Our Turning Point
By: Jack Wyman
It was historic.
Tens of thousands came. Millions more watched around the world.
The State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona was packed. Spaces outside the arena were also filled. It was one of the largest memorial services ever held for a private citizen.
The important and powerful came, along with ordinary Americans. Members of Congress, President Trump’s administration, his cabinet, and staff were there, along with the loyal foot soldiers of the movement he leads.
Grief was expressed. Appeals to faith were made. Memories were shared. Admiration and appreciation were acknowledged and calls to resolve and action were proclaimed and promised. Repeatedly, the audience was told that this young and gifted man did not perish in vain.
The memorial service for Charlie Kirk was part religious revival, conservative renewal, and political rally. Kirk, influential conservative activist, founder of Turning Point USA, and energetic political champion to millions of young people, was killed by a gunman while speaking with college students on September 10.
In the wake of his tragic and shocking death, the nation has once again been riveted by its divisive politics and emotional media. The reaction to Kirk’s assassination has told us more about our country and ourselves than about this motivated and successful leader.
What have we learned? How have we changed? What will we do now and where will we go as a people? What do we want to be as a country? Charlie Kirk’s death at 31 need not be a meaningless and inexplicable waste of a life. Whether America becomes better or bitter will all depend on how we choose to truly honor Kirk’s brief but significant legacy.
Charlie Kirk never supported censorship. He would have strongly opposed taking talk show host Jimmy Kimmel off the air because of his opinions about Kirk. He would have asked Jimmy to let him come on his show as a guest. They would have laughed, had a good time, and debated their differences. The nation would have been better for that discussion.
Charlie Kirk had a profound passion for defending his faith and arguing issues in the open marketplace of ideas. He was not afraid of opposition. That’s why he went to college campuses. He challenged students to think. To break free of their indoctrination. He challenged them to defend their position. “Prove Me Wrong” was his invitation. He was a happy warrior.
Censorship was antithetical to everything Charlie Kirk believed. It is the opposite of how he lived.
Whether one agreed with Kirk’s views or not, nothing is more American, nothing preserves liberty and our values more securely, and nothing is healthier or more important to the life of our democratic republic than the free and uncensored exchange of ideas. Men and women have given their lives to support that right. Even the right to be wrong. Charlie Kirk died practicing that constitutional and moral right.
Free speech can be messy and sometimes frustrating. But it is the American way—the only American way. Nothing is more dangerous to our liberties than censorship. Nothing is any more un-American.
Our government must welcome freedom of expression, support it, and protect it—not seek to shut it down. Yes, we all have a duty to exercise our freedoms with integrity, civility, and restraint. This includes the freedom to speak. The answer to speech we disagree with is not to muzzle it. Bad speech must be bravely and intelligently answered with good speech.
At his memorial service, every speaker—and there were many—paid eloquent tribute to Charlie Kirk’s faith in Jesus Christ, his patriotism, and his love of family. Nearly every speaker was positive and inspiring. There was that afternoon a sense that perhaps, if we would try, we could, as Americans and despite our differences, come together around a shared love for our nation and its virtues of decency and goodness.
We don’t have to hate or condemn or fear each other simply because we have different beliefs. There seemed to be a glimmer of hope that national unity could still be achieved. Rooted and grounded in a genuine respect for one another.
The most powerful words that afternoon came from Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. She has assumed the leadership of Turning Point.
The stadium grew still. Erika paused. Then she looked out at the quiet crowd. Her voice was steady and strong.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life.” She paused again. “I forgive him because it is what Christ did and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”
Is this not worth knowing and doing? Is it not the very first thing? Is this not how the world should know us? As Christians? Is it not the way back for America? To love God and to love one another? Fully, in all that this implies for how we act and speak, and think? And get along? And conduct ourselves as citizens and patriots?
Fear and hate cannot bring us together. They will only drive us further apart. They will only make America more vulnerable and less secure.
Several spoke that day about putting on our spiritual armor and entering the battle to save our country. We must remember this struggle is not political, it is not ideological, it is not even moral, as important as morality is to the preservation of our nation.
Our struggle is first and foremost spiritual. We battle not against flesh and blood. People are not our enemies.
We do not wage war as the world does, writes the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (II Corinthians 10:3-5). The weapons of our warfare are not political power, or censorship, or vengeance, or retribution. Our weapons are far stronger than these.
They shall endure—faith, hope, and love. And love is the greatest thing in the world.
Let this always be the Christian’s turning point.
To order Jack Wyman’s book, “Everything Else: Stories of Life, Faith and Our World”, go to amazon.com, Christian Book Distributors or barnesandnoble.com. It is also available on Kindle and eBooks.
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