If Tyler Robinson’s goal was to reverse the impact Charlie Kirk had on the world, he severely underestimated the power this individual wielded. Around the globe, political commentators, government officials, and supporters of Kirk have come out to condemn the violent shooting at Utah Valley University on Wed., Sept. 10. It seems that the moral opinion on this issue has been defined by the Trump administration: they are representing this event as a ploy of the “radical left” to silence the voice of a virtuous man.
But once all is truly said and done, when we look upon Kirk’s efforts and read the words inscribed by American society on his epitaph, what should we see? The events in Utah force us to question our views on death and legacy, as well as our country’s tragic handling of political polarization and gun violence. Although the circumstances of his death should not be celebrated—as they underline a larger issue with gun violence—we shouldn’t blindly immortalize an individual who alienated many of his fellow Americans.
To even define Kirk as an individual is a difficult task. On one hand, he was a father and husband, who seemed to have a close bond with his family. These facts shouldn’t be dismissed, especially when picturing a mother having to explain to her kids why their father will never come home. If there is a victim in this story, it most certainly is the Kirk family, as they must now face the devastating reality of an empty seat at dinner and a missing face in family photos.
But there is another side to Kirk. He was not just integral to his family, but to a right-wing political movement that had resounding national implications. As the founder and face of Turning Point USA, Kirk prided himself on his conservatism, family values, and advocacy for a small government, all of which made him one of the most prominent, passionate supporters of Donald Trump. In public—whether it was on podcasts or in college tours—he consistently, often aggressively, promoted a world-view that ran counter to the American mainstream, relying on discriminatory and bigoted dogwhistles to get his point across.
“If I see a Black pilot, I’m gonna be like, ‘boy I hope he’s qualified.’”
(on DEI) The Charlie Kirk Show, Jan. 18, 2024
“Reject feminism. Submit to your husband, Taylor. You’re not in charge.”
(on Taylor Swift’s engagement with Travis Kelce) The Charlie Kirk Show, Aug. 26, 2025
“Islam is the sword the left is using to slit the throat of America.”
On X (formerly Twitter), Sept. 8, 2025
These opinions are among the many that have received immense backlash, both when they were made and since Kirk’s death. But none are perhaps more damning than his opinions on gun violence and the 2nd amendment.
“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.”
At a Turning Point USA event, Apr. 5, 2023
According to data from the CDC, nearly 47,000 Americans died of gun violence the year Kirk made this comment. It becomes hard not to imagine a world where Kirk used his time and resources to advocate for gun control. Perhaps he and many other victims of shootings could have been protected from these horrible crimes. No one—regardless of identity—deserves to have their life cut short by such heartless acts.
But whether or not political bloodshed can be justified is not the question—any answer other than “no” would raise serious questions about one’s humanity. What is truly up for debate is the extent of grief. Kirk made the above comment on Islam two days before his death, and he was shot while he was debating a college student on gun violence. Charlie Kirk was a proud conservative, who would defend his positions even if it meant hurting or villainizing fellow Americans on the other side of the debate. Should the families and friends of gun-violence victims, Palestinians, transgender people, immigrants, and so many more marginalized groups be compelled to grieve a person whose political beliefs made America’s people and government more hostile to them? Should we sit back as those who try to dissect even the slightest of nuance in this chapter of American violence have their voices silenced by a powerful few?
Regardless of the answer, his legacy continues. Trump ordered American flags to be at half-mast until Sept. 14 in his honor, and there is no doubt that Kirk has had a sizable impact on a young American generation that has grown tired of the status quo. We have already seen vigils in his honor on college campuses around the country—signaling both the extent to which his messages resonated with much of America’s youth, and their anger at his demise. Charlie Kirk was and still is one of the biggest faces of the 21st century conservative wave, and he has enshrined himself in American political history. The country must now focus on the nearly impossible task of uniting in the aftermath of his death. Considering the current political climate, it seems more likely this country may just wash away into an abandoned, wasteless desert before it ever rebuilds its foundations.
