The assassination of
Charlie Kirk, 31, is ineffably sad. I say this, not because I agree with many of Mr. Kirk's views but because a young father of two was shot for his political beliefs. He
never called for violence against those who disagreed with him; in fact he encouraged college students to argue with him and abhorred moves to silence opponents of all stripes. (There are hundreds of videos showing his spirited, mostly civil engagements.)
Kirk became well-known for debating students in front of an audience in a public setting, offering a conservative, and often provocative, perspective. Videos of him sparring with liberal-minded students garnered millions of views online. According to videos of the attack, Kirk was debating a student about mass shootings involving transgender people when he was shot.
The act of political violence is a jarring coda to Kirk’s meteoric rise from college dropout to standard-bearer of the MAGA movement. Kirk left an indelible mark on the Republican party, drawing young voters to its ranks and influencing Trump’s presidency.
Kirk was a strong advocate for most of the president’s positions, which he discussed in detail during his podcast The Charlie Kirk Show and other media appearances. His support—and talent as an orator—helped him earn significant political sway with the president, with whom he spoke frequently.
Your humble blogger will not over-react by asserting the end of civil society occurred today; that might well have happened
fourteen (14) months ago had then-candidate Trump not escaped with his life. Today's damage was grievous enough. R.i.P.
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