Bob Dylan's Alleged Comments on Charlie Kirk — What’s True and What’s Not

The death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has sparked plenty of commentary and reflection, including from some big names. Among those mentioned is Bob Dylan, the folk and rock icon known for hits like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

An alleged quote from Dylan has been circulating on social media, with some praising him for supposedly speaking out in support of free speech, while others have criticized it. But with so much murkiness swirling online, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s simply clickbait, aka fake news.

We’re here to clarify what Bob did, or didn’t, say about Kirk.

There’s a lot being shared online about what Bob Dylan allegedly said regarding Charlie Kirk, and none of it appears to be true. One comment getting the most attention claims Bob said, “If you want people to speak kindly after you’re gone, speak kindly while you’re alive, I stand by this. Be kind — now more than ever.” The statement seems aimed at addressing the negative comments about Kirk, who often spoke on controversial topics that didn’t sit well with everyone.

It reads almost as if Dylan were justifying the harsh things people are now saying about Kirk, despite his brutal death, because some of his past statements didn’t always come across as kind, at least toward certain people or situations.

While it would certainly be a bold comment to make, there’s no record of Dylan actually saying it or posting it on social media, so this one is the first to be debunked.

Other comments making the rounds, supposedly from Bob, addressed Jimmy Kimmel’s show returning after the remarks he made about Kirk’s shooting. “Disney and ABC think bringing Jimmy Kimmel back will calm us? No. This isn’t about one show — it’s about the freedom and creativity of an entire generation. When the right to speak is suffocated, art withers, and we step into an age of darkness.”

He also allegedly referenced his childhood while speaking about Kirk’s shooting, saying, “When I was a boy in Minnesota, I used to sit in a tiny room, playing my father’s old guitar. Every time the neighbors knocked and said, ‘Be quiet,’ it felt like the music in my heart was being strangled. If I had obeyed, maybe I would have never sung again.”

All of this was shared in a Facebook post by Together We Rise, which promotes itself as a news and media website. The URL linked to the story, “usbrekingnews24h,” leads to another site full of pop-ups, giving major spam vibes.

Again, there is no record of Dylan saying any of this, at least in connection with Kirk’s death, nor has he issued a statement about these alleged comments.

Based on the source and the narrative it’s trying to push, making Dylan look like he’s defending free speech and possibly justifying the backlash Kirk received, it doesn’t seem legit. This, too, is being filed under “didn’t happen” until a credible source can show proof that Dylan actually said or wrote these words.

Connecting a name like Bob to Kirk is certainly good clickbait and further pushes Kirk into a broader spotlight, which may explain why it was done.