by Anonymous
As the horror of Charlie Kirk’s death unfolds, it is notable that it is a part of many events in the last few years that shows us the America we once all knew is disappearing — for the good, bad and the ugly.
Before I start off, let’s get a few things straight: one, Charlie’s death was a tragedy and no one should die for one’s beliefs, no matter what they are. Two, this is a controversial issue that many journalists do not want to touch with even a 10 foot pole. That’s where I come in with a 5 foot one to write this. Even so, this article is written anonymously because I feel that expressing any type of opinion is now becoming dangerous. Just keep these in mind as you read.
Why am I writing this article? Charlie Kirk has left an impact on campus that really divides students, and no one is willing to talk to the other side. On September 17, 2025, a club on campus held a vigil for Kirk at Weisiger Park. It is clear that a significant portion of this campus liked and supported what Kirk stood for. We have to recognize that not everyone shares this sentiment. What they do share, once the sharp short-term shock and sadness wear off, is that political violence is not ok. There are some who don’t agree. I can get over that. What I can’t get over are those who are staying silent who agree that political violence isn’t ok, but who will not ignore the facts as they are. Yes, they mourn his death, but they will not pretend he was perfect.
On the day of his death, Charlie was discussing gun violence. He has a famed quote: “I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.” On the same day, there was a school shooting in Denver. The shooter, only 16 years old, then killed himself. Instead of being over in an instant, the school shooting “lasted 9 minutes from the first shot”.
In what world can we, after these many years of gun violence, say that some gun deaths are worth it for freedom? How many thousands and thousands of people need to die before we make any real attempt to fix any of the underlying issues in society?
We as a society need to take a truth pill. Kirk is just an example to show how divided we really are. There is one singular point that people from each party can agree on, but on every other point they could not be farther apart. We are pushing each other farther and farther apart, listening to only what we want to hear.
In the past few months as other events have unfolded, free speech has once again been questioned, though not if you’re on the right. Many right folks all over the country have freely expressed their view on Kirk or any other event — but if someone has said something on the left that did not match up to what this administration has wanted, they have been reported, fired, and bombarded with calls to not speak up. What happened to true free speech? How can it be okay for one right wing news media personality to express one opinion, but when a supposedly left wing late night host expresses the other, they are threatened to be taken off the air, not by pressure from the company that owns the show, but the government? We cannot live in a world with double standards; it is unacceptable. If we are going to disagree, let’s do that, but if the right wants to play a game of being woke without calling that, we need to call it how it is. If we can agree that there is an issue, in what world do we work farther and farther from solving the goal, than closer and closer to finding a solution?
As a Centre student, I don’t want people to be afraid of the government, the school, or even discussing what is happening in this world with another student, because they could receive a harsh or even deadly reaction. What I am saying may seem tilted to one side or another, but what I am saying still applies to everyone. Is this article written by someone who isn’t in some way politically biased? No. We all have our own biases. I do try to be as unbiased as possible, but I am human. We all are. We are all guilty of shaming someone for their beliefs and not listening to why they believe them, we have all made double standards, each party has been in the wrong before and will be wrong again. What I hope is that we can look past the polarization that has taken everyone by storm. If Kirk taught something that everyone can take and agree with, it’s that we need to have these conversations without anger and violence; we need to be able to sit down with someone we do not agree with and discuss how we make an America that everyone can be proud of.