Charlie Kirk was pronounced dead at 31 years old after being shot in the neck at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.

His death has sparked a national reawakening over free speech, as many call on Americans to defend First Amendment rights that Kirk championed throughout his life. 

Tyler Robbins has been arrested for the murder of Charlie Kirk and will likely receive a life sentence with parole or the death penalty, but Robbins and his heinous acts aren’t the story.

Kirk’s death brought out the best in many people who showed unwavering support for Kirk and disdain toward the crime. However, Kirk’s death also brought out the worst in far too many others. Videos of people cheering and screaming in glee for this young man’s death went viral.

Although Charlie Kirk is dead, many people are continuing to fight for what he stood for and refuse to let his principles die. 

People are already standing together. In London, over 100,000 protested in the name of Charlie Kirk after his death. 

This country was once unquestionably the greatest in the world due to the core philosophies that shaped it. Those are the beliefs that Charlie Kirk fought for, and whether you believed him to be a good person, the principles that he advocated for are what made him great in many people’s eyes.

Today, tomorrow, and in the weeks to come, Americans and people all over the world stand together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as humans. 

Whether you agree with Charlie Kirk or not, people are realizing that without him, the dialogue on many controversial topics is lost. One of Charlie Kirk’s beliefs was that without different groups discussing complex issues, it could get violent. 

“We record all of it … so people can see these ideas collide. When people stop talking, that’s when you get violence,” once said Kirk.

It is shown in history that when you lose conversation on complex matters, savagery is not far behind. In the French Revolution, when the upper estate and the lower estate lost the ability to communicate, brutality was the next consequence. 

If people do not stand together, the end of the First Amendment is imminent. Not coming together will create a society where fear blocks one of Charlie Kirk’s most cherished beliefs: the importance of open dialogue.

If people stand together and use their voices, this country can be the shining light to the world that it once was.  

Kirk never withdrew from this idea. The ability to stand up for what he believed in, even in the face of adversity and danger, is what set Kirk apart from others.

Saint Paul’s junior Casen Boudreaux recalls how Kirk always prioritized his beliefs in every situation. “He approached every argument with a logical stance and never compromised his morals, no matter the topic,” claimed Boudreaux.

Kirk received many death threats, and yet, he not only stood up, but he also spoke louder. 

He may not have known he would die that day, but he knew of some risks, and he never backed down. Kirk is what we should strive to be in our beliefs and everyday lives. Never seeking to disprove or put down, but to simply listen and learn from what others have to say, even if we disagree with them. 

Kirk understood the First Amendment and what it stood for more than anyone: the sharing of ideas for the betterment and growth of this country.

Kirk was an influential figure among young voters, possibly even more so than the president, and now his voice is silent. Society will feel the impact of this in the coming months and years.

At times, Kirk was uncompromising in his views, and that could be frustrating for those who disagreed with him. However, you don’t have to like the person to respect the principles they stood for and understand why they fought for them. You also don’t have to kill someone just because you disagree with them.

However, we still do see the best in many, much more than the worst. 

The father of the murderer of Charlie Kirk was the man who turned Robins in. He likely knew that his son would face the death penalty, and he still did the right thing. He received $100,000 for turning his son in, which he quickly donated to the family of Charlie Kirk, who was in attendance when he was shot. 

Charlie Kirk preached the Bible and emphasized the importance of freedom of thought and speech. He let everyone voice their opinions on every topic. 

Charlie Kingrea, a Saint Paul’s sophomore, viewed Kirk as a man of morals. “I believe he was a good person and truly practiced what he preached,” Kingrea said.

People are calling for all Americans to step up. To take their part during this time of trial and understand what this could mean for the future of this country. 

Kirk was taken from this country at far too young an age. He never got the chance to see his daughters grow up or to see the country reform as he had been striving for. 

Kirk understood what true patriotism meant. It is not the ability to believe and support everything your country does. It is not staying on the deck of a sinking ship. It is the ability to love your country so much that you fix the holes in the ship to make it float again.

The younger generation constantly hears of veterans who loved their country, but have never experienced what that meant for themselves. Then, Charlie Kirk comes and shows them what patriotism means.

He showed them why this country was founded upon freedom of speech.

People have tried many times before this to stop the flourishing of freedom of speech. They have tried to silence the core principles on which this country was founded. Every time the United States of America has overcome these struggles, we come together as citizens and show our patriotism for our country. 

America has lost something during the growth of this great country, and it must go back to its core ideals to fix it. The Bill of Rights needs to be uplifted more now than ever. It is the only way to reset. 

It is our turn to continue the renewal of the United States.

“The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one’s country deep enough to call her to a higher plain.” – George McGovern, representative of South Dakota.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Tess Crowley/The Deseret News/AP