DAVE BOSSIE: Honoring The Legend Charlie Kirk

Forever the happy warrior, my good friend Charlie Kirk was tragically assassinated yesterday doing his life’s work in the public square.

The young conservative icon and legend in the making was brutally murdered exercising his free speech rights in front of a huge crowd of Americans who both agreed with him and disagreed with him. He died needlessly in the arena in which he thrived, doing what he loved. Along with our grieving nation, I am heartbroken.

As I got to know Charlie over the years, I saw that he believed deeply in the American ideals of robust political discourse and the free exchange of ideas. He understood the critical importance of defending the First Amendment — the most important amendment to our Constitution — and the slippery slope that rules and regulations seeking to limit speech represent. Through his incredible work as the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, Charlie served as an inspiration to millions of young people who will now follow in his footsteps and carry his patriotic message forward for many generations to come.

Charlie was a devout Christian — and he took his religious beliefs with him onto the debate stage. As a follower of Jesus Christ, Charlie was taught to love the people he disagreed with — and he did.  My friend and Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer told me that “Charlie Kirk worked to be the Christ centered husband and dad that young men in America needed to look up to. He will forever be that now, and that will lead the work that is done in his honor.” I couldn’t agree more.

Charlie was wise well beyond his 31 years and believed in his core that the hallmark of a healthy constitutional republic is the concept that more speech is always better than less speech. And Charlie traversed our great country working to convince others about the importance of civil “give and take” in politics. Charlie was the best in the business when it came to strongly advocating for his principled positions and then respectfully listening to his political opponent’s positions. It was so refreshing for me to hear Charlie, a young and talented conservative leader, talk about our bedrock principles, such as the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, so effortlessly.  His honest and spirited delivery drove people to him and his mission. It never got old to hear Charlie talk off the cuff about why America is the best country in the history of mankind.