As we all know, Charlie Kirk, a prominent and extremely influential voice on the right, was shot and killed on Wednesday at an event at Utah Valley University. He was the founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative activist organization focused on registering young voters and aligning young people with conservative and Christian values. Whether you knew him from his Jubilee debates or his viral campus debates with college students, this news came as an utter shock, and it truly felt like a nightmare.
Background on Kirk and the Shooting
Kirk was addressing and debating a student on gun control when a gunman opened fire, firing one shot fatally in what was obviously a targeted attack. A suspect was just recently taken into custody after the FBI gave a briefing on their search for the suspect. Although a suspect may have been named, the incident has sent shockwaves through the American political landscape, igniting fears of escalating political violence in an already polarized country.
Kirk was no stranger to controversy. As a close ally of former President Donald Trump and a vocal advocate for conservative causes, he built a massive following through campus tours, podcasts, and social media. His organization, Turning Point USA, has been highly influential in rallying young Republicans on issues like free speech, limited government, and opposition to progressive policies. Yet, his views on immigration, cultural issues, and vocal support for Israel, which seemed to be dwindling in the days leading up to his death, garnered him many critics across both political parties
My Thoughts
Personally, I disagreed with Charlie Kirk on nearly everything. His positions on foreign policy, particularly his backing of Israel and his blind eye to genocide in Gaza, clashed with my own beliefs. He promoted ideas that I saw as out of touch, and he created what I saw as unnecessary division. I always saw the issues that he talked about as irrelevant to the realities faced by many Americans. However, this assassination is absolutely unacceptable and frankly unfathomable. No matter how deep our ideological differences divide us, resorting to violence is an intellectual surrender and a betrayal of the American principles of democracy and civil discourse that Kirk himself stood for.
In my view, this tragedy needs a unified response from both the right and the left. A response rooted in reflection, restraint, and a commitment to peace amidst anger. As a country, we cannot let grief or anger spiral into more hatred and division. Instead, we must pause, pray, or meditate as feels right, and recognize the shared humanity and emotion that keeps us together. The right should resist the urge to let anger take over and weaponize this moment for partisan gain, and avoid calls for violent vengeance and civil war that only worsen the divide in our country. The left, too, must confront how hateful rhetoric can inspire the unthinkable, stepping back from demonization to foster real dialogue. Together, we need to condemn this act unequivocally, not just in words but in actions—by recommitting to non-violent protest, open forums, and policies that address root causes of division without excusing terror. Our country is gutted right now, and the only way forward is through empathy and de-escalation, not escalation. Hatred has no place here; healing does.
This is not a time to bear arms or act tough, stirring up talk of civil war or retaliation. This type of rhetoric only fuels the cycle of destruction we’re desperate to escape. We must condemn political violence in all its forms and take action in whatever way you believe is beneficial to the country and to God. Whether that means advocating for more gun restrictions or advocating for a higher number of law enforcement officers, make your voice heard in a way that de-escalates the current turmoil. Kirk was a man whose views I profoundly disagreed with, but he was not a monster. He had no direct power over decisions made in the White House or any branch of government. He was an activist, a speaker, someone who promoted the American values of open discussion and free speech on college campuses across the nation. He believed in civil debate with political opponents and engaging young people in American politics.
Heartbreakingly, his family is now left without a father and husband. Kirk leaves behind a wife and young children who must live in a world forever altered by this unbelievable act. No policy disagreement justifies such a loss. On the topic, let’s not forget the broader context of the world’s growing political violence. What happened to Kirk happens to innocent children in Gaza every day, where innocent men, women, and children are intentionally killed by an army that the United States Government directly funds. These innocent people are slaughtered every day, caught in the crossfire of conflicts fueled by the very divisions Kirk and others debated. Political violence is not about right vs left, which side does it more, which side is more violent. If we mourn one life taken by violence, we must mourn them all and work toward a world where no family endures this pain.
What Now?
In the aftermath of this, we face the reality that the assassination of a moderate conservative like Kirk doesn’t silence debate, it radicalizes it. Expect to see a surge in far-right figures rising to the forefront of the conservative movement, their voices will surely be amplified by the martyr narrative of Kirk and the vacuum left behind. Voices that once lurked on the outside looking in, discussing unchecked nationalism or isolationism, will draw in millions of followers who see them as the heirs to the throne of conservative politics. Whether you see this as or progress or not, this is a reality everyone in American politics will come to face in the coming years.
We as Americans have a choice. We can let this tragedy fracture us more, handing power to extremists on all sides, or we can use it as a turning point for something greater. This is not about left or right; this is about realizing this moment will radicalize many on both sides, and that is completely normal after an incident like this. All I ask as an average American citizen is to not bear arms and do what you can to prevent this from happening. The violence must stop, and the rebuilding must start now.