Charlie Kirk was shot in the throat while doing what Americans are supposed to do: engage in civil discourse.
He went to a college campus—not historically a hotbed of conservatism—to speak, to debate, to challenge. And now he’s dead because he dared to use his voice.
I don’t have time for ‘both sides’ today.
Charlie wasn’t just a public figure. A husband. A father. A man of faith. A fellow happy warrior who relished being in the arena.
He was also a generational leader who made politics relevant for young Americans. For many conservative kids, Charlie was their first entry point into American politics.
Watching him build Turning Point USA from the ground up, watching him debate, draw crowds, and inspire action—it was nothing short of a miracle.
Charlie Kirk was a political destination for millions of people who might never have gotten interested in politics otherwise.
His impact wasn’t limited to rallies and speeches. His organization had a robust data operation that helped mobilize young voters—many of whom had never engaged in politics before.
Charlie Kirk was shot in the throat Wednesday September 10, while doing what Americans are supposed to do: engage in civil discourse
Watching him build Turning Point USA from the ground up, watching him debate, draw crowds, and inspire action—it was nothing short of a miracle
As White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told me on my radio show, Charlie’s work helped President Trump regain the White House. His influence extended deep into the administration. They listened to him. They trusted him. He had his hand on the pulse—not just of the MAGA base, but of the next generation.
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old now in custody and charged with murdering Charlie, didn’t act in a vacuum. He was radicalized. He engraved ‘Hey fascists, catch’ on his bullets.
He referenced Bella Ciao, an anthem now adopted by ANTIFA. He believed Charlie was a fascist. A Nazi. A threat to democracy. And he believed that threat had to be eliminated.
Where did he get that idea?
For years, the American Left—Democrats, media, activists—have branded conservatives as fascists. Not just wrong. Not just misguided. Fascists. Nazis. Dangerous people who must be stopped.
Every conservative view, from tax cuts to basic biology, is met with accusations of hate and harm. The rhetoric isn’t just toxic — it’s lethal.
And when violence erupts, conservatives are told to tone it down. We’re lectured about rhetoric. We’re blamed for division.
Meanwhile, elected officials on the left talk about being ‘at war,’ fantasize about political deaths, and normalize the idea that speech is violence. Then someone like Charlie Kirk gets murdered — and we’re told to be quiet.
No. Silence is not an option.
To many conservatives, it feels like we’re under siege — physically and rhetorically. Our president was nearly assassinated last summer. Our friend was just murdered in cold blood. And we’re still being told that we’re the problem.
Charlie Kirk was the opposite of political violence. He debated. He spoke. He reasoned. He inspired. That’s what Americans are supposed to do. That’s what Charlie stood for.
Kirk leaves behind his wife, former beauty queen Erika Frantzve Kirk, 36, and their two children, a three-year-old daughter and a 16-month-old son
We must call out the culture that made this possible. We must reject the idea that disagreement equals danger. We must defend the public square — not just for conservatives, but for everyone who believes in free speech and peaceful debate.
Charlie Kirk was 31. He leaves behind a young family and a movement that cannot afford to retreat. If we honor him with silence, we betray everything he stood for.
Let this be the moment we say: enough.
And yet, look at the reaction from the Right. As Utah Governor Spencer Cox reminded the country on Friday, there were no riots. No violence. No burning cities. Just prayer and vigils and pledges for more speech, more debate and always remembering our humanity. Just the way Charlie would have wanted it.
We’re gutted. We’re grieving. But we cannot afford to be
