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By Aaron Warner
I had the good fortune to meet Charlie Kirk during one of his visits to Vermont in 2021. I drove over an hour to meet the young man who was setting conservative politics on fire with his impassioned speeches and indefatigable debating style.
Where was he speaking? At the appropriately named Ignite Church in Williston. That day’s speech was one consistent with Charlie’s approach to the revolution he was leading on college campuses across America – which was to encourage friends and enemies to let the battle take place via open dialogue with respect and dignity to all. As a Christian, Charlie took his Bible to heart, difficult passages and all, and dared to live them out for the world to see, including Jesus call to love one’s enemies.
Which is why his unthinkable assassination, at one of his largest and most energetic college rallies Wednesday in Utah, is painfully inexplicable to most. Even Charlie’s fiercest political opponents are shattered by his death.
Described by those whom he debated as “moderate” and “a great guy” Charlie Kirk’s primary threat to the political left was his fearlessness. Kirk had been receiving death threats for years, including the day I met him. He had begun wearing well disguised body armor that would not dissuade students from coming to see him.
Despite the many threats, Charlie continued to attend open air events with a small security team having no worse than a few heated exchanges all caught on video and shared online by his TPUSA organization, as Charlie typically came out looking the wiser among his foes.
However, conservative politics was only half of his mission. His love for America was superseded by his love for Jesus, which explains his boldness in sharing the gospel at his events. Kirk had the uncanny ability to unpack American history, constitutional legalities, and the role Christians played in establishing both that was at once forceful and winsome. The integrity of his message and the enthusiasm he shared with friend and foe alike clarified the hope implicit in the Make American Great Again movement. The introduction to his podcast included a sound bite from an amazed Rush Limbaugh stating “Charlie Kirk is running the White House, folks”.
This was all the more remarkable, as Kirk famously chose not to attend college to get a degree but instead spoke at colleges about the history they weren’t being taught, the rights they may not have known they might be losing, and path back to American greatness didn’t include safe spaces and cancellations but open dialogue and free speech. He didn’t have an Ivy League pedigree, he wasn’t an insider from the Beltway, he was a force for good who emerged from his generation with the civil and moral authority reminiscent of Martin Luther King Jr.
When the great lion of conservatism, Limbaugh, passed there was a moment where many were saying his mantle had been passed on to Charlie. I noticed it in Charlie’s manner of speech on his podcast, so I reached out to him with this message. “America doesn’t need another Rush Limbaugh, we need you to be Charlie Kirk.” I know he got the message, as the days that followed he dropped the Limbaugh tone and remained true to his authentic voice, which was more charitable than Rush’s and arguably more winning.
Rush also rarely held public events or extended his arms to the disaffected youth preferring the comfort of his radio studio. Charlie was designed to meet people face to face and win them over by sheer force of his good and thoroughly well thought out political will that included their freedom to vehemently disagree with him. This was happening in droves as the reach and influence of TPUSA was becoming massive. Young people inherently recognize fairness and freedom, both things Charlie espoused, despite the malignant rhetoric of those who characterized him as hateful or threatening.
The threat of Charlie Kirk was not physical but ideological and spiritual. Charlie was winning back the hearts and minds of college aged students who had been indoctrinated in schools around America to hate our nation’s history, to disconnect from social interactions, to devalue marriage and sexual fidelity and to fracture upon any number of dividing lines from race to gender identity. A very powerful group of forces had been achieving this fracturing here over decades yet were seeing it undone in an even more powerful way by a young man with the vision and leadership rarely found throughout history.
They called him hateful, yet the videos of him show him smiling and extending his platform to those with whom he disagreed. They called him divisive, yet his crowds grew larger still, filled with testimonies from students of all walks who found resonance and solace in his hopefulness. Despite their best efforts to disparage him, Charlie’s sheer desire to make America prosperous, free and filled with opportunity, and rooted in a respect for and relationship with the divine, was unyielding. Not only was he not the next Rush Limbaugh, he was being considered a viable candidate for the presidency. At thirty-one years he was less than a term away from eligibility.
The question of who killed Charlie is now being bandied about online. A nation rife with both conspiracies and conspiracy theories are moving the dot from “crazy liberal” to “professional hit-man” to “intelligence agency” and on. We may never know as we still don’t have closure on who really killed president Kennedy, who was to blame for 9/11, what really happened on October 7th.
It is likely that we will never know, but the nature of his assassination has many questioning high level actors.
I can safely say Charlie would encourage inquiry into who killed him and to not accept easy answers. His love for his family and his fellow American’s, our freedoms, were emblazoned on his face that day as he stood tossing out red Make America Great Again hats to his fans while wearing a white t-shirt with the simple word “FREEDOM” on his chest. Charlie’s preferred weapon was always the truth, and he believed wholeheartedly that the truth is what sets us free, and that truth was embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.
As the ugliness of this event spills over onto social media where those who didn’t know Charlie personally are celebrating his death, I have this much to say to them…
…ALL OF HEAVEN IS ALSO CELEBRATING HIS ARRIVAL. You cannot win, as Jesus is the victory, whether you believe that or not. Charlie’s spirit lives on eternally and it will be magnified among his many adoring fans and followers who will celebrate his passing by carrying the torch that burned so brightly in his grasp.
A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.
Ecclesiastes 7:1 & 2
And this is the testimony, God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:11 & 12
The author is a business owner and Hartford resident.
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Categories: Commentary
Amen Aaron! A great, great article! I didn’t have the pleasure to see him in person, but thoroughly enjoyed his videos. Praying for his family and the shoes he left behind to fulfill. May the Lord send another man like him to continue the discussions in truth.
Well said and an Amen from me too. When an entire educational system produces youth that can be so easily swayed into rejecting debate, thoughtful dialogue etc. and convinced that independent thinking is unworthy, then, we have a problem.. This starts in daycare, this advanced in classrooms, on social media, and if the parents are equally convinced then that is an even larger problem. The accused assailant’s father and pastor are righteous people and had the unfortunate task of turning in a beloved son, and parishioner. May their souls be comforted, their hearts mended and the love and grace of God poured upon them and their families.
Charlie, IMO, was far superior to Rush. Rush was very often obnoxious, condescending, extremely sexist and/or misogynistic at times (alienating necessary conservative female followers which is possibly the reason the entire party is still in need of them now for election success alone) and thereby not the most suitable or exemplary example of the Biblical Jesus.
Charlie allowed and encouraged verbal discourse while exuding respect & kindness and made his points effectively without being provocative.
Rush was correct in many cases accurate, but his manner was intentionally brusque & even downright nasty. Charlie captivated our youth because he wasn’t and taught them a thing or two in the process – hence he became another target.
Wow, must have been a prophet at 31!
Great article.
Many are surprised to learn he was only 31, he was wise beyond his years, because he was steeped in true wisdom, God’s word.
This is the reason why VTDigger has said nothing and can say nothing, because if they are remotely accurate they will have to mention Jesus Christ in his article, like any propagandist, liar or dictator, you can’t have the truth in the room while you are speaking.
The simple discussion, reaching for timeless wisdom in God’s word, by a young man dismantled entire universities, who were so filled with pride they could not repent and see the truth for what it was, so, like any coward they went the way that so much of Vermont has gone and chose to cancel him. This only proves you have lost the argument, just as so many resort to calling people, facist like he did on his bullet. Our campuses, our youth are searching for answers, being a furry does not seem to answer life’s most pressing issues and give peace to one’s soul. Universities are bastions of pride, they fly the flag!
God hates pride, and look what pride has done, it has ruined two young lives. I’m right and you are wrong led to I’ll publicly execute you. Here an extremely gifted man was easily led by his anger and rage in what he thought was being done upon him. Where are his online friends now? Will they go to prison with him? Will they take his place if he gets the death penalty? Online friends are not friends. Proverbs talks about the trap this man fell into.
This could be a turning point, aka turning toward Jesus Christ, repentance. It would be a wonderful experience for our nation, for our state and for us individually. It would heal us, we would be forgiven, we could experience blessings and grace.
Not only would Charlie love this, but the Holy Spirit would be joyed, as would God, he sent his son, to die on the cross, such that our sins could be forgiven and we could be free for joyful obedience.
Healing, true healing and forgiveness , true love comes from one place, Jesus Christ. It’s a great place for our children, for our country and ourselves to start and end. TGBTG.
This is beautifully expressed. Charlie was an amazing and gifted young man. So uplifting in his faith and knowledge. Such a gift to all of us, but especially the young who have been neglected in a balanced education. I am not young, but I also have aged peers who surprisingly followed Charlie and I only learned after his assassination. Here is to continuing what he started! Happy to see Turning Point USA is on UVM’s campus and has a vigil planned for 9/18! Pleasantly surprised to see that. God Bless you Charlie Kirk. We will continue to support what you began.
I think that Jesus himself would not have approved of Charlie Kirk. I think he saw how much money someone like Rush Limbaugh could make also with all the other public Bible thumpers and thought he could make a living out of that too. He combined religion and politics ro stir up descent aim his rhetoric at gays and trans people. There is absolutely no proof that people actually choose to be the way they are and someone who espouses real freedom would never use religion to gain fame and fortune. I understand that he was paid over 300 thousand a year for his traveling circus.
God doesn’t approve of any of us. None of us can get to heaven or get God’s approval by works, I think Charlie knew that. most Christians and those who think they know what Christianity is about, don’t understand this basic tenant. No not one of us are worthy to be in Gods presence, that’s why he sent his son, such that we might be forgiven and lead a better life on this earth, bringing a bit of heaven down here.
Did he do it for the money? Only the money? Maybe. But what did he do?
He told straight young men they were not the problem of all the world ills, unlike their college professors. He told them to be responsible. He introduced them to Jesus Christ. He compared and contrasted Marxism vs. a constitutional republic. Perhaps you are not familiar with the military term subversion? He cut through many lies at the university, most would consider what he was doing for 300k a bargain, about one half the pay of a gender studies professor.
If you study history and/or read the Bible, you would know what is happening to our youth, a sudden huge surge of “becoming” transgender or furry, or homosexual is really nothing new. If you study subversion, a military term, you quickly find out one of the goals is to confuse an entire populace about their sexuality. True, we’ll do most anything to obtain sexual pleasure, some pretty crazy stuff, but are we to be slaves to lust?
Perhaps he brought a new concept to campus? Did he talk about the difference between sex, lust and love? We could use education here, surely.
Sex is a very powerful force, truthfully none of us are sexually pure, and I wish Charlie and others spoke of this. We all fall short of God’s perfect plan, we shouldn’t be chastising others while 50% of births in Vermont are unplanned, he unlike planned parenthood, he probably gave them good advice on sexuality, but then the day Charlie Kirk was assassinated VT Digger had for a main feature promoting sex weak and how masturbation will solve the worlds problems, coming from a multi million dollar non profit company.
Count me in for thinking Charlie Kirk was a great bargain, he did more for our youth than all the colleges combined. Maybe he could have done better, true. But just maybe we shouldn’t be defining ourselves by sexuality to start, people are way more than unbridled hormones.
Maybe it was all about the money, maybe not….
Prove me wrong as they would say….
Oh, and True Christians are much more understanding of sexuality than science. Science considers anything other than homosexual relations a genetic defect, something to ended with that life, not worthy of further existence on this world for another generation. That would be the basic tenant of evolutionary theory, reproduction.
Christians who are studied and a bit self reflective see all the “flavors” of sexual satisfaction as perhaps being controlled by unbridled lust, something everyone has perhaps experienced in their lives.
Sadly many are quick to forget the lesson Jesus taught us, Why do you talk about removing the speck in your brothers eye, when you have a plank in your own? Self righteous people talk about another’s sexual sin, missing the bullseye, while fathering 3 children out of wedlock.
People would do well to read the Bible, good stuff, really good stuff! Thump, thump!
Christ was only 33 when he overwhelmed the world…Charlie is now in the arms of Christ who is saying, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
I’ve been reading VT Digger, Seven Days, and VT Public web sites off and on for a while now in order to at least be aware of a social perspective other than VDC. Fair and balanced as some might say. But what is curious, or telling, is not just the limited discussion of the Charlie Kirk assassination on these Vermont media outlets but that there is not a word, not a mention, not a letter to the editor, nothing referencing anyone even mentioning Charlie Kirk’s name. Perhaps I’ve missed something. But as of this morning’s scan (9-14-25) of the VT Digger, Seven Days, and VT Public web sites, nothing. Not a peep.
Waiting for the rest of the story and why this operation was not halted before the death of Charlie Kirk. Many questions that need to be answered. Comment from Richard Day.
Looks like all of the comment persons are still in bed or at church and have not received the new information on the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Comment from Richard Day.