The people of the United States stand at a reflection point regarding the country’s political process and discourse. At a few other times in our collective history, the political divisions have been as wide and deep as they are currently.

Individuals within families have separated over politics. The national political parties cannot or will not work together for the good of the nation. Some states are attempting to circumvent restraints against gerrymandering districts to give one party a clear electoral advantage over another.

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Many politicians have scapegoated already stigmatized and minoritized groups for causing the nation’s entrenched problems and divisions: immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, people of color, “the Radical Left,” “the fascist Right,” and everyone socially constructed as the “other.”

The toxic political discourse, the venom injected by the political “sides,” many blame for the string of incidents of political violence, which at times has ended the lives of people with promising careers far too soon.

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This latest in the country’s long string of political violence ended the life of Charlie Kirk, 31 years old, a right-wing political activist, author, and media personality. He co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and served as the executive director of the conservative organization, as well as the chief executive officer of Turning Point Action, Turning Point Academy, and Turning Point Faith.

Utah Gov. Republican Spencer Cox (R), at a press briefing on the morning of September 12, 2025, announced that the prime suspect in Kirk’s murder had been apprehended. Toward the conclusion of his prepared remarks, Cox took a few minutes of personal privilege by attempting to bring down the political temperature at this juncture in the nation’s history.

During his remarks, he claimed that “this is not who we are.”

Unfortunately, though, this is who we are, not only in the realm of politics, but as a nation with the highest rate of firearms-related injuries and deaths of all other Western countries.

Our hearts go out to Charlie Kirk’s family, friends, and followers, many of whom entered politics for the very first time under his inspiration and activism.

Charlie Kirk’s words, actions, and policy initiatives were extremely controversial at best. His supporters gravitated toward his beliefs about the religious foundations of the United States, and to his ideas about who best represents a true and patriotic “American.” They regarded Kirk as a great communicator, an educator, and a political orator of the finest quality.

His detractors, on the other hand, assessed him as a corrosive cog in the wheel of our democratic values with his misogynist and patriarchal views of women and of feminism; his heteronationalist stands on the lives and rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and, in particular, transgender people; his racist misrepresentations of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and of the competencies and qualifications of people of color as projected through his overall white supremacist lens; his Christian nationalist historical interpretations, philosophical leanings, and proposed political directions.

These detractors regarded Kirk as a demagogue, a political flamethrower, a provocateur, a bully, and a bigot.

Nonetheless, Kirk’s highly placed enthusiasts have accorded him special privileges not given to other politicians or other citizens, whether slain or not.

Special privileges:

• At New York’s Yankee Stadium on the evening of Kirk’s assassination, in a game between the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers, they showed his larger-than-life photo on a massive video screen with the message: “Remembering Charlie Kirk.” Before the official start of the game, a loudspeaker asked all those assembled to bow their heads and take a moment of silence in recognition of the life of Charlie Kirk.
• Kirk was killed the same day that a shooter in a Colorado school shot and injured two of his classmates, but no tribute was given to them or to the approximately 327 people shot on average every day. This includes both fatalities and nonfatal injuries. Of these, approximately 117 people die daily from gunshot wounds.
• The U.S. House of Representatives took a moment of silence to honor Charlie Kirk and his family, though this was a contentious action by those who considered it inappropriate.
• President Trump announced that he will be awarding Charlie Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. Said Trump: “Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people.” The award was created by President Harry Truman in 1945 as the nation’s highest civilian honor that is characteristically awarded to people who have made commendable contributions to the security or national interests of the nation, to world peace, or to cultural or other noteworthy endeavors.
• Several Congressional Republicans sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson the day following Kirk’s assassination, asking him to erect a statue of Kirk in celebration of his legacy. The letter included: “This is not a symbolic gesture, but a permanent testament to his life’s work, his courage, and his sacrifice. It will stand as a reminder that political disagreement must never be answered with violence, and that the fight for truth must carry on.” The National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol contains 100 statues, two from each state. These statues represent many kinds of historical figures, including former presidents and astronauts. For statues to stand in the Statuary Hall Collection specifically, individual states must pass laws asking Congress to build and erect them.
• U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) announced that she will introduce a concurrent resolution to officially authorize Charlie Kirk’s body to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol. On X, Mace posted: “Charlie Kirk devoted his life to defending the freedoms defining our nation. He inspired millions, led countless souls to Christ, and never wavered in defense of the First Amendment. Such a legacy makes him uniquely worthy of this distinction.”
• U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) introduced a resolution to award Charlie Kirk a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award that can be given to a civilian by Congress. Ogles told Fox News in a statement, “Charlie Kirk was truly an American hero. He was an embodiment of the ideals that our country was founded upon. A devout Christian, a beloved husband, and a loving father to his daughter and son, Charlie lived a life dedicated to preserving and protecting faith, family, and freedom through respectful and open dialogue with anyone willing to engage with him… America will forever be a better place because of the life, faith, and work of Charlie Kirk.”

Additional testimonials and tributes have been flooding into the media. Undoubtedly, individuals and institutions will propose more honors and awards.

Many questions, though, must be addressed, the primary one being: Does Charlie Kirk, someone who increased the divisions in an already sorely divided nation, someone who, quite frankly, further vilified and scapegoated the already marginalized, deserve special privileges and awards that are better suited to others more worthy?

Was Kirk truly “a giant of his generation” and “a champion of liberty,” someone who “defended freedom,” and if so, for whom? And was he “truly an American hero” and someone who “was an embodiment of the ideals that our country was founded upon?

You be the judge.  

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