Media figures across television, newspapers, and entertainment have shared grim views on the nation’s 250th anniversary. Their harsh critiques of racial inequality, Trump-era policies, and the meaning of patriotism highlight deep fissures over how to mark this major milestone.

A recent commentary by Jim Shultz, “Our unequal grief over horrific death,” raises questions by equating the murder of Charlie Kirk with the killing of Gaza civilians. Critics of Shultz’s September 23 piece argue that linking these events is misguided and fails to address the distinct contexts in which each tragedy occurred.