Who Is Charlie Kirk?
On September 10, 2025, I was in the car with Sierra when I took a call from Steel. He asked me if I’d heard the news about the shooting at a college in Utah. I had not. He told me the victim was Charlie Kirk, and when I said I didn’t know who that was, Steel told me he was an outspoken, popular Christian speaker and podcaster. Steel had already seen the video and was convinced there was no way Kirk would survive. He did not.
It wasn’t until later that evening that I was introduced to this young man. (And that is precisely what struck me first, his age.) Sierra and I watched the news for updates, and our social media feeds were filled with clips of Charlie’s interactions with students at college campuses around the US. To say I was impressed was an understatement. With each video I watched, my respect and admiration continued to grow. His courage and enthusiasm were contagious. Where had I been? I was out of the loop and ashamed at my ignorance. It wasn’t until I saw a news clip with Cardinal Timothy Dolan (one of my favorites) explaining that he didn’t know who Charlie Kirk was either, that I changed my perspective.
I thought about it. My initial reaction was FOMO, but when I considered the circumstances, I realized that I had done a good job of shielding myself from the angry political rhetoric that seems to consume this country. Now, some of my friends and family would be disappointed in me, thinking that my chosen ignorance is harmful or a denial of my core values and beliefs. But I disagree. I work through choices and decisions with carefully curated sources of information and influence, mainly scripture and prayer. I do not think either side of the political spectrum has all the correct answers. On the contrary, and the louder they get, the more I tend to ignore.
This horrible act of political violence has introduced Charlie Kirk and all that he stood for to an entirely new group of people. In an instant, his platform grew exponentially, and his mission is stronger and more ambitious than ever. That’s what happens when someone is martyred. Their cause becomes our cause. Cardinal Dolan called Kirk a “modern-day St. Paul,” and I agree with him. Charlie Kirk was a prophetic voice to a truth-starved nation. He has not been silenced; he has been amplified.
I will continue to filter the information I process. It has served me well and protected me from the emotional roller coaster that seems to feed media ratings. I am inspired by the example of Charlie Kirk and everyone who lives out their mission calls. He did not die in vain. His courage has inspired me to live out my own.
