On September 10 at Utah Valley University, Charlie Kirk was murdered. 

Charlie Kirk was a right-wing political activist who made it his mission to debate people with opposing views, specifically college students. Kirk challenged college students in order to get them thinking logically. He believed that in order to improve the future of our generation, students have to be able to disagree using logic and facts, not just feelings. Topics he is widely known for include his anti-abortion, anti-immigration, and Christian beliefs. 

On September 10, Charlie Kirk debuted his “Prove Me Wrong- The American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley. At the university campus, Kirk was shot in the neck by a bolt-action rifle from an elevated position almost 200 yards away. Even though it took some time for his death to be announced, most believe he died instantly. 

After 33 hours of investigative search, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the alleged murderer, was pinned with Kirk’s death. Apparently, Robinson’s father turned him in after Robinson confessed the truth. There are messages between Robinson and his roommate/lover concerning the rifle, its location, and engravings on the bullet casings. Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, among other charges. The Utah County Attorney, Jeff Grey, wishes to give him the death penalty. 

While a majority of people are convinced Robinson is the killer, rumors speculate as to other causes of Kirk’s death. On social media platforms such as TikTok, individuals have made conspiracy videos proving “the truth” about Kirk’s assassinations. People point to suspicious signals from Kirk’s bodyguards, indicating the time to shoot. Some question the fact that our president, Donald Trump, was the first to announce his death, and not the hospital. Others continue to argue that Kirk’s death was planned by the government due to recent contradictions of his formerly held views. 

Kirk, a known supporter of Israel, began to expose the Israeli government and its supporters in the weeks leading up to his death. He is seen in podcasts with Megyn Kelley and Ben Shapiro, both conservative political commentators, questioning loyalty and trust in the government concerning foreign policies, mainly Israel. Kirk also began adamantly pushing for the Epstein files: a collection of court documents, flight logs, contact information, and FBI files that connect Jeffrey Epstein, a sex trafficker, to hundreds of politicians, public figures, and celebrities. Many believe that because Kirk was slowly starting to expose so many governmental concerns and secrets, he needed to be silenced. 

America, the land of the free. What does his murder say about the state of our nation? A country that embodies freedom of expression, religion, and consciousness couldn’t even tolerate a person with differing views. Are we really even free anymore? Can we ever know the truth about our government? Can we question, debate, or improve our government and parties without the fear of violence? 

In the midst of fear because of continual threats, conspiracies, and questions, Kirk’s murder should not be a game of blame. Let’s not let this tragedy divide our political parties against each other, while distracting us from what’s really important for our nation. The biggest thing to realize is that America is not left versus right. America cannot stand for any more division. We as a country, both Democrats and Republicans, need to unite against hate, lies, and violence. Let’s stand together as one nation with the hope of freedom and justice for all.