Political streamer Steven Bonnell II, better known as Destiny, claimed that Elon Musk and other conservatives got him banned from the famous streaming platform, ‘Twitch.’ “Unreal, @elonmusk and other conservatives just got me banned from twitch,” he wrote. “My entire income is gone now. So much for the party of free speech.”

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Who is Destiny?

Steven Kenneth Bonnell II, better known as Destiny, was born on December 12, 1988, in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up in a conservative Catholic family and experienced a lot of financial struggles during his youth.

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The collapse of his mother’s daycare business resulted in the foreclosure of their home, leading his parents to relocate in order to care for an elderly relative.

As a result, Destiny spent much of his childhood living with his grandmother until he turned 18.

Destiny attended Creighton Preparatory School, an elite Jesuit institution for boys. After high school, he enrolled at the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2007 to study music while also working night shifts as a restaurant manager at a local casino.

However, balancing work and academics proved difficult, and he dropped out of college in 2010. Following his departure from school, Destiny took on a series of tough, low-wage jobs, including working as a carpet cleaner under challenging conditions.

It was during this time that Destiny discovered his passion for video games, particularly StarCraft II, which would play a pivotal role in launching his streaming career.

He began streaming on Justin.tv (now Twitch) in early 2010, initially building a following through his gaming content.

Over time, Destiny transitioned into political debate streams, where his outspoken views and sharp commentary attracted a larger audience.

Why is Destiny under scrutiny over Charlie Kirk’s assassination?

The ban followed a highly controversial appearance by Destiny on ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored,’ where he made a series of statements that sparked outrage among viewers and panellists alike. When asked about his response to Charlie Kirk’s death, Destiny failed to condemn assassination. Instead, he controversially stated that conservatives should fear attending such events.

“If you wanted Charlie Kirk to be alive, Donald Trump shouldn’t have been president for the second term,” Destiny argued, blaming the political environment under Trump’s leadership for creating a climate of violence and division in the United States.

Destiny also mocked Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erica Kirk, on social media claiming that she was being used as a “political weapon” in conservative recruitment efforts, which led to further backlash. When asked to condemn the grief-stricken widow’s public role in political discourse, Destiny stood his ground and added Trump needs to take action to de-escalate the current state of political violence.

Elon Musk’s response

Musk responded to the controversy by stating, “Let him say what he wants, but then also pay the price under the law,” reinforcing his position on free speech but acknowledging that public figures should face consequences for their actions.