By Craig Hall

Copyright thebusinesstimes

Yes, I have to write about it. What happened on September 10th is simply too big to ignore.

But don’t start thinking I have some poignant or uber-intellectual thought to add that is above and beyond. I don’t. Many will use those last two lines as the source of some low-level humor or insult. And those many will come almost exclusively from the left, as they always have historically in my writing career.

Why do I know this? Simple.

It’s because any point I make or fact I state isn’t some original thought (oh, I might regurgitate a pearl here and there), but rather just my take on self-evident, eternal truths spoken by someone greater than me. Charlie Kirk was one such individual. Maybe that’s because of the source of his beliefs came from the greatest individual who ever lived: Our Savior Jesus Christ.

That’s why I know so much of the criticism of this column will come from the left. Because the left has been fighting the teachings of the Bible for as long as I’ve been on the planet, as long as this country has been founded, as long ago as Jesus walked the Earth and from what I can tell, pretty much since God said, “Let there be light.”

They also write to me and leave messages.

Does this mean everyone on the left? Nope. Well, at least not to the extreme the assassin took things as we all saw on September 10. But all too many fight, and hate, and assault, not because someone on the right is attacking them, but rather for how that someone on the right thinks.

No wonder leftists put so much emphasis on changing the meaning of words, convincing themselves they are the victims of verbal attacks. It excuses their reactions. And while the majority of those reactions are simply vulgar or insulting, every so often they end up with kids praying in church being shot, high schoolers hiding in classrooms while their classmates are murdered and now, Charlie Kirk being assassinated while having a debate at an institution of higher learning.

All because of how Charlie thought about some things. I say some, because I think if anyone whoever called Charlie a Fascist or hater or evil ever had the chance to sit down and talk with him across the spectrum, they’d find out he was a lot like they are in so many ways. A husband. A father. Amicable. Funny. Curious. Ambitious. Faithful. Caring. Loving.

I could write an entire column using just single words to describe Charlie and, frankly, none of them would need to be bad.

No wonder the left had to use words it did to describe Charlie. It was his thought process that offended the left. A kind, compassionate, loving process backed by fact and faith. Of course, Charlie had to be destroyed. And to the left, that means it had to dehumanize Charlie. That’s why they called him by the names they did. It’s why the left insulted him and anyone who joined in his crusade. This tactic to make someone less, or non, human has been in place throughout history. Ask any slave, or serf or conquered people. This is what tyrants do.

Some believe Charlie was assassinated because of the way he thought. I think that’s only partly true. To me, Charlie Kirk was assassinated because of the way the left made too many people think of him. Less than human. Evil. Hateful. Hitler. Stalin. Satan. It always starts as someone who should shunned from participating in civil society. If it’s a business, it’s boycotting. Then it’s confronting. Then destroying. And when none of that works, the next steps only get darker. And sometimes, they get as dark as humankind can be.

Don’t believe me? Try this. Thirty years ago, Donald Trump was highly regarded on the left and in minority communities. And today? The only difference between Trump and Charlie? The gunshot killed Charlie.

And if social media is indeed the mirror image of America today, it appears a lot of folks on the left are just fine with Charlie being eliminated. I shouldn’t have to tell you to take a step back and think about that, but many of you need to hear it.

I must admit I always had trouble watching Charlie’s videos. My reaction was always, “Oh my God, Charlie, why even try? These folks have one goal, to overtalk you, insult you and claim some sort of victory to justify their belief system.” Their truth, if you will. The problem is that their truth has become their identity, their life. Their very existence. And the “debating” with Charlie was a fight for their lives they were convinced Charlie was trying to take.

To a few who’ve been lost, there is sadly only one solution.

Yet Charlie tried to talk to them. Help them see life isn’t in the world. True life is lived outside the world. The world they’ve been absorbed into. The world they need to be freed from.

That’s why Jesus knocks on the door, hoping to be invited to dinner. Just to talk. That’s what Charlie was doing. So yes, you’re right when you say these are the people Jesus would talk to. To be in company with.

The only difference? Jesus isn’t the one whose life would change from the conversation.

In Truth and freedom.

Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com