Letter to the editor: Charlie Kirk was murdered for his beliefs

Charlie Kirk is dead. He was murdered by an assailant while debating at a Utah college. A terrible tragedy, but why is this more important than any other death?

The fact of the matter is that it was apparently a political assassination. Charlie Kirk was a conservative voice in America. At 18, he started a political organization called Turning Point and went around the country to college campuses and debated with people about the political climate today. He discussed the LGBTQ+ controversies, President Trump and his policies, just about any topic the students wanted to debate. His debates are all over YouTube. And one thing has always stood out about his debates. He was always respectful and kind. He never attacked anyone for their beliefs. He tried to persuade with logic and facts, not innuendo or half-truths. He didn’t berate anyone for their beliefs, and he listened.

I never saw him be mean or cruel or hurtful. He didn’t spout “hate speech” as one liberal “journalist” suggested after the shooting.

The reactions to this tragic event were on both sides of the spectrum. President Trump, who knew Charlie well, was sad and sent thoughts and prayers to Charlie’s family, and is calling them today to pay his respects. Matt Dowd, on MSNBC, suggested that he got what he deserved by spouting “hate speech” and suggested that this is what happens when you have hateful thoughts and words.

There’s video of one many cheering right after the shooting. Elizabeth Warren was concerned that there would be backlash against Democrats. Violence erupted at a vigil being held in Idaho when protestors showed up and after a man riding a bicycle drove by shouting “F--- Charlie Kirk.”

Very few from the left had any kind words to say about Charlie, most blaming his political ideals as the reason he was assassinated.

What ever happened to free speech? Since Hillary Clinton lost in 2016, the left has become rabid in its attacks against the right. We know from the documents discovered at the FBI that President Obama directly authorized Russiagate and the disinformation campaign against President Trump. We know that Obama and Biden both weaponized the justice system in an attempt to silence President Trump. We no longer do civilized debates. It’s become “if I disagree with you, I will just kill you.”

And they did last week. Conservatives are worried.

So, to answer the question of why this is important, it’s because Charlie Kirk was assassinated because he spoke as a conservative to college students living in an ultra-liberal environment, and he was persuading them that perhaps their ideology was wrong. Charlie was effective. We know this because the 2024 election showed that the young voters were not necessarily following the liberal ideology any more. President Trump won the under-30 vote. And a lot of this was directly due to Charlie Kirk’s persuasive debates. And the left doesn’t like that.

So, Charlie Kirk had to die. Along with free speech in this country. And conservatives are concerned.

Bruce Peterson

Centralia