Hopefully A Real Turning Point

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This week we pause from the subjects we usually deal with to reflect on the unthinkable, tragic, and mind-numbing assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The news hit me like a ton of bricks.

It’s been several days since he was murdered but it still resonates as much as it did on the day it happened and likely won’t fade as time moves on.

Charlie Kirk left us at 31, the leader of Turning Point USA, which was about discourse, debate, and decency centered around the youth of America.

He was rich in his faith, reasonable in dealing with those who didn’t agree, and extremely likable as someone who came across as just a regular guy.

By now you know he was shot and killed at a rally with multitudes on hand at a university in Utah. He promoted debate of the issues, an art that has been long lost in our country.

It was once one of the greatest symbols of what has made America unique.

It’s about people exchanging thoughts and ideas, and a discussion airing differing points of view. It’s about learning more of what the other side thinks and talking things through.

It is not about attacking people, yelling louder than the other guy, and spewing hate-filled rhetoric that ignites the kind of action we see far too often and vividly saw horrifically in Utah.

I grew up with people with opposite views going at it verbally. Never would it get out of hand. Many times, I would see points I didn’t agree with and altered my own opinion.

It never got out of hand. Civility ruled. That doesn’t appear to be our way of life anymore and the violence we now see is more prevalent.

It has been replaced with what seems like a shooting or killing of some kind which happens nearly every day.

That’s what I see. That’s what we all see.

It may be at a school, it may be on a bus or train, or it may be on any street in America.

Charlie Kirk engaged in what we should all do, join together and air our differences.

It is not right vs left politically, it’s right vs wrong realistically.

Express our views, hear an opposing opinion, listen and talk.

It is what began for me way back in the early 50’s. This was the norm.

It was about ideas and beliefs, not about fear, threats and attacks. Or walking away because you didn’t like what you heard. There is a culture now where some people are provoked to into taking matters into their own hands.

This nation is about making your views known by your vote. If you want a change, vote that way. You vote, there is a result, and you accept that vote until the next time.

It should be as simple as that.

Free speech is the foundation of our country. It means what it says. There is no middle ground.

It is so alarming and frightening for me that another person who conducted himself in the right way and was doing good for whatever he stood for, is gone.

I feel his leadership will only increase. Charlie Kirk is now a martyr. He just might be more of an influence and force in death than he was in life.

Unfortunately, he leaves a wonderful family. His wife and two children are now robbed of his immense presence. His wife Erika delivered an impassioned reaction to the nation on her husband’s death.

I personally feel everything happens for a reason.

If the assassination of Charlie Kirk brings about a decrease in violence and the evolution of healthy discourse and the ability of free speech to survive, we will see the reason for this dreadful event.

Maybe we’ll experience a real turning point.

My shock to what occurred last week led me to discussing this incredibly sad story which I felt transcended everything else.