As I depart Washington, D.C., today, I reflect on the recent death of Charlie Kirk. I am not a fan of his; in fact, a lot of what he has said seems pretty objectionable to me, not that I am all that familiar with his content. But murder isn't the appropriate response to political disagreement. Kirk's death really scares me for a few reasons.
On a personal level, I have been to the UVU campus, okay, probably more like driven by it. I went to BYU. The proximity of the event makes it a bit more real. I remember there was once a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, an event I had considered going to. It was shocking to learn I could have been there; I could have been shot. Granted, it has been years since I have been to UVU, but still, knowing the place where a shooting occurred just makes it more real to you.
Second, I'm somewhat politically active myself. I talk about what I think is right for this country. I certainly am envious of Charlie's success. I wish I had the platform and reach he did. In fact, I don't think more than a dozen people will read my words.
But the broader point is that it might dissuade others from being politically active. Why make yourself a potential target? In a sense, it is all risk and no reward. Why put yourself out there?
I think this is a very dangerous line of thinking. The way we can learn more about ourselves and others is by engaging, by talking, and by debating. The best way to do this, I think, is in a public forum, which is exactly what Charlie did.
So perhaps, in a way, I am a fan of sorts. While I disagree with his ideas, I applaud that he was willing to put himself out there and share what he thought was right. I think we all find ourselves guilty from time to time of not caring. Our nation faces great problems, perhaps even an existential crisis if things continue the way they have. But what do we do about it? Keep our heads down and just try to live our lives. So, in a sense, perhaps Charlie is someone we should all be a little more like. We should speak our minds and stand up for what we believe in.
Perhaps people like Kirk are a critical part of our democracy, someone younger voters could relate to, someone who got people out of their own space to engage in the political process.
May God bless Kirk's family, and may justice be swift against his killer.
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