Thank you, Charlie

I cried when Charlie Kirk died.  I didn't know him.  I certainly knew of him and heard many of his exchanges with college students over the past few years.  He's the only political guy I followed on Instagram.  Not only did I cry when he died, I have cried several times since.  I've heard many people say that Charlie's death affected them more than you would expect and many have said that it changed them.  Some even said they're going back to church after not going for a long time.

In reflecting on why Charlie's death has affected us so much, I have concluded that there are several reasons.

First, it exposes the evil world in which we live, and the evil nature of so many people.  Unfathomably, many people are celebrating Charlie Kirk's assassination.  Many people are posting their glee on social media and reveling in the gruesome murder of a good man.  This is pure evil.  All these people are exposing themselves as the evil people they are.  And it makes us realize how many people we associate with are evil. And how evil so many in our society have become.

Second, even though we didn't know him personally, Charlie felt like a friend because we've heard him speak so much and felt like we knew him and were familiar with him.  Charlie was a wonderful example of Christian discipleship.  Charlie epitomized my values.  I heard him tell college kids not to drink alcohol, not to be promiscuous, to get married before living together, to get married and have kids, to keep the Sabbath day holy, etc.  He taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and spoke truth.

Third, Charlie did what, perhaps, most of us wish we could do in fearlessly and courageously speaking truth and defending what's right.  As I just mentioned he taught moral values along with defending all truth regardless of how unpopular his opinion was with some people.  Yes, his focus was on politics, and defending and preserving our country.  But in doing so you must defend moral truths because that's what our country is founded on and built on.  Charlie was very gifted at always politely and calmly teaching and defending truth in his debates.  He was very quick-witted and quick thinking – something I wish I was.  Public speaking was certainly one of Charlie's greatest talents.

Fourth, most of us were not around during any other previous political assassinations such as Abraham Lincoln, JFK, and even MLK.  This is the first political assassination we have witnessed in our lifetime.  Yes, I witnessed Reagan being shot  – but he lived.  Most recently we witnessed Trump's miraculous survival of an assassination attempt.  But this is the first actual political assassination of my lifetime.  And probably yours.  And it hits hard.

Like Charlie's wife, Erika, mentioned – Charlie died as a martyr.  He died for what he believed in.  He died for speaking truth.  He died in the very act of exercising free speech.  They didn't like what he said, so they killed him.  All Charlie ever wanted was to politely converse with people.  To have a civil dialogue.  The left couldn't debate him, so they killed him.

Although Charlie wasn't a member of my faith, my church, he was a fellow disciple of Christ.  And a very good one.  We can all learn from Charlie's example.  He stood up for what he believed in, he stood up for truth and he acted.  He shared truth with others.  And for that I have mad respect for him.  Charlie was a force for good.  Unfortunately the evil forces knew that all too well, and silenced him through cold-blooded murder.

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul…" – Matthew 10:28

Evil conspiring men may have killed Charlie's body, but they cannot kill his soul.

"… for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world."  – Alma 34:34

Charlie may have crossed through the veil to the other side, but his spirit hasn't changed.  He still has the same convictions that he had here on earth.  And I'm sure he's continuing his work on the other side.  For those of us who remain on earth, we need to follow Charlie's example to teach and to defend truth.  Don't fear those who oppose us or who oppose truth or who even want to kill us.  Evil surrounds us, we must continue the fight for right.  As President Trump said immediately after his assassination attempt, "Fight, Fight, Fight!"

Charlie didn't fear those who kill the body.  Charlie fearlessly and tirelessly fought the fight against evil.  Even though evil won the battle in killing Charlie's body, evil will not win the war.  Truth and right will prevail.  Charlie's work will continue through others.

Thank you Charlie for sharing your wisdom and for teaching and defending truth.  Charlie was wise beyond his years.  His loss creates a big void.  Perhaps we will all try a little harder in our own efforts to teach and defend truth, to help fill that void.

God be with you till we meet on the other side, Charlie.  Then, perhaps I can thank you for all you have done to preserve our nation, and society, and to teach and defend truth.

RIP Charlie Kirk.  October 14, 1993 - September 10, 2025

That's my two cents.