Charlie Kirk’s widow speaks of martyrdom
Kirk’s killer didn’t think ahead very much. He was an effective assassin. But his getaway plan left a lot to be desired; his disguise wasn’t all that great, and he probably was unaware of the fact that his every move was being recorded and could be analyzed.
And where did he go after his bloody deed? Why, to his family’s home, where he could be identified and fingered by his horrified parents as the killer.
Then again, perhaps he wanted to be caught and thought he’d become a hero to some, a la Mangione.
One thing he probably didn’t think through, though, was the possibility that by killing Kirk he’d be elevating him to martyrdom. Charlie Kirk was a man of deep Christian faith which informed everything he did. And so was his wife Erika, who spoke publicly this evening. Some excerpts:
“My husband laid down his life for me, for our nation, for our children,” Erika said as she stood behind a podium bearing a sign of her late husband’s face with the text: “May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving Savior.”
“Now and for all eternity, he will stand at his savior’s side wearing the glorious crown of a martyr.”
“The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done,” she said. …
“They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith and of God’s merciful love. They should all know this: if you thought my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea, you have no idea what you have unleashed across this entire country and this world,” she said passionately.
“You have no idea the fire you have ignited within his wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry. To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die. It won’t, I refuse to let that happen.”
To make a speech like that at a time like this shows phenomenal strength.
I can’t predict the future. But it would not surprise me at all if she is correct.
I have become slack about making it to church every Sunday.
That changes now. For the first time maybe I’m taking seriously what it means to bear witness.
I read an X comment yesterday by someone who said he really wasn’t clear about the existence of God, but he was quite sure about the existence of evil, and he wanted to fight on the right side.
“you have no idea, you have no idea what you have unleashed across this entire country and this world,”
I think she is spot on with that – before his killing how many people heard of Charlie Kirk? I think today more have heard about him and his mission; and THAT is what is being unleashed.
Our college/university campuses need someone like Kirk to let students hear more than just the liberal echo chamber that is most college campuses. Now, hopefully, others will pick up the mission that Charlie Kirk had; others will remember that it wasn’t just this lone gunman who killed – it was the angry, hateful, venomous language from those on the left that created the environment where this mentally ill man felt it was okay to kill.
And, I totally agree Neo – what a phenomenal show of strength from someone who was just widowed in such a horrific way.
Erika the brave. She is determined to carry on. May God bless her and help her.
We all need to follow Erika’s example. We need to set our jaws and keep supporting the voices and policies of conservatism and family values. Do what you can with what you have. And never, ever, skip voting. Our Republic needs us.
There’s a saying, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Charlie Kirk was doing something. So can we.
For there to be chants of “Christ is King” in London (acc to Insty)… she’s spot on.
@ John Guilfoyle > Report here:
https://instapundit.com/744376/
Probably not coincidentally (great minds think alike!), Glenn Reynolds made the same Star Wars reference I did on one of yesterday’s threads.
Round-up of international reactions honoring Kirk.
https://instapundit.com/744323/
Hello, blog. After some processing today and yesterday, it strikes me that on an individual level, for a conservative or right-leaning person, there are two ways this can go: either toward hatred of those who hate us, or toward picking up what made Charlie Kirk* successful in the truest sense and continuing that.
By the former, I don’t mean something along the lines of cliches like “let’s not answer violence with violence” or “Charlie wouldn’t have wanted us to…” and all this kind of thing. Those pat exhortations, though they may not be in all cases valueless, don’t address what could really hurt us on the inside, which I think is a more likely manifestation than simply lashing out, particularly for a thinking type: a more slow-burn type of anger.
It strikes me that door number two is open here, though: raising one’s reaction to a spiritual level. This has promise.
“ Erika the brave. She is determined to carry on. May God bless her and help”
She is the one who had The real theological training (doctorate in theology). She Converted from Roman Catholicism, they belong(ed) to a large evangelical church about 10 miles NE of us in PHX (for those who know PHX, it’s a mile or so N of the 101 freeway off of Cave Creek). I expect to see more of her in the future.
