Three Words for Charlie Kirk's Murder
They could kill Charlie. They can't kill us all.
NOTE: We sometimes publish two essays in a single day. We almost never publish three. Today is a tragic exception. — RDM
by Rod D. Martin
September 10, 2025
Earlier today I wrote about Iryna Zarutska and the needless crime in our cities. Now, as if some terrible Satanic lightning bolt, Charlie Kirk is dead, shot in the neck in front of thousands of his fans, at the oh-so-young age of 31.
Several words come immediately to mind: Intent. Terror. Courage.
The attack was intentional, but we err in failing to truly understand why. Charlie Kirk was no random target like Iryna Zarutska. Charlie was assassinated because he was effective. He was one of the most successful organizational entrepreneurs in history. He was more persuasive among his young target audience than anyone you can name. And he was no small part of the heretofore unthinkable but all too real shift of GenZ men from left to right.
As I write this, I am told that in the U.S. House of Representatives, a group of Democrats just tried to shout down those praying for Charlie and his family. I am listening right now to the abominable Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker blame Donald Trump for Charlie's death. Trump's words are "fomenting violence", Pritzker says.
Well perhaps so, but that violence has been by Democrats against Trump himself: not one but two assassination attempts just last year. And it can't help but raise certain questions: why are we constantly subjected to violence by Democrats — riots in Los Angeles, murders in Chicago and Charlotte, assassination attempts in Butler and Miami — in response to their opponents' words? Why is security necessary on almost every college campus for conservative, but not socialist, speakers? Why do Democrats forever feel the need to shout down their opponents rather than debate them, and failing that, put on Antifa or Klan masks to go murder, rape, and burn?
That's our second word: Terror. As in "terrorism".
Charlie Kirk was assassinated because he was effective. But he was also shot in cold blood so his followers would see it. There's a price to be paid for attending a Turning Point, or Trump, rally. You never know if you'll be the one paying it. No one but Charlie died today, but last year, Corey Comperatore, David Dutch, and James Copenhaver all paid in blood for their attendance. Corey's family will pay for the rest of their lives.
Trump escaped by the grace of God, bloodied but unbowed. Charlie was not so lucky. But one can be certain that had Charlie lived, like Trump, he would have been energized, not intimidated.
That's our third word: Courage. Trump's courage under fire inspired millions, thus utterly defeating his would-be assassin's hopes. That crowd who turned out for Charlie? They — and all of us — must show similar courage now. We must stare down those who would rule through fear, subjugate through intimidation, murder those whose peaceful political arguments they cannot, or will not, answer.
We must have courage in full knowledge that Democrats' latest terror wing — Antifa — self-consciously named themselves and took the symbols from the 1920s Communist thugs who sought to do to Germany precisely what Hitler's Brownshirts did. They were not heroes: they were identical to those they fought, and one need only the most cursory review of the history of East Germany to see it.
Had more good men stood up to the National Socialists and International Socialists in Germany, democracy might have prevailed and history's deadliest war been averted. Had more good men stood up to Democrats' earlier terror wings — among them the Weather Underground and the Ku Klux Klan — thousands of bombings and deaths might have been avoided, and tyranny overthrown.
Today is our day to stand. In William Wallace's words, "Everybody dies. Not everybody truly lives." Mordecai's response to Esther's "why me?" sounds down the ages: "How do you not know that you were raised up for such a time as this?"
You were raised up for such a time as this. Stand. Speak. Act. And do not let these monsters win. Freedom is impossible when the good are silenced. They can kill Charlie. They can't kill us all.
Which leads us to one final word: Evil.
Because what happened today was nothing else but. It would have been evil enough simply because of poor dead Charlie, and his poor widowed and orphaned family. But that's the least of it. It's evil because it's an effort by the violent to intimidate the peaceful, a warning to the good that if they will not be silent they might soon be the dead.
We must not allow such wickedness to prevail. We must be willing to die on our feet lest our children live on their knees.
We may bow before God. For my part, I will not bow to these monsters. I have long been proud to belong to a political party that has never had its own terror wing. We will not have one tomorrow. We will beat these evil hearts and minds with words, with numbers, and with law. We will restore peace to our people, so our children need not face what those children in Utah faced today.
But we will never surrender.
Thank you. I’m heart broken, horrified and resolute. He sealed his testimony with his own blood like so many martyrs before him. He was peaceful, but taken away from us violently. He was a man of God and spoke truth in such an effective way. It is no small coincidence that he was similar in age to Jesus when he sealed his testimony and saved us all with his blood. Charlie Kirk’s influence has just exponentially grown. God rest his soul and God speed to those that will carry on the torch!
Once again, 100% agreement. I'm coming out of the secret online conservative closet. I've modified my speech because I work in Illinois ( live in Iowa) and I work with some liberal executives. One most senior said he hated Trump during the first term. Well, I happen to love Trump, but i made a mental note. Anyway, kids and a mortgage have held me back from fully expressing my inner Braveheart. But no more. I'm not crazy. My employer fires senior executives with ease.