OPINION:
Charlie Kirk was a great American. He was passionate about his faith, family and freedom. Although his death is tragic, his legacy will live on; it must live on.
I first met Charlie years ago when he introduced me at the Conservative Political Action Conference. He grew up in Illinois and was familiar with the work we were doing in Wisconsin. Years later, he invited me to speak at conferences for the group he founded called Turning Point.
Watching him increase the impact of that group and his personal influence on society has been amazing. He worked harder than anyone else I know in his generation. I still remember seeing him all over the place in the 2016 campaign in my home state of Wisconsin and across the country.
Over the years, it has been impressive to see him grow his organization from a student organization to a political powerhouse with Turning Point Action. I campaigned with him this spring in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, for the state Supreme Court race. He and I had spoken during the winter, and he was passionate about helping with that important race.
At the same time, Charlie really grew in his influence overall. While he was having a real impact on campuses and schools, he was going beyond that to culture. He knew his stuff and continued growing his audience on the radio, podcasts and TV.
My 86-year-old mother had a flyer for his show on TBN along with the other programs she loves to watch on that network. She called me on Wednesday afternoon in tears, hoping that the news she heard was a hoax. Sadly, I told her that it was not, as she cried. We prayed aloud for his family and our country.
What is so horribly ironic about what happened on campus on Wednesday is that Charlie was promoting dialogue. He wasn’t afraid to take hard questions, and he actually listened to what others said in opposition to his point of view. By engaging in real debate, he provided an example of what is supposed to happen on a real college campus. This is why so many students flocked to his sessions.
It was particularly great to see him expand into working with the faith community. I was continuously impressed with his curiosity about the Bible and the application of his faith. That is the only bright side of this horrible tragedy: I am confident he is with the Lord.
That should be a reminder for all of us. We can’t survive all this on our own. Now, more than ever, we need God.
Without God’s grace, none of this makes sense to me. I saw Charlie just a few weeks ago at Wrigley Field with his family. He was a Cubs fan, and they were playing my Brewers. It was a real honor to talk with his parents and tell them how proud they should be of him. I hope I get a chance to tell them that again.
We canceled a Young America’s Foundation event in Santa Barbara, California, on Thursday with Ben Shapiro. Initially, we did so to focus on praying for Charlie’s recovery. Sadly, it became a day of mourning as well as a day of prayers for his wife, children, parents and extended family. We pray for all those he worked with at Turning Point, on his shows and throughout politics, entertainment and culture.
We pray for our country.
Some have suggested that groups such as Young America’s Foundation and College Republicans that bring speakers to campus should stop doing so. We will certainly review our security measures to ensure the safety of our students, speakers and staff. This will likely mean we will change venues and security measures for many of our events.
Yet we will not stop. Doing so would mean that the evil assassin who did this wins. He must not win. The best way to honor Charlie’s life is to continue his work.
Continue to pray for Charlie’s family and friends. While you’re at it, say a prayer for America.
• Scott Walker is a columnist for The Washington Times. He was the 45th governor of Wisconsin and launched a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He lives in Milwaukee and is the proud owner of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King. He can be reached at swalker@washingtontimes.com.