Here are two essays from people who knew Charlie personally, and were impressed by his zeal and his political, as well as social, acumen – among other virtues.
https://www.city-journal.org/article/charlie-kirk-turning-point-usa-assassination-culture
by Jesse Arm of the Manhattan Institute
This comment was spot on, looking at the many people who said they couldn’t continue to be Democrats because of the foulness of leftists” responses being documented, and the outpouring of support for Kirk’s lifework, even internationally.
“The tyrant dies, and his rule is over. The martyr dies, and his rule begins.”–Soren Kierkegarrd
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/09/charlie-kirk-a-serious-man/
by Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College
One of the commenters brought up two points that I mentioned in another thread, and explained them more fully.
Antifa has been around for years.
The Muslim Brotherhood has been around for decades
Both of these outfits align 100% perfectly with The Democrats. The Democrats don’t even acknowledge Antifa’s existence just as they ignored their party’s prior Terrorist organization – The KKK.
Ever wonder why the FBI had hundreds of agents rounding up innocent bystanders from the January 6th event, but you have never, ever heard of Antifa being infiltrated or the Muslim Brotherhood. No arrests – not a damn thing.
Meanwhile Robinson was on Antifa websites getting brainwashed.
One side is serious, committed and is shooting while the other side is only talking.
This is a terribly unequal era we are living in. We are being called Nazis and Fascists and that allows the Left’s soldiers to shoot us in good conscience. Greg Gutfeld has spoken about this a great deal.
We are doing a lot of talking but nothing else. To survive we must adapt and realize the war we are in. They won’t stop shooting.
yes bill barr was pretty useless, lets not even speak of comey and co, we are purging many enemy agents out the bureau,
one is reminded the family research council was targeted in 2012,
Info from here and there, kids as young as thirteen (one of my grand daughters) are sad, having followed Charlie on instagram. The eighteen-year old grand daughter, as well.
They are socially outgoing, involved in athletics and extracurriculars, and so they may well reflect many others.
Hadn’t thought his appeal was reaching that age group. Wonder if teachers feel threatened.
If you watched Charlie on campus, I think there was a result not announced;
He would invite those who disagreed to come to the microphone and state something or ask a question (which would usually have a planted axiom). The student was generally pretty salty, having managed the last set of mid terms and thus an intellectual giant. Comes out with something and…gets flattened by logic and facts. The kid’s statement is akin to some slogan he’d been taught as deep, received wisdom. And there it is, bare-butt naked. And the spectators, hundreds of other students see this and think…”The professors know this stuff. It’s their job. But they didn’t tell us. Just gave us this crap we’re supposed to believe if we didn’t know any better. And they tried to see we didn’t. If something came along it was hate or racist or something. The profs screwed us.”
Huh. Wonder if that was part of the plan.
Plato, Apology [23b ~6]
Philip wrote: “It strikes me that door number two is open here, though: raising one’s reaction to a spiritual level. This has promise.”
Wow. Well said. Thanks. May I quote you? I promise to give proper citation.
For years I have tried to keep in mind the Suffering Servants songs from Second Isaiah as a kind of North Star to guide how I deal with people I find difficult or just plain annoying. Especially Isaiah 42:3.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench.
To show mercy and demonstrate patience with people who give us a hard time. That doesn’t mean – and I’m hearing this from quite a few people on the interwebz after what happened this week – we lie down and let the opposition ride roughshod over us. Although we can start even more standing up to them and defending our views against especially unfair attacks it also means we don’t ride roughshod over them.
Except this morning I saw a clip of a woman who walked up to Charlie Kirk and snatched the cap he was wearing and walk away. One guy started chasing her and he said something like “don’t touch her” and made a comment then pulled out another hat which he put on. He was smiling the whole time.
Took a few minutes to get the courage to watch Erika’s message. If you didn’t see it watch it.
John Galt III ?
Martyrdom? I can go with that.
I do think Kirk’s assassination marks a tipping point … a turning point, if you will.
But I don’t see the right going tit-for-tat, as some fear, or even some seem to hope. That would be immoral and stupid.
