Fact check: Did Charlie Kirk say most people are scared when they see a black personally flying a plane?

1. Summary of the results

The original statement claims that Charlie Kirk said most people are scared when they see a black person flying a plane. However, upon reviewing the analyses, it appears that Charlie Kirk did make a statement that could be perceived as expressing doubt or fear when seeing a black person flying a plane, but it was more focused on questioning the qualifications of black pilots ^{[1] [2] [3]}. According to these sources, Kirk said, "If I see a Black pilot, I'm going to be like, 'Boy, I hope he's qualified'" ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Other analyses do not mention Charlie Kirk saying that most people are scared when they see a black person flying a plane, and instead provide context on his views on race and his rhetoric ^[4], or discuss unrelated topics such as the fallout from his assassination and disciplinary actions taken against employees ^{[5] [6]}. Some sources do not provide any relevant information regarding Charlie Kirk's statement about black pilots ^{[7] [8]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some key points that are missing from the original statement include the fact that Charlie Kirk's statement was more focused on questioning the qualifications of black pilots, rather than expressing fear or doubt ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Additionally, the original statement does not provide context on Kirk's views on race and his rhetoric, which could be relevant to understanding his potential attitudes towards black people in positions of authority ^[4]. Alternative viewpoints that are missing from the original statement include the fact that some sources do not consider Charlie Kirk's statement to be racist, and instead view it as a reaction to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies ^[3]. Other sources provide context on the fallout from Kirk's assassination and the disciplinary actions taken against employees who celebrated or mocked his death, which could be relevant to understanding the broader context of the issue ^{[5] [6]}. Some possible alternative explanations for Charlie Kirk's statement include:

• That he was trying to spark a conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion policies ^[3]
• That he was expressing a genuine concern about the qualifications of black pilots ^{[1] [2]}
• That he was trying to provoke a reaction from his audience ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement could be considered misleading because it claims that Charlie Kirk said most people are scared when they see a black person flying a plane, when in fact, Kirk's statement was more focused on questioning the qualifications of black pilots ^{[1] [2] [3]}. This could be an example of bias by omission, where the original statement leaves out important context and nuance in order to create a certain narrative. The statement could also be considered sensationalized, as it uses a provocative claim to grab attention, rather than providing a nuanced and accurate representation of the issue. Who benefits from this framing? Those who benefit from this framing include individuals and groups who want to portray Charlie Kirk as a racist, and who want to create a narrative that he is opposed to diversity and inclusion ^[4]. On the other hand, those who are hurt by this framing include Charlie Kirk and his supporters, who may feel that his statement is being taken out of context and misrepresented ^[3].