I am Charlie Kirk

Dear Editor,

In our divided nation, words carry weight. Too often today, those who stand for truth, faith, and freedom are smeared with the most reckless labels imaginable. Charlie Kirk was called both a Nazi and a fascist. Yet those words could not be further from the truth.

A Nazi or fascist demands blind obedience to the state, silences all dissent, and enforces their will through violence. Charlie Kirk, by contrast, championed free speech, encouraged debate, and trusted in God rather than government. A Nazi seeks to control people; Charlie sought to persuade them.

A fascist rules through fear; Charlie led with conviction and faith, — unwilling to bow to cultural pressure, determined to defend American principles, and unashamed of his beliefs.

Calling someone like Charlie a Nazi or fascist isn't only dishonest — it's dangerous. History shows us that dehumanizing language paves the way to real violence. When people are convinced, their opponents are "monsters," they justify unthinkable actions. That kind of rhetoric doesn't stop fascism; it creates the very conditions for it. And tragically, we saw this with Charlie's murder.

But the attack on Charlie did not extinguish his voice. It only lit an even bigger fire under so many people. The desired outcome backfired. Charlie himself once said, "When people stop talking, that's when you get violence. That's when civil war happens." He was right. The man who killed him stopped talking, silenced Charlie with a bullet, and then ran away. That is not strength. That is cowardice.

Our country is deeply divided and in peril with a civil war on the horizon. The only way forward is through dialogue — the very thing Charlie gave his life to. He believed you win people over by speaking truth, not by silencing opponents. To continue his work is not only to honor him but also to help heal our nation.

You don't win a cultural battle by hiding, and you don't reclaim a country from your living room. Our Founding Fathers didn't run from risk. Our soldiers and police officers certainly don't, and neither did Charlie Kirk.

This moment is not a time for panic, but a time for clarity. This may have been the end of Charlie's earthly mission, but for those of us who are like-minded, ours continues. I will continue Charlie's mission. I will be the light. A shining city on a hill.

I am Charlie Kirk. Who are you?

Fun fact: Before Charlie's death, Turning Point USA had 3,500 chapters in high schools and colleges with a lifetime goal of 23,000. After his murder, the number of chapter requests rose to OVER 37,000, an increase of twentyfold. You can't keep a good man down but try and R.I.P. Charlie, we'll take it from here.

Taryn Greene, Dodgeville, WI