Everybody take a deep breath.

September 11th is an incredibly tragic day in American history. In 2001, a terrorist attack resulted in three thousand people losing their lives, and many more suffering lifelong trauma and health issues. We can never lose sight of the tragedy that took place on that day.Terrorism is a threat to democracy and freedom. It’s meant to scare you. It’s meant to build resentment towards each other. And that’s why we must always denounce it.Let’s talk about what happened yesterday.Yesterday, we (Maria & Ainslee) were scheduled to get together to film some cute videos showcasing recent citizen-led advocacy efforts in Ohio. Whether it’s ballot initiatives or protests, many in Ohio are mobilizing and inspiring others to do the same, and we hope to help folks learn from each other’s successes.But literally moments before we were scheduled to record, we learned of the very public shooting of Charlie Kirk (Note: it would be only minutes after we finished filming that we learned he did not survive).Kirk was not based in Ohio, but his influence over the conservative movement, and, in turn, the Republican Party’s policy agenda, is undeniable. He was a frequent headliner and perpetual source of social media content promoting what we would easily describe as extremist policies and rhetoric.This was no friend to our work and our goals. Yet, in learning about the shooting, all we felt was an overwhelming sense of sadness. Sadness about how hostile our political system has become. And we felt fear that the shooting would be used as a pretext for more extremist violence.So we pivoted.Watch Maria and Ainslee’s raw reaction to yesterday’s shooting (or should we say, one of yesterday's shootings, since there was a school shooting in Colorado yesterday afternoon, too). There was no script. It’s not polished. But it’s honest. If nothing else, we can always promise you honesty.We really do believe that the antidote for extremism and political violence is community-building and constructive dialogue. You might think that’s corny. Maybe it is. But we’d rather be corny than be in a gunfight.This isn’t about giving anyone a post-mortem rebrand, or pretending that someone’s words and actions didn’t result in fatal consequences for others. We can appreciate why it’s difficult to muster up the empathy for someone being killed by gunfire when he has literally said empathy is made up and does damage and some gun casualties are “worth it”.But you can’t just shoot people.And sometimes it’s actually important to say that out loud.Recorded: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 4pmIn this Episode: Maria Bruno, Ainslee Johnson-BrownRelated Episodes:So, how can we get started building community? with Rachel Coyle & Tareya Palmer (August 2025)So You Want To Create Political Change with Tareya Palmer (May 2025)So, what’s up with white dudes? with Nick Chmura (April 2025)Words of hope: A holiday meal in a snowstorm (February 2025)Before you go: Today, let’s honor the heroes of 9/11 by pressuring Congress to take care of themWe are thinking of and honoring all of those who lost their lives and their loved ones. We’re also thinking about the incredible heroes from that day, some of whom are still waiting for access to lifesaving medical care, and recently suffered further cuts to care thanks to Congress. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention, Congress can actually still show their gratitude for these heroes by taking action, and we all should be pressuring them to do just that.Thanks for listening. Please consider supporting our work.Support & Follow Ohioans Against Extremism:Donate | Substack | Podcast | Facebook | Instagram | X | BlueSky Get full access to Ohioans Against Extremism at ohagainstextremism.substack.com/subscribe