tweets from Rep Derrik Van Orden (R, WI) When Tragedy Becomes a Weapon: Minocqua Brewing Company

Several days old but I thought some might like to read it.
Unfortunately, Van Orden is my Rep--but I will be working hard next summer and fall to OUTST him from Congress!!


When Tragedy Becomes a Weapon

Minocqua Brewing Company

Tue, Sep 16, 2025 at 7:16 AM

To: xxxxx


Hi Folks,

Ben Cominos is back today with a piece that takes on one of the most dangerous dynamics in American politics: leaders and media figures who seize on tragedy to stoke division. In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing, Ben lays out how right-wing voices are jumping to conclusions without evidence, weaponizing grief in an attempt to push us closer to civil war. His message is clear: don’t fall for it. We don’t have to hate each other, but we do have to call out those who profit from fear and chaos.

Pieces like this matter. They take time, courage, and thoughtfulness....

Thanks for sticking with us and now, here’s Ben….
........

When Tragedy Becomes a Weapon

I think we need to come to grips with some pretty harsh realities right now.

I would never presume to tell somebody how to do their job, or act like I am always setting the example of professionalism and decency in America. I don’t have many strengths in life, but self-awareness is definitely one of them.

This I do know, though: people are scared. People are stressed. People are divided. Some of this is organic, but a good percentage of it is brought about by the media landscape that we currently live in.

I love how diversified media has become. It has allowed so many new voices to enter the conversation that would have never had a shot when the industry was more consolidated—present company included. That brings some questionable opinions out of the woodwork as well, though. Love it or hate it, this is what being American is all about.

Here’s where I draw the line: what happened to Charlie Kirk is sad. Gun violence should never be championed. It also happens every day—multiple times a day. It is the “cost of freedom” that we have deemed acceptable. For the record, I’m not saying I’m accepting it, but this seems like the direction the country wants to go in.

Charlie Kirk was known for, in my opinion, some pretty questionable takes. Claiming the Civil Rights Movement was a mistake. Saying Black women were inferior intellectually. Saying that gun violence was necessary in the name of the 2nd Amendment. Quoting the Bible to highlight that the penalty for homosexuality was stoning people to death. So, so many comments about the transgender community. I could go on.

Despite all of this, he did not deserve to lose his life.

Here’s the kicker, ladies and gentlemen: NOBODY KNOWS WHY THIS HAPPENED YET.

This could have been an angry liberal. It could have been someone in the LGBTQ community. It could’ve been a member of a minority population mad about some questionable comments. It could have been a Trump supporter who felt like he was playing both sides of the fence. It could have been someone mad about the Epstein cover-up. It could’ve been someone mad about his take on foreign policy. It could’ve been someone with a personal vendetta.

You get my point.

Unfortunately, when you turn on right-wing media, it seems like they’ve already jumped to the conclusion that a liberal was involved. No evidence (since when does “journalism” require evidence). No coherent motive. Nothing.

Despite this fact, plenty of voices all over the media-sphere are not shy about celebrating the idea of civil war with their fellow Americans. IT’S DISGUSTING!! And it’s only exacerbated by a (small) percentage of liberal voices online celebrating what took place.

Here’s the difference: I would like every random account on Twitter to be compassionate when talking about a husband and father losing his life, but I shouldn’t expect it. There are 350 million Americans, and some of them are going to say some crappy things. There’s nothing we can do about that.

Members of the media have a DIFFERENT expectation. Members of Congress have a DIFFERENT expectation. I take my responsibility very seriously, and unfortunately, after the events that unfolded yesterday, it looks like I’m one of the only ones that does.

Right-wing media saw an opportunity to stoke political tensions and haven’t missed a moment to do so. Dozens of big-time social media accounts have all been saying some variation of “this is war” or “the civil war started long ago” or some other dumb message.

Here are the facts: we have a shooter. The shooter is a very mixed bag, regardless of what the motive is (if we ever find out). It is clear that he is unwell. Anybody pushing any narrative otherwise is looking for clicks. These are what we call FEAR MONGERS, ladies and gentlemen.

What’s worse? It doesn’t end in the media. Some of Wisconsin’s own members of Congress are fanning the flames even further.

I’m going to provide the text of one tweet from Derrick Van Orden. He sets his tweets to private, so I can’t share the message here, but the original is still up on Twitter as of the posting of this article:

“This horrible crime by a savage, now @charliekirk11 being murdered. The left and their policies are leading America into a civil war. And they want it. Just like the Democrat Party wanted our 1st civil war. The gloves are off. This I will Defend.”

It doesn’t stop there either. Here’s another quote from a Derrick Van Orden tweet:

“Let’s remember how the last civil war the @dccc @DNC started, ended. They got yesterday what they wanted in Butler. The wind has been sowed.”

According to Wisconsin Democrats, the guy is approaching 500 tweets on the matter over the course of 4 days. For context, I created my Twitter account in 2018, and I’m approaching 2,000 tweets. He’s hit 25% of my entire output, stoking political flames.

I can’t stress enough… THIS GUY HAS NO IDEA WHY THIS GUY DID THE SHOOTING. NOBODY KNOWS WHY THIS GUY DID THE SHOOTING.

This is a sitting member of Congress, in conjunction with (what appears like) a coordinated effort with right-wing groups, stoking political tensions without a single shred of evidence. I reached out to his office for comment. As of this writing, I haven’t heard back yet.

Here’s the kicker: the shooter may in fact BE a left-minded individual… and that STILL wouldn’t justify this kind of rhetoric.

Moments after the shooting, a talking head on MSNBC made callous comments about the shooting—I’m assuming in an attempt to go viral. Instead, he was fired. Almost immediately. That’s what this should look like.

Listen, guys: we don’t hate each other. We’re being fed into a pipeline of hate, anger, and frustration, and it’s the marginal Representatives like Derrick Van Orden steering us in that direction.

DON’T FALL FOR IT.

Ben Cominos is a progressive writer and radio host of Outside the Box on WHBY in Appleton, Wisconsin—a political talk show known for cutting through spin and speaking hard truths.............