Washington Post ordered to reinstate Black opinion writer fired after Charlie Kirk posts

The Washington Post has been ordered to reinstate Karen Attiah, a Black opinion writer who was fired following social media posts about violent white men in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's death. The arbitrator, Sarah Miller Espinosa, ruled that the newspaper lacked sufficient cause to terminate Attiah, who was the last Black full-time member of the Post’s opinion desk.

The tribunal also ordered the Post to pay Attiah full back pay and lost benefits. Charlie Kirk, a conservative podcaster and ally of former President Donald Trump, was fatally shot on September 10, 2023, during a public appearance at Utah Valley University. He had gained notoriety for his provocative statements on race, gender, and politics, often criticizing movements like Black Lives Matter and labeling George Floyd, the victim of a 2020 police killing, as a "scumbag."

In the days following Kirk's death, Attiah expressed her thoughts on her Bluesky account, stating that her response was not one of mourning for a white man who advocated for violence, but rather an acknowledgment of the fear and potential violence from those who fear being vulnerable. Attiah was promptly sent a termination letter on September 11, alleging "gross misconduct."