For one thing we are winning. Support is draining away from Democrats and the left. Trump is cutting off funding the left with taxpayer money. He’s quashing DEI wherever he finds it. He is sending the National Guard to crime-ridden cities. He is demonstrating a powerful, effective executive branch.
Consequently, Democrats and the left are doubling down in desperation. Division and violence are all they’ve got. In so doing they are showing the rest of America who they really are, again.
That’s why Trump got elected last year. That’s why he has popular support to continue his work, which includes peacefully, legally dismantling the Democrat machine and media support.
The murder of Charlie Kirk is a horror, but it is not in vain.
John Galt that was a thumbs up
It didn’t go through it looks
The Left will regret this!
Interesting article from the Jerusalem Post by a practicing Orthodox Jew who was basically a non practicing Jew when he met and spent time with Charlie Kirk as a young man. Charlie, the Evangelical Christian, encouraged the Jew to get more serious about faith and the Jewish man acknowledges that Charlie set him on the path to being an Orthodox Jew.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-867211
In addition to the grass-roots response, I hope that folks in the administration are already planning to leverage this – instead of all that money that USAid funneled to leftie causes, there must be a “Reconciliation Council” that sponsors “educational” on-campus events by Turning Point and other conservative groups… the Kirk murder is a “teaching moment” that lets us “confront and root out the deep hatred and intolerance” in our campuses. We must investigate the “murderous” hostile atmosphere… and “eliminate the radicalizing elements”.
The Left must now be subjected to the same struggle sessions and shakedowns they administered to others… I welcome video footage of professors, film producers, and others confessing their past sins and reiterating their commitment to true diversity of opinion. Amazing what Federal funding (or the threat of its termination) can achieve.
I am very happy to see pushback and doxxing of people posting hateful responses… it may not be in our nature, but it is necessary and long overdue. Should have started with the BLM riots. The Left must be held accountable for its violent rhetoric and the resulting actions.
@Ben David: The Left must be held accountable for its violent rhetoric and the resulting actions.
Clearly.
I think this is some of the tipping point. Conservatives are starting to bear down hard on the Left’s violent rhetoric.
Contrary to, say, five years ago, leftist commentators are now getting called out. Some have already lost jobs.
* Matthew Dowd, MSNBC commentator, was fired for his remarks essentially blaming Kirk for his assassination.
* Gretchen Felker-Martin, a transgender horror writer, had her DC comic book “Red Hood” canceled for her public vicious remarks like “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie Kirk.”
* SNL’s 9/20 show had coincidentally been written to attack Charlie Kirk. Network executives cancelled that show, though Lorne Michaels and other show members, fought to keep the show on despite Kirk’s assassination.
More to come:
—“Matthew Dowd’s firing begins flood of people facing consequences for their comments on Kirk’s death”
https://apnews.com/article/dowd-msnbc-kirk-comments-e08f349022c9d69171cd575664141075
A shift in the wind.
After Charlie Kirk’s death, teachers and professors nationwide fired or disciplined over social media posts
Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk this week, educators across the country have found themselves facing swift termination or potential discipline after allegedly sharing opinions on social media about the killing.
At least a dozen faculty and staff, from school board officials to classroom teachers, have been met with fallout over insensitive posts about Kirk’s death. In at least two instances, universities fired staff members entirely for posts deemed inappropriate.
Many other educators have been suspended or are under investigation, and the number is likely to grow as conservative online influencers share screenshots.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/charlie-kirk-death-teachers-professors-nationwide-fired-disciplined-s-rcna230845
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Conservatives pounce!
Damn straight.
Posting personal opinions about policies and ideologies is one thing, but celebrating murder is another. If we’re going to have a civil society, people need to be … civil. Charlie Kirk’s whole career was dedicated to open and courteous discussion. The left won’t accept that. We shouldn’t accept their approach any more.
no they won’t https://www.thecollegefix.com/nyu-adjunct-charlie-kirk-not-a-victim-maga-liars-who-should-be-excluded-from-public-discourse/
“after allegedly sharing opinions”
Barf. Reason infinity + 1 why the MSM ