DISCLAIMER: This article expresses the writers personal journey and opinion and does not reflect the views or opinions of HerCampus or HerCampus Holy Cross
On Wednesday, September 10th, I had just opened my phone during a break in my English seminar class when I saw a text from my roommate. It was a link to an article entitled “Charlie Kirk is Shot During Utah Valley University Event,” and I can honestly say that I have not been the same since reading that headline.Â
For the next 48 hours I was constantly switching between news stories, rotating from article to article, jumping to read live updates, and going down rabbit holes of conspiracy theories. I came across beautiful tributes and appalling celebrations, as well as Bible verses and propaganda following the very public assassination of Charlie Kirk.Â
Charles James Kirk was a husband, a father, a Christian, and a conservative. He stood for faith, courage, and truth, and was fearless in the pursuit of all three. I’d been loosely following Charlie for years, watching an interview here and a discussion there, but I did not know much of his past nor the reality of his profound effect on my generation. I don’t want to write this article as another recap of Charlie’s incredible, full life but as a testimony, a personal account on the ways that his life touched mine and continues to even after his murder. This is my tribute to Charlie Kirk.Â
First and most simply, Charlie loved America. He valued the principles that this amazing country was founded on and was a true patriot as he defended our rights and worked within his calling to protect our nation. In recent years, I’ve found myself growing more and more hesitant to voice my support for the U.S. as it has felt as if a majority of the people I know speak only about their hate for America. Although the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday through and through, I’ve found it difficult to express my gratitude for this incredible country when I’m hearing constant attacks on it and the values that it was founded on. Yet Charlie was unabashed in his love and devotion to this nation and I take pride in not only sharing that love with him but also in sharing a hope and excitement for the future direction of America.Â
The second thing I learned from Charlie was the importance of our first amendment. In his life he was an adamant believer and practitioner of the freedom of speech and he expressed his opinions even when it was unpopular or when he received hate for doing so. Re-watching clips of some of his speeches and debates, I have been inspired to fully appreciate the amazing possibilities for the first amendment and speak publicly on subjects I would have hesitated to even bring up in casual conversation. I never believed that I would be writing an article that revolves around a political figure, yet I’ve decided that, under these circumstances of his assassination, staying quiet is unacceptable. Charlie Kirk refused to be silenced and understood that utilizing the power of speech and the written word is what actually effects change, and I hope that by speaking out in this article and my daily life that I too can be a part of the change that is sweeping the nation instead of backing down and staying silent out of timidity or fear of judgement.Â
Third, in the aftermath of Charlie’s murder I’ve witnessed and experienced the importance of community. After I found out about the shooting, I turned to my roommate and my best friend to talk through and process what we were watching unfold in real time while also speaking with my mom and grandfather on the matter. Having people to confide in and to walk through your thoughts with you is so beneficial and I believe it helps you understand your emotions on a deeper level. I also watched how communities came together across the globe to honor and hold vigils for Charlie and lean on one another in a time of grief as opposed to burning and looting to show their sadness and frustration. I think that this emphasizes not just the choice of different paths that one can take in any given situation, but also that who you surround yourself with matters and that community has a large impact on you, for better or for worse.Â
Fourth, Charlie was a man of strong convictions. He held firm beliefs surrounding politics and religion, and was unashamed in not just promoting them but also practicing them. In this he showed me by example what it means to live with purpose. In the past, I have been hesitant to share, even with past best friends, my religious and political beliefs. I’ve even outright lied when asked because I’ve been so afraid of being interrogated or shunned by “friends” who preach tolerance but show disrespect to those with differing opinions (as I’ve learned though previous experiences attempting a civil discussion). However, it now feels downright wrong to hide behind a shield of forced agreement to smooth things over with people who are unwilling to accept that another person could hold a point of view different from their own. After Charlie was killed I reposted three things on instagram: one of Charlie’s tweets of a Bible verse with him in the background, one of his wife’s tweets of a Bible verse with the picture of the two of them in the background, and the announcement that Charlie was to be awarded the presidential medal of freedom. These simple reposts were the beginning of my honoring and enacting my convictions and not changing them to avoid confrontation. Disappointingly, just posting those images had some of the consequences I feared, but also had some pleasantly surprising outcomes. On one hand, I lost some followers (some of which I’ve been close friends with for years) and found myself in a very unproductive “conversation” (it was really more of a one-sided reprimanding). But on the other hand, I found support from people I would have never suspected and was able to engage in sincere dialogue with someone who had some opposing view points. I like to think that Charlie would have been particularly proud of this last point and truly happy to see that his legacy carries on by encouraging people to stand up for what they believe in while also continuing his practice of engaging in meaningful conversations.Â
Lastly, and most importantly, Charlie helped me to rekindle my faith. I have been a Christian for my entire life, but in the past year I’d felt as though God had gone silent and I pulled back from Him. I stopped reading my devotional, stopped going to church, and eventually stopped praying. I’d throw out the occasional request to God but I’d effectively stopped growing in relationship with Him and Jesus. After Charlie’s death, I listened to clips of him speaking on the Christian religion, proclaiming the Gospel, and reflecting on his own faith. I listened to his words and his message, and I then sat down and had a nice long conversation with God. Conversation might actually be a stretch– it was more like a one-sided rant/questioning/confession/request for help. I picked up my Bible (despite it really, really confusing me in places) along with my devotional and I’ve revisited them with an open, albeit shy, heart and mind. I feel as though I’m finding my way, slowly but surely, back to God and I owe this prompting to Charlie.Â
Ultimately, it was Charlie’s death that called me to recognize and attempt to practice all of these things: taking pride in my nation, speaking up when it’s easier to stay silent, surrounding myself with loving community, living with purpose, and spending time with God. The other day, my best friend and I were on facetime and discussing the impact he had on not just the two of us, but the effect he made, and continues to make, on the lives of millions. My friend asked me if I thought that, if Charlie had known what was going to happen to him that afternoon, would he still have sat down in that tent in Utah. We both paused a beat, reflecting on the person he was, his values, and the immeasurable impact his death has brought worldwide. Smiling but tearfully, we ended up concluding that he would’ve done it again in a heartbeat. He was a rarity in this troubled world; an unselfish man of God and of his word, and I thank him tremendously for all he has done for me and for our world.Â