Thank you to everyone who wrote a piece for today. I know there are many more of you readers who are also heartbroken. Speaking for myself, I would like to hear from you in these comments. Charlie Kirk believed in and practiced the power of community speaking. Let him live on. Do not let this tragedy silence you.
He won young people over every time they stepped up. He won them over with logic, with faith, with common sense, with positive messages, with a calm voice, and this got him killed. Haters need to think about it: if they eliminated everyone they hated, would they be safe? No, fellow haters would not be satiated, they would turn on you. Why? They would make something up...and there you would be, facing false charges, fake news, Hate...how would you overcome that? Hmmmm?
Before preparing this morning to leave for the annual 911 annual remembrance ceremony at West Beach, I read the text below from an elected, Christian representative. Regardless of one’s religious faith or non-faith, as Americans without dual citizenships, our country matters! Charlie Kirk’s inclusive respect for all inquiring minds will continue to inspire and motivate. Let’s seek answers, not simply question. Kirk’s event at UCSB was indeed a local turning point, a lesson on how to effectively share differing opinions, how to get along as students lined up to debate him. Our country was founded on debate, questioning authority, our leaders.
I texted to Kirk my disagreements to some of his positions questioning how he proposed the consequences of his position be handled by society. When he replied, it was “I’ll think on it”, not argumentative. We’ve much to think about today. Some want our civil country back where decency prevailed.
————
“I am told that as a state representative this is the moment where I'm supposed to express my heartfelt condolences and then stand in solidarity with those on the other side of the aisle as we condemn political violence and stand unified as one people.
“But we aren't "one people" are we?
“The truth is we haven't been for some time now, and there is really no point in pretending anymore, if there ever was.
“We are two very different peoples. We may occupy the same piece of geography, but that is where the similarities seem to abruptly end.
“I convinced myself for a long time that whenever the left called me a racist, a bigot, a sexist, a fascist, a "threat to democracy" for even the most innocent of disagreements, that it was simply hyperbolic rhetoric done for effect.
“And now the "effect" is a widow and two orphaned children, because the left couldn’t bear the thought of a peaceful man debating them and winning.
“I don’t think they realize it yet, but murdering Charlie is going to be remembered as the day where we finally woke up to what this fight really is.
“It’s not a civil dispute among fellow countrymen. It’s a war between diametrically opposed worldviews which cannot peacefully coexist with one another. One side will win, and one side will lose.
“Charlie tried to win that fight through argumentation, through discussion, through peaceful resolution of differences.
“And the other side murdered him.
“Not because he was “extreme” or “inciting violence” or any other hyperbolic slur they hurled at him. They murdered him because he was effective. Because he was unafraid. Because he inspired others and made them feel like they had a voice, that they were not alone. And he did it at the very institutions which have fomented so much hatred toward conservatives.
“I don’t want to “stand in solidarity” with the other side of the aisle. I want to defeat you. I want to defeat the godless ideology that kills babies in the womb, sterilizes confused children, turns our cities into cesspools of degeneracy and lawlessness…and that murdered Charlie Kirk.
“Social media is aflame right now with leftist celebration of Charlie’s death.
“I wonder if any among them understand what has just happened. If there is a Yamamoto somewhere in their midst warning, that all they have done is awoken a sleeping giant.
“I doubt it. I think they gave up such introspection and self-awareness long ago.
“I don’t know exactly what will happen next. I just know that it won’t be the same as what has happened in the past.
“There will be thoughts and prayers…Charlie would have wanted prayers. Not for himself but for those left behind and for the country that he loved.
“But then there will be a reckoning. My Christian faith requires me to love my enemies and pray for those who curse me. It does not require me to stand idly by in the midst of savagery and barbarism...quite the opposite.
“So every time I feel tired, every time I feel discouraged or overwhelmed, I am going to watch the video of a good man being murdered in Utah…I will force myself to watch it…and then I will return to the work of destroying the evil ideology responsible for that and so much more.
Your words are powerful and beautifully balanced. I admire the way you highlight Charlie Kirk’s willingness to truly listen and respond thoughtfully, even when challenged. That quality, of engaging in respectful debate and encouraging open dialogue, is exactly what our nation was built on, and it’s something we desperately need more of today.
Your perspective that our civil society must return to decency is spot-on. It reminds us that while we may hold differing opinions, the way we handle those differences is what defines us as Americans.
Thank you for sharing this reflection before such an important day of remembrance, it honors not only Charlie’s legacy, but also the spirit of unity and resilience we should strive for.
Thank you, Jim, for your coverage of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I haven't been this sad since the assassination of JFK back in 1963. I covered Charlie's university outdoor activities on YouTube prior to Trump's elections. Charlie was awesome with his brilliant responses when debating students. I'm saddened we will never witness the future growth of this outstanding individual. God Bless Charlie Kirk.
The left strikes again. If you watched any of Charlie's rally in Utah, or any of his other rallies, you saw a giant smiling fair man (as always) speaking to a crowd of what appeared to be very happy and supportive people. Charlie even noticed people waving their (sick) LGTQ banners from atop one of the buildings and said "come on down and let's talk".
Charlie came to Ventura County in Newberry Park to support one of our local churches that the IDIOTS who govern Ventura County were mandating that be shut down, along with ALL the other churches, during the covid hysteria fomented mainly by leftists Psychopaths. He, along with many of us locals were successful in keeping this church open.
Thank you young man, Warrior, for fighting the good fight. God Bless you.
Thank you Jim for sharing the thoughts of others that mirror mine. I am trying to focus on how patient Charlie was no matter how bizarre, or prejudice, was the other person. I am unable to find the words to adequately describe the sadness I feel for his family.
Charlie was a tower, not just in physical form, but spiritually and emotionally. He was composed, gracious and kind to those who disagreed with him. He challenged his audience to listen rather than jeer at a person with different views. He expressed himself concisely and well. I grieve his loss.
I am dreadfully reminded of another grotesque political assassination, that of RFK. Both men, very similar, having a message of reason, dialogue, curiosity and hope. Both men cut down in their prime, both leaving behind loving families. Both men thriving during a time of chaos.
It has been said, you can measure someone’s relevance by their critics. Many of the reactions to this violent act from those on the left is very telling. One need only be reminded by comments made by some this morning on Edhat. Our own former elected official, Hanna Beth Jackson should hang her head in disgrace and embarrassment. Substack is ripe with the most disgusting and sickening comments imaginable.
Indeed, laying with us a satanic beast, goddess, soulless, rotten to the core, proceed with the utmost caution.
This was horrific…in the long line of now political killings. I do NOT condone it. I abhor it. That said, stoking MORE political violence by blaming “the other side” and promising “revenge” is just as horrific. Our own President has been stoking violence for years now and continues to this day. He did it yesterday. The far left is no better. Only we, the people, can stop this….unless we want to see more people die. Charlie Kirk was not my hero but i respect that he was to many others. Will not even all these deaths….on BOTH sides of the political spectrum….not bring us together??? If not, that says everything about US and we should own it.
Merci Jim and everyone who commented on this cowardly deed the hateful Left. Here in France, the murder of Charlie Kirk didn't even make TV nightly news! CJC
Yesterday’s horror in Orem was real and unspeakably tragic: Charlie Kirk was assassinated while addressing students at Utah Valley University. We mourn with his family and with the many young Americans he inspired. We also condemn, without qualification, the political violence that took his life.
Early statements from Utah officials characterize the killing as a targeted, politically motivated attack. Investigators say no suspect is in custody at this time; two individuals detained in the immediate aftermath were interviewed and released. Eyewitness accounts and initial reporting indicate the single shot was fired from a rooftop hundreds of yards from the stage. These are the facts as confirmed by credible outlets and public authorities.
In the hours ahead, there will be plenty of attempts to weaponize this moment. Don’t. Honor Charlie Kirk the way he lived—by showing up, speaking up, and persuading. Grieve, pray, support his family, and insist on a full, transparent investigation and accountability under the law. But reject calls to dehumanize neighbors or cheer any violence, ever. Even in grief, we must model the civic courage and free speech that Charlie championed.
May God comfort Erika, their children, and all who loved him. And may this be a turning point away from political bloodshed and back toward a country where arguments are settled with votes and voices, not bullets.
Yes, SO we all need to come together visibly and publicly to show solidarity in the name of inclusion and life and free speech! We need to be seen, one very large group. It is not all the liberal's responsibility to always take center stage. If we constantly speak it, then we must come tigether in our communities to be seen and heard. Lead by example!
-UPDATE- Charlie Kirk will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a recognition of the life he gave to faith, freedom, and his people. Even in death, his courage and conviction continue to inspire millions. 🇺🇸🙏
From Salt Lake City, Utah, Vice President JD Vance will fly Kirk’s body, along with his grieving wife Erika, family, and close friends, aboard Air Force Two back to Phoenix, Arizona, his home. This journey reminds us: Charlie belonged to the heart of this country, and now he returns home to rest among those he cherished most. 🇺🇲🙏
How did we even get here? It should come as NO surprise that violence is the total sum of the nonstop, hateful and diabolical rhetoric from those on the left. Yes 24/7 coverage by the MSM, calling our president and all those on the right, phrases like “Hitler, racists, fascists, Mussolini, Gestapo and homophones” are all but a few of the vile terms and verbal assaults we as conservatives have been subjected to.
Maybe, just maybe, there are consequences for this repulsive behavior? Mathew Dowd, now former MSNBC political hack, has been fired for suggesting that Charlie Kirk was responsible for his own death for expressing his views.
So next time you hear local imbecile, Jerry Roberts blathering about those of us on the right, or local toilet tissue, “The Independent” railing against the “fascist right,” or the “Angry Poodle” pissing all over the furniture because of stress incontinence, rest assured, we are keeping score and have the receipts and yes, there is causation in calling for “resistance” and political violence.
And darkness descended upon us all when we became a one-note, one-media town. SB Currrent arose out of the loss of the former SB NewsPress and its always welcome "Voices" section, that remained both comforting and confounding. The ownership change of the Montecito Journal was a final coda for local viewpoint diversity.
However, the quality, range and depth of those who now participate here, this new set of voices on SB Current, continues to dazzle and comfort. Thank you so much for being a resource for local voices who did not want to whither in the darkness of this one-media town.
May we continue to thrive in strength, sound judgement honed through honest debate, and growing connectivity.
Thank you to everyone who wrote a piece for today. I know there are many more of you readers who are also heartbroken. Speaking for myself, I would like to hear from you in these comments. Charlie Kirk believed in and practiced the power of community speaking. Let him live on. Do not let this tragedy silence you.
Rest in peace Charlie.
Charlie Kirk:
He won young people over every time they stepped up. He won them over with logic, with faith, with common sense, with positive messages, with a calm voice, and this got him killed. Haters need to think about it: if they eliminated everyone they hated, would they be safe? No, fellow haters would not be satiated, they would turn on you. Why? They would make something up...and there you would be, facing false charges, fake news, Hate...how would you overcome that? Hmmmm?
Before preparing this morning to leave for the annual 911 annual remembrance ceremony at West Beach, I read the text below from an elected, Christian representative. Regardless of one’s religious faith or non-faith, as Americans without dual citizenships, our country matters! Charlie Kirk’s inclusive respect for all inquiring minds will continue to inspire and motivate. Let’s seek answers, not simply question. Kirk’s event at UCSB was indeed a local turning point, a lesson on how to effectively share differing opinions, how to get along as students lined up to debate him. Our country was founded on debate, questioning authority, our leaders.
I texted to Kirk my disagreements to some of his positions questioning how he proposed the consequences of his position be handled by society. When he replied, it was “I’ll think on it”, not argumentative. We’ve much to think about today. Some want our civil country back where decency prevailed.
————
“I am told that as a state representative this is the moment where I'm supposed to express my heartfelt condolences and then stand in solidarity with those on the other side of the aisle as we condemn political violence and stand unified as one people.
“But we aren't "one people" are we?
“The truth is we haven't been for some time now, and there is really no point in pretending anymore, if there ever was.
“We are two very different peoples. We may occupy the same piece of geography, but that is where the similarities seem to abruptly end.
“I convinced myself for a long time that whenever the left called me a racist, a bigot, a sexist, a fascist, a "threat to democracy" for even the most innocent of disagreements, that it was simply hyperbolic rhetoric done for effect.
“And now the "effect" is a widow and two orphaned children, because the left couldn’t bear the thought of a peaceful man debating them and winning.
“I don’t think they realize it yet, but murdering Charlie is going to be remembered as the day where we finally woke up to what this fight really is.
“It’s not a civil dispute among fellow countrymen. It’s a war between diametrically opposed worldviews which cannot peacefully coexist with one another. One side will win, and one side will lose.
“Charlie tried to win that fight through argumentation, through discussion, through peaceful resolution of differences.
“And the other side murdered him.
“Not because he was “extreme” or “inciting violence” or any other hyperbolic slur they hurled at him. They murdered him because he was effective. Because he was unafraid. Because he inspired others and made them feel like they had a voice, that they were not alone. And he did it at the very institutions which have fomented so much hatred toward conservatives.
“I don’t want to “stand in solidarity” with the other side of the aisle. I want to defeat you. I want to defeat the godless ideology that kills babies in the womb, sterilizes confused children, turns our cities into cesspools of degeneracy and lawlessness…and that murdered Charlie Kirk.
“Social media is aflame right now with leftist celebration of Charlie’s death.
“I wonder if any among them understand what has just happened. If there is a Yamamoto somewhere in their midst warning, that all they have done is awoken a sleeping giant.
“I doubt it. I think they gave up such introspection and self-awareness long ago.
“I don’t know exactly what will happen next. I just know that it won’t be the same as what has happened in the past.
“There will be thoughts and prayers…Charlie would have wanted prayers. Not for himself but for those left behind and for the country that he loved.
“But then there will be a reckoning. My Christian faith requires me to love my enemies and pray for those who curse me. It does not require me to stand idly by in the midst of savagery and barbarism...quite the opposite.
“So every time I feel tired, every time I feel discouraged or overwhelmed, I am going to watch the video of a good man being murdered in Utah…I will force myself to watch it…and then I will return to the work of destroying the evil ideology responsible for that and so much more.
“Rest with God Charlie, your fight is over.
“Ours is just beginning.”
Denice,
Your words are powerful and beautifully balanced. I admire the way you highlight Charlie Kirk’s willingness to truly listen and respond thoughtfully, even when challenged. That quality, of engaging in respectful debate and encouraging open dialogue, is exactly what our nation was built on, and it’s something we desperately need more of today.
Your perspective that our civil society must return to decency is spot-on. It reminds us that while we may hold differing opinions, the way we handle those differences is what defines us as Americans.
Thank you for sharing this reflection before such an important day of remembrance, it honors not only Charlie’s legacy, but also the spirit of unity and resilience we should strive for.
I truly appreciate your voice in this moment.
Today, more than ever, I appreciate the necessity for Santa Barbara Current.
Thank you, Jim, for your coverage of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I haven't been this sad since the assassination of JFK back in 1963. I covered Charlie's university outdoor activities on YouTube prior to Trump's elections. Charlie was awesome with his brilliant responses when debating students. I'm saddened we will never witness the future growth of this outstanding individual. God Bless Charlie Kirk.
The left strikes again. If you watched any of Charlie's rally in Utah, or any of his other rallies, you saw a giant smiling fair man (as always) speaking to a crowd of what appeared to be very happy and supportive people. Charlie even noticed people waving their (sick) LGTQ banners from atop one of the buildings and said "come on down and let's talk".
Charlie came to Ventura County in Newberry Park to support one of our local churches that the IDIOTS who govern Ventura County were mandating that be shut down, along with ALL the other churches, during the covid hysteria fomented mainly by leftists Psychopaths. He, along with many of us locals were successful in keeping this church open.
Thank you young man, Warrior, for fighting the good fight. God Bless you.
Oooops. Newbury Park. We often stay in Newberry Springs when motor homing.
Thank you Jim for sharing the thoughts of others that mirror mine. I am trying to focus on how patient Charlie was no matter how bizarre, or prejudice, was the other person. I am unable to find the words to adequately describe the sadness I feel for his family.
Charlie was a tower, not just in physical form, but spiritually and emotionally. He was composed, gracious and kind to those who disagreed with him. He challenged his audience to listen rather than jeer at a person with different views. He expressed himself concisely and well. I grieve his loss.
I am dreadfully reminded of another grotesque political assassination, that of RFK. Both men, very similar, having a message of reason, dialogue, curiosity and hope. Both men cut down in their prime, both leaving behind loving families. Both men thriving during a time of chaos.
It has been said, you can measure someone’s relevance by their critics. Many of the reactions to this violent act from those on the left is very telling. One need only be reminded by comments made by some this morning on Edhat. Our own former elected official, Hanna Beth Jackson should hang her head in disgrace and embarrassment. Substack is ripe with the most disgusting and sickening comments imaginable.
Indeed, laying with us a satanic beast, goddess, soulless, rotten to the core, proceed with the utmost caution.
The righteous will not be silenced.
RIP Charlie, blessings to you and family.
This was horrific…in the long line of now political killings. I do NOT condone it. I abhor it. That said, stoking MORE political violence by blaming “the other side” and promising “revenge” is just as horrific. Our own President has been stoking violence for years now and continues to this day. He did it yesterday. The far left is no better. Only we, the people, can stop this….unless we want to see more people die. Charlie Kirk was not my hero but i respect that he was to many others. Will not even all these deaths….on BOTH sides of the political spectrum….not bring us together??? If not, that says everything about US and we should own it.
exactly when was the last time a right winger took a shot at a liberal?
i’m not sure?
maybe Kent state?
please don’t ever tell me it’s on both sides.
the left is a Godless evil group that wants to destroy America!
it’s not going to happen you bastards.
you better hope we don’t start shooting back.
I know some of you are not happy about this post but I for one am tired of worrying about that.
no more
Merci Jim and everyone who commented on this cowardly deed the hateful Left. Here in France, the murder of Charlie Kirk didn't even make TV nightly news! CJC
Response to the Column
Yesterday’s horror in Orem was real and unspeakably tragic: Charlie Kirk was assassinated while addressing students at Utah Valley University. We mourn with his family and with the many young Americans he inspired. We also condemn, without qualification, the political violence that took his life.
Early statements from Utah officials characterize the killing as a targeted, politically motivated attack. Investigators say no suspect is in custody at this time; two individuals detained in the immediate aftermath were interviewed and released. Eyewitness accounts and initial reporting indicate the single shot was fired from a rooftop hundreds of yards from the stage. These are the facts as confirmed by credible outlets and public authorities.
In the hours ahead, there will be plenty of attempts to weaponize this moment. Don’t. Honor Charlie Kirk the way he lived—by showing up, speaking up, and persuading. Grieve, pray, support his family, and insist on a full, transparent investigation and accountability under the law. But reject calls to dehumanize neighbors or cheer any violence, ever. Even in grief, we must model the civic courage and free speech that Charlie championed.
May God comfort Erika, their children, and all who loved him. And may this be a turning point away from political bloodshed and back toward a country where arguments are settled with votes and voices, not bullets.
Enough Is Enough 805
Yes, SO we all need to come together visibly and publicly to show solidarity in the name of inclusion and life and free speech! We need to be seen, one very large group. It is not all the liberal's responsibility to always take center stage. If we constantly speak it, then we must come tigether in our communities to be seen and heard. Lead by example!
https://youtu.be/EZsFaJagm1s?si=wqMKFHvPSWdCns7B
-UPDATE- Charlie Kirk will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a recognition of the life he gave to faith, freedom, and his people. Even in death, his courage and conviction continue to inspire millions. 🇺🇸🙏
From Salt Lake City, Utah, Vice President JD Vance will fly Kirk’s body, along with his grieving wife Erika, family, and close friends, aboard Air Force Two back to Phoenix, Arizona, his home. This journey reminds us: Charlie belonged to the heart of this country, and now he returns home to rest among those he cherished most. 🇺🇲🙏
Enough Is Enough 805
How did we even get here? It should come as NO surprise that violence is the total sum of the nonstop, hateful and diabolical rhetoric from those on the left. Yes 24/7 coverage by the MSM, calling our president and all those on the right, phrases like “Hitler, racists, fascists, Mussolini, Gestapo and homophones” are all but a few of the vile terms and verbal assaults we as conservatives have been subjected to.
Maybe, just maybe, there are consequences for this repulsive behavior? Mathew Dowd, now former MSNBC political hack, has been fired for suggesting that Charlie Kirk was responsible for his own death for expressing his views.
So next time you hear local imbecile, Jerry Roberts blathering about those of us on the right, or local toilet tissue, “The Independent” railing against the “fascist right,” or the “Angry Poodle” pissing all over the furniture because of stress incontinence, rest assured, we are keeping score and have the receipts and yes, there is causation in calling for “resistance” and political violence.
Democracy does die in darkness.
And darkness descended upon us all when we became a one-note, one-media town. SB Currrent arose out of the loss of the former SB NewsPress and its always welcome "Voices" section, that remained both comforting and confounding. The ownership change of the Montecito Journal was a final coda for local viewpoint diversity.
However, the quality, range and depth of those who now participate here, this new set of voices on SB Current, continues to dazzle and comfort. Thank you so much for being a resource for local voices who did not want to whither in the darkness of this one-media town.
May we continue to thrive in strength, sound judgement honed through honest debate, and growing connectivity.
Dialog, that's what Charlie was beautiful at. He didn’t need weapons, he had courage,
to tell the truth, no matter who he was speaking to. My heart is broken.