I am old enough to remember the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I was in elementary school, and we were let out early while teachers were crying. I suspect that fewer teachers are crying today due to the murder of Charlie Kirk. This is a statement of the present condition of our body politic. As we begin to celebrate 250 years of independence, we must remain positive and reassure our despondent youthful conservatives that America will survive this tragic event.
Briefly, Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA at age 18 in 2012, after leaving Harper College in Illinois. He came from a suburb of Chicago, where he was conservative while attending high school. From an operation within his home and garage, he created an organization that has grown to millions of supporters, hundreds of employees, millions of dollars in the budget, and a reach to hundreds of campuses thirteen years later. Critically, Kirk argued his points openly, without violence, among the places of radical indoctrination. In this way, he was a great American patriot dedicated to freedom of thought. But most importantly, he was a husband and father of two. He will be missed.
Charlie had charisma and intelligence enough to recognize that college would stifle his Christian beliefs. He stated that freedom comes from God, not other people. He rejected atheism but would accept atheists’ help on any issue. Although I am Jewish, I never felt any judgment by him against my religion. He did find the revival of religiosity among young men a hopeful sign for our country and the Enlightenment. How do we defeat evil? With truth and light, and this must be carried on by others within the organization.
A life cut short at 31 years of age seems unbelievable. Andrew Breitbart created a news organization that survives today despite his death in 2012 of heart disease. Alex Marlow, the editor-in-chief of Breitbart News, said that the reach of this organization has extended since Andrew’s death. The organization has provided a platform for many other conservative outlets. People such as Ben Shapiro worked at Breitbart News, then co-founded The Daily Wire. Good ideas often morph into more ideas to counter the Marxist and socialist agenda of the left.
Charlie Kirk wrote an article in 2012 for Breitbart News while in high school that allowed him to become a force. In the same way, others will step up to extend the reach of Turning Point USA.
Charlie was a unique individual who touched many lives with generosity and creativity. Rush Limbaugh recognized his ability in 2018. He noted that he would become a force in the future, perhaps a presidential candidate. Kirk resided in Arizona, where this horrible event might wake up the silent moderates. We are all vulnerable to violence.
This murder will fuel the efforts of Trump to limit the crime waves in our communities. It is time that we stop protecting the mentally ill who assault innocents. Guns do not load themselves and shoot themselves, but people pull the trigger. Progressive cities and states limit guns but do not sufficiently prosecute those committing crimes. They want victims and chaos to control our lives.
This was a theme of Charlie’s talks. To honor him, we must continue his work. This will ensure that the killer has failed to stop his movement. Charlie Kirk will be remembered though his legacy. The evil perpetrated today will be defeated by people of good will.
The terrorist may have used a rooftop perch to take the kill shot. On a campus of 40,000, there were only six policemen providing protection. Outdoor venues may become a thing of the past. The personal security staff were there to protect Charlie from onrushes, not distant bullets.
Kirk was a threat to the left and their hold on political power. But we must realize that the outrageous rhetoric of Democrat politicians fuels this craziness.
Charlie grew out of the Tea Party movement, which I supported. He carried it farther, which I did not do. Now I will donate more to the cause through writing, money, and political involvement. May Charlie Kirk’s memory be for a blessing!
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Image: Charlie Kirk. Credit: Gage Skidmore via <a data-cke-saved-href=" by-sa="" captext="<a data-cke-saved-href=" cc="" gage="" gageskidmore="" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en" https:="" p="" photos="" src="https://images.americanthinker.com/um/um7tzzcw07en2ntzspdu_640.jpg" www.flickr.com="" width="100%" height="auto">
Image: Charlie Kirk. Credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.