Sept. 10 will forever carry a haunting echo in the shadow of Sept. 11. Just as the unforgettable tragedy of 9/11 left scars of death, division and disbelief, the day before now bears a wound of its own.
Charlie Kirk, a bold advocate for free speech and traditional values, was shot and killed by a young man who believed silencing a voice was justified simply because it differed from his own.
This was not an accident of fate, nor a random act of violence. The young man who pulled the trigger was both a product of the cultural indoctrination we’ve allowed to fester on countless college campuses and a cold-blooded killer in his own right.
Progressive administrators, armed with an agenda of intolerance disguised as tolerance, have nurtured an atmosphere where disagreement is treated as violence and silencing opposition is celebrated as virtue.
In that twisted environment, it is no surprise that hatred ripened into murder.
Killing someone because their words offend you — what do we call that? The answer is clear: It is terrorism.
The very definition of terrorism is to use force, fear, or violence to coerce people into changing their thoughts or behavior.
Charlie’s assassin, shaped by years of ideological conditioning, became an instrument of terrorism when he believed death was a justified answer to dissent.
How do you fight terrorism? You stand up. You resist. You refuse to be silenced.
Survival, freedom, and the preservation of life demand nothing less.
Life is precious no matter what political party you vote for, what ideology you embrace, or what convictions you hold. The moment we allow ourselves to believe that murder is acceptable simply because someone disagrees with us, we have become the very instrument of death and destruction that terrorists thrive on.
Charlie Kirk’s death is not just a political tragedy — it is a personal one. His wife, Erika, now carries the weight of explaining the unexplainable to their children. In the stillness of night, his little daughter has asked, “Where is Daddy?” And through her tears, Erika whispered back with courage and faith, “Daddy is on a very important job with Jesus.”
That exchange captures the heartbreak of a family who must go on without their husband, father, protector, and provider. The world lost a voice. They lost their home.
What makes this loss even more grievous is the response from some corners of the progressive left. Instead of mourning the loss of life, some rushed to mock, ridicule, and even celebrate Charlie’s death in articles, social media posts, and commentary. This is the face of disrespect for life itself.
When political ideology leads someone not only to justify murder but also to mock the victim, we as a nation must recognize just how deep our moral collapse has gone.
Make no mistake — America is divided. The division is not a question, it is an undeniable fact. And with each day, the chasm grows wider. When the mainstream media amplifies hate instead of unity, when universities nurture intolerance instead of debate, and when political leaders excuse violence against their opponents, the very fabric of our Republic unravels. We are entering a dangerous new America where values are executed alongside actual human life.
As a conservative and as a Christian man, I grieve. I grieve for Erika, for Charlie’s children, for his family, and for the movement that has lost one of its boldest defenders.
But I also grieve for America — for those who are confused, lost, and consumed by bitterness. I will pray for them. Scripture calls us to pray even for our enemies, and so I will lift them up, asking that God open their eyes and heal their hearts.
But prayer does not mean passivity. While I will pray for the lost, I will also protect my family from the left’s terrorism.
I will not allow hatred, violence, or ideological intimidation to have the final say in my home, my community, or my country.
Protection of family, defense of freedom, and the preservation of truth are not optional — they are responsibilities handed down by both faith and heritage.
The loss of Charlie Kirk is more than the death of a man. It is a warning to every American. When one voice can be extinguished because it dared to challenge the prevailing winds of ideology, no voice is safe.
Today it is Charlie.
Tomorrow, it could be yours, mine, or anyone who dares to stand on conviction rather than conformity.
What is the way forward? We must refuse to let fear dictate our speech. Silence is surrender, and surrender is exactly what terrorism seeks.
We must hold our institutions accountable — schools, universities, media outlets and political leaders must be challenged when they propagate hatred under the guise of progress.
And above all, we must remember that life is sacred, disagreement is not violence, and words are not bullets.
America has always been strongest when it has turned back toward truth, faith and courage. We must do so again.
Patrick Lee Gipson is a Santa Clarita resident and former deputy sheriff. “Right Here, Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans.