderstood by many…and easily painted as “other.”
2. Mobilizing the Base
The Republican playbook is simple: when your economic agenda doesn’t help ordinary voters…you need a cultural war to keep people angry and loyal. Demonizing trans people lights up all the old circuits: fear…disgust…“protect the children.” It’s primitive tribal wiring masquerading as moral outrage.
3. Distraction from the Real Story
If people spend their energy arguing about whether Kirk’s murder was some “trans revenge,” they’re not asking harder questions about Trump…about gun violence…about political extremism. Scapegoating isn’t just about hate. It’s about distraction.
How This Serves the Party
For MAGA Republicans…attacking trans Americans is a shortcut to:
Fundraising:
“Protect women’s sports” or “ban gender ideology” emails bring in millions.
Media airtime:
Outrage creates clicks…clicks drive coverage…coverage fuels the cycle.
Party discipline:
Nothing unites a fractious coalition like a common enemy.
But here’s the catch:
While this strategy juices the base, it alienates moderates and younger voters. Polling shows that Gen Z and millennials are far more accepting of LGBTQ people than older generations.
Every time the GOP doubles down on trans scapegoating…they deepen their short-term grip but risk long-term collapse.
Why It’s So Dangerous
When conspiracy theories like “the shooter was trans” catch fire…they don’t just stay online. They bleed into policy…into violence…into daily life.
Trans kids face bullying fueled by “groomer” rhetoric.
Statehouses churn out laws banning healthcare…sports participation…even bathroom access.
Hate crimes rise as people absorb the idea that trans Americans are threats rather than neighbors.
This is more than culture war. It’s life and death.
What Trans People Can Do
It’s unfair to put the burden of defense on those being targeted…but history shows that communities under siege survive and thrive when they link arms.
Some strategies:
Build Protective Networks:
Don’t stand alone. Local support groups…mutual aid…community centers…and online safe spaces are lifelines when the broader culture turns hostile.
Document and Report:
Keep records of harassment and threats. Use platforms like the ACLU…Lambda Legal… and Trans Lifeline. Documentation creates patterns…and patterns drive lawsuits and accountability.
Tell Your Own Story:
Nothing undercuts a smear campaign like reality. When trans Americans share their real lives…neighbors…parents…coworkers…it cuts through caricature. Personal connection is the antidote to propaganda.
Ally Recruitment:
Trans people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population. Allies are essential. Friends…family…coworkers…when they speak up…the echo chamber cracks.
Safety First:
No viral argument is worth physical harm. If a situation looks like it’s escalating offline…get out…get safe…get backup. The movement needs you alive and thriving…not martyred by hate.
The Bigger Picture
Robert Sapolsky reminds us that morality is tribal wiring.
People defend their group…demonize outsiders…and call it righteousness. MAGA Republicans know this. They hijack those instincts…paint trans Americans as villains…and call it “values.”
But science also shows something else:
Humans are capable of extraordinary empathy when the circle of “us” expands. The fight now is to expand that circle faster than the hate machine can shrink it.
Charlie Kirk’s murder is a tragedy. But trying to pin it on trans Americans is not just dishonest…it’s strategic hate. It’s an old game with a new target.
And the only way to win is to call it out…expose the motives…and fight for a country where no one’s existence is a political prop.
Plan to stay as safe as possible…but not so safe…that you cease enjoying life.
Back soon.
-Jack
Jack- I think I’m mentally as strong or stronger than the next person. As an older white guy with no wife left to protect, I’m trying to model non-violent resistance behavior to set an example for those with young families with a lot more to lose, as well my fellow baby boomers who, understandably are afraid, indifferent, and/or focused on just surviving day-to-day.
Everything you’ve touched on over the last four months has heightened my understanding of what compassionate people are up against. Your tips and strategies are great transactional defenses.
What has me overwhelmed is the sheer size of the iceberg towering over us. It feels like I’ve got a pea shooter against an automatic weapon, and if I blow on my straw that justifies the massive response I expect will follow against me.
When I try to enumerate what we’re facing I see this in the iceberg: SCOTUS, ICE, DHS, FBI , all three branches of government, federalized National Guards, DOGE/Palantir/AI - driven big tech algorithms inciting increased polarization and a hapless big media that serves us unbalanced news, afraid of factual reporting.
I’m not naive; I understand public media has stockholders and broadcast licenses to worry about getting pulled, and they’ve been co-opted by their government overseers.
What worries me the most right now is the intensity of the reaction against any dissent, any disagreement, any voice that doesn’t align with P2025 mind speak. Anybody stepping out of line is subject to harsh criticism or worse.
What I’ve seen that gives me some hope is this:
. Chicago mayor and Illinois governor anticipatory pushback against NG deployment (for now) and stalls trump’s ‘war’ declaration against Chicago;
. The redistricting fights against gerrymandering efforts to cheat in the
midterms and the brave walkout which not only delayed the inevitable but shined nationwide attention on what was happening in Texas;
. The state actions taken that try to prohibit the masking of non-local law enforcement personnel;
. The use of some common sense leverage to deny funding another round of budget dollars unless we get some healthcare relief for those relying on Medicaid/SNAP et al;
. The few comedy/entertainment shows that continue to show divergent points of view: South Park, Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher’s Real Time
. The No Kings rallies nationwide
. The beginnings of a dialogue about soft secession.
. The Substack community of souls that are cohesive, supportive and kind to one another - people helping one another, dealing with issues like dementia, autism, troubled marriages/ relationships, sharing stories of pain and struggle, but offering hope to those who came through the other side.
Our hands pulling together, Tom
“ Strategic Hate” was the PERFECT description of the current situation. It puts a target on the Trans community, that fits this current administration’s agenda perfectly!