September 18, 2025
A Nation Under Attack: Honoring Charlie Kirk and defending freedom
On September 10, 2024, Charlie Kirk was assassinated while doing something every American has the right to do — engaging in open political discourse with students.
Like many of us, I knew who Charlie Kirk was. I was not a social media follower of Charlie Kirk, and I was not a devoted fan. But what always stood out to me was his passion. He spoke with conviction. He defended his beliefs strongly. And it was in the very act of speaking freely that his life was taken.
That fact should shake us all. Because this was not just an attack on Charlie Kirk. It was an attack on America itself. A free and democratic society only works when people can speak, organize, and participate in public life without fear of harassment, intimidation, or violence. Freedom of speech — even speech we may strongly disagree with — is the bedrock of democracy.
The goal of this assassination was clear: To silence voices through fear. But if fear dictates who can speak, then freedom itself dies. And that is something we cannot and must not allow.
Political violence against anyone, regardless of party or position, is unacceptable. In America, disagreements must be settled with words and with ballots — never with bullets. Today, we remember that truth in the name of Charlie Kirk.
