I’d like to give you a different perspective on Charlie Kirk’s death. I never met him, but I knew him. I knew him because in some small way, I used to be like him.

Charlie Kirk was a provocateur. He was a controversial figure. He was a radio talk show host.

I was a radio talk show host who could be controversial at times. I would find some crazy person who wanted to give his dog voting rights and say all dog owners were crazy. Or if a single liberal politician wanted to have the government pay for your cable bill, I’d attribute his beliefs to all liberals.

Being controversial was good for business.

Here’s an example.

One spring, I was driving down Dodge, and a bicyclist slowed down traffic by riding in the right lane. I went on the air and started attacking all cyclists. Even though it was just one person, I went after everyone. I told them to get off the street and just take the bike trails.

The phones went wild. I had people calling in left and right. Many callers attacked me.

Things got heated, so I acted like a good Samaritan. I said my only concern was that I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. I was a good guy concerned about their safety, rather than a selfish guy upset that it took him 30 seconds longer to get to where he was going.

Was I annoyed by that rider? Yes.

Was I as outraged as I appeared to be? Not even close.

But it was good radio. Some bicyclists got online and attacked me. I got hate emails from all over the country. I even got some from some foreign lands.

I went on the air the next day and played the victim for even more mileage. I talked about the backlash and made it an ‘us vs them’ scenario. I was the good guy, and THEY were the bad guys.

All summer long, I had strangers talk to me about the bike show. Supporters and detractors all heard what they wanted to hear. I was a hero to some and the devil to others.

Yes, going after a specific group just because of one person was good for business.

We can’t let what happened to Charlie Kirk be good for anyone’s business.

Before a suspect was captured and a motive discovered, President Trump, far-right pundits, and social media posts had already convicted all liberals.

It didn’t matter that it was just one person or if he was even liberal. Facts weren’t important. Going after a large group of Americans was good for business.

I didn’t know Charlie Kirk. I don’t know how strongly he believed everything he said. I do know he was a good communicator with a loyal following. I do know I condemn many of his comments on topics like race, gender, guns, and immigration.

I’ll never know how strongly he held those beliefs. Was he saying those things for the ratings? Was he attributing the acts of a few to make entire groups the enemy because it’s good for business?

I have no doubt Kirk loved his wife and kids. I don’t know how he really felt about the deaths of school children to gun violence when he tucked his boy and girl in bed at night. I do know that he smugly said that children dying were necessary to keep the Second Amendment.

And while he didn’t deserve to die for comments like that, an argument could be made that he died for something he believed in, or at least what he told his followers he believed in.

Charlie Kirk had some good points, but they were mostly delivered in a smug, I’m smarter than you tone. I often talked like that. His tour was called “Prove Me Wrong.”

But nobody is always right. Not me. Not Charlie. However, when provocative radio talk show hosts admit they are wrong, it’s bad for business.

Obviously, nobody should be killed for their beliefs. I mourn his death.

Charlie Kirk was all about free speech, but free speech is more than just talking. It’s listening as well.

The ‘us vs them’ radio bit where I blamed all bicyclists was entertaining. The ‘us vs them’ mentality permeating politics in America is dangerous.

The Republican governor of Utah called for calmer heads. The president called for war.

We need to ask every political candidate which side of that spectrum they are on. Are they calling for unity or division?

May Charlie Kirk Rest in Peace. I used to be a lot like him.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platform

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