In the aftermath of Kirk’s killing and Kimmel’s silencing, where do we go from here?

['John Casey', 'John Casey Is Senior Editor Of The Advocate', 'Writing Columns About Political', 'Societal', 'Topical Issues With Leading Newsmakers Of The Day. The Columns Include Interviews With Sam Altman', 'Mark Cuban', 'Colman Domingo', 'Jennifer Coolidge', 'Kelly Ripa', 'Mark Counselos'] Advocate.com 2025-09-19 18:00:05

Shock turns to sadness, which turns to anger, which turns to frustration, which turns to abject sorrow. It feels like the country I love is slipping further away from democracy and plunging headlong into autocracy. When it passed, violent waves suddenly crashed against the shoreline, leaping over rocks and greenery, soaking the sidewalk and slowing my stride. Related: Ben & Jerry's founder Jerry Greenfield resigns, says he's 'been silenced' over LGBTQ+ rightsHow did we sink so far, so fast? We can keep speaking out, keep standing our ground, and do our damndest to ensure the waves of autocracy don’t overpower us.