OPINION:
Charlie Kirk was a terrific American. He was captivated with his religion, household and freedom. Though his dying is tragic, his legacy will reside on; it should reside on.
I first met Charlie years in the past when he launched me on the Conservative Political Motion Convention. He grew up in Illinois and was acquainted with the work we had been doing in Wisconsin. Years later, he invited me to talk at conferences for the group he based known as Turning Level.
Watching him improve the impression of that group and his private affect on society has been wonderful. He labored more durable than anybody else I do know in his technology. I nonetheless keep in mind seeing him in all places within the 2016 marketing campaign in my house state of Wisconsin and throughout the nation.
Through the years, it has been spectacular to see him develop his group from a pupil group to a political powerhouse with Turning Level Motion. I campaigned with him this spring in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, for the state Supreme Court docket race. He and I had spoken in the course of the winter, and he was captivated with serving to with that essential race.
On the similar time, Charlie actually grew in his affect total. Whereas he was having an actual impression on campuses and colleges, he was going past that to tradition. He knew his stuff and continued rising his viewers on the radio, podcasts and TV.
My 86-year-old mom had a flyer for his present on TBN together with the opposite applications she loves to look at on that community. She known as me on Wednesday afternoon in tears, hoping that the information she heard was a hoax. Sadly, I advised her that it was not, as she cried. We prayed aloud for his household and our nation.
What’s so horribly ironic about what occurred on campus on Wednesday is that Charlie was selling dialogue. He wasn’t afraid to take arduous questions, and he really listened to what others mentioned in opposition to his viewpoint. By partaking in actual debate, he supplied an instance of what’s purported to occur on an actual school campus. That is why so many college students flocked to his periods.
It was significantly nice to see him broaden into working with the religion neighborhood. I used to be repeatedly impressed along with his curiosity in regards to the Bible and the appliance of his religion. That’s the solely vibrant facet of this horrible tragedy: I’m assured he’s with the Lord.
That needs to be a reminder for all of us. We are able to’t survive all this on our personal. Now, greater than ever, we want God.
With out God’s grace, none of this is sensible to me. I noticed Charlie just some weeks in the past at Wrigley Area along with his household. He was a Cubs fan, they usually had been enjoying my Brewers. It was an actual honor to speak along with his mother and father and inform them how proud they need to be of him. I hope I get an opportunity to inform them that once more.
We canceled a Younger America’s Basis occasion in Santa Barbara, California, on Thursday with Ben Shapiro. Initially, we did so to deal with praying for Charlie’s restoration. Sadly, it turned a day of mourning in addition to a day of prayers for his spouse, youngsters, mother and father and prolonged household. We pray for all these he labored with at Turning Level, on his exhibits and all through politics, leisure and tradition.
We pray for our nation.
Some have instructed that teams equivalent to Younger America’s Basis and School Republicans that convey audio system to campus ought to cease doing so. We will definitely overview our safety measures to make sure the protection of our college students, audio system and employees. This can seemingly imply we’ll change venues and safety measures for a lot of of our occasions.
But we is not going to cease. Doing so would imply that the evil murderer who did this wins. He should not win. One of the best ways to honor Charlie’s life is to proceed his work.
Proceed to hope for Charlie’s household and buddies. When you’re at it, say a prayer for America.
• Scott Walker is a columnist for The Washington Occasions. He was the forty fifth governor of Wisconsin and launched a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He lives in Milwaukee and is the proud proprietor of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Highway King. He could be reached at swalker@washingtontimes.com.
