The political assassination of Charlie Kirk has suggested a bleak future for the nation ironically known as the "United" States of America. Instead of civil dialogue, a significant number of people on both the political right and left now see violence as a useful tool in advancing their agenda(s). Prior to this latest horror, there was the January 6th attack on the capital, two assassination attempts on Trump, the attack on former Speaker Pelosi's husband in their private home, and the attack on Minnesota legislators all offering us compelling evidence that the U.S. has gone off the rails in the last decade. To be clear, this is NOT a morally or politically desirable development.
In this connection, a couple of passages of Scripture come to mind. Speaking of the Israelites of old, the prophet Hosea wrote: "For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." (Hosea 8:7, ESV) Likewise, the Apostle Paul once wrote to the saints of Galatia: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." (Galatians 6:7, ESV)
In one of their articles dealing with the current political climate, in the Wikipedia, we read: "'Owning the libs' is a rhetorical device that transgresses political correctness and emphasizes culture war issues to provoke a reaction in others, similar to trolling." Now, although this may be "fun" for political operatives, we need to ask ourselves: Is it really a good idea to intentionally tweak a perceived enemy's nose - to purposefully try to drive someone to distraction - to make them crazy? To be clear, what happened to Charlie Kirk was awful and wrong and cannot be justified. I have prayed for his widow and children to be comforted and helped. Nevertheless, we must all ask ourselves if it is wise to intentionally raise the temperature and provoke the anger of folks who disagree with us.
Along these lines, I especially liked what January 6th Capitol Police Officer Michael Fanone's statement had to say about the Kirk assassination. He said:
Charlie Kirk is dead. Shot in the middle of a speech at Utah Valley University.
I am not going to sugarcoat it: I have nothing but contempt for Charlie Kirk’s politics. He made a career out of poisoning young minds with grievance, conspiracy, and hate. He profited off division. He defended the indefensible. He celebrated cruelty. I don’t grieve for his ideas, and I won’t sanitize what he represented.
But here’s the thing: violence has no place in American politics. None.
I know what it’s like to be on the business end of political violence.
I felt fists, flagpoles, and tasers on January 6th. I heard men scream that they were going to kill me in the name of Donald Trump.
That day taught me something too many of us are still trying to ignore: once political violence becomes acceptable—once you decide that your enemy isn’t just wrong but expendable—you don’t control where it leads.
If you cheered this shooting because you hated Kirk, you’re no better than the mob that chanted for Mike Pence’s hanging. If you shrug it off because it happened to the other side, you’re part of the same sickness that’s rotting this country.
The truth is, we’re running out of safe spaces for disagreement. Universities, statehouses, even the Capitol itself—each one has been marked by the threat of blood.
Democracy doesn’t survive in that environment. Free speech doesn’t survive. We don’t survive.
Charlie Kirk’s death doesn’t make him a martyr. It doesn’t redeem his politics. But it does mark another line we’ve crossed in this country—a line that should never have been crossed in the first place.
I’ll say it again: violence is not politics. And if we don’t reclaim that principle right now, we’re going to lose the very thing that makes this place worth fighting for.
My Statement to the American People on the Death of Charlie Kirk - Michael Fanone
To that, I give a hearty "Amen"
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