He was attacked for speaking; we must respond by speaking even more. Free societies live in debate, not fear.
Heike Claudia Petzer
Sep 17, 2025 - 3:43 PM
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He Was One of Us
“When you tear out a man's tongue, you're not proving him a lie. You're merely telling the world that you're afraid of what he might have to say.”
Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University, and for many of us, the loss felt deeply personal. He wasn’t an official figure or distant authority, he was one of us. A citizen with a camera, he engaged students on college campuses, in the spaces where young people learn to test ideas and wrestle with new perspectives. He debated with kindness and fairness, not to destroy opponents, but to foster meaningful conversations and encourage thoughtful dialogue on difficult topics.
Those who met him on campus saw a rare combination of firmness and courtesy, a balance that made him approachable and respected. His empathy and openness, whether listening to students’ personal struggles or engaging in spirited debate, reflected a deeper commitment to understanding others. Beyond his public work, Charlie was a husband, a father, and a man of faith, living according to the principles he held dear.
He defended what many take for granted: the Constitution, free markets, the value of debate in a free society, and the enduring importance of faith. Through both his actions and his words, he reminded us that courage, empathy, and conviction are inseparable, and that speaking boldly in defense of truth and principle is what sustains a free society.
The Reaction Reveals the Threat
The killing unleashed a wave of glee from anonymous accounts and some on the political left who should have known better. It is not brave, or right, to celebrate an assassination simply because you disagree with someone’s viewpoint. This reaction highlights a deeper problem: a culture that no longer respects debate and is willing to excuse violence when it targets ideas we oppose.
The left’s reaction, amplified online and even among some college students, reflects what can happen when speech is framed as harm. When words are treated as violence, it becomes easier to justify responding to speech with real violence. Historical parallels, from the political clashes of the 1930s to the Red Brigades in Italy, remind us how quickly a society can slide into real harm when debate is suppressed and outrage is rewarded.
We must reject this logic. A free society draws a clear line: argue hard, challenge boldly, but never raise a weapon to win an argument. Protect speakers. Protect protestors. Enforce the law fairly. Do not criminalize opinions. Do not romanticize force. The answer to speech is always more speech. Never bullets.
Courage Over Silence
The aim of the killer was clear: to silence Charlie and intimidate others who might speak boldly. Our response must be the opposite. Charlie explained why he went to campuses:
“I go around universities and have challenging conversations because that’s what is so important to our country, to find our disagreements respectfully. When people stop talking, that’s when violence happens. That’s when civil war happens, because you start to think the other side is so evil and they lose their humanity.”
This is the moment to not be intimidated. Stand up. Keep speaking. Keep debating. Defend the principles that sustain free societies. We honor the dead by protecting the living space for dialogue and ideas. That is how a free nation endures.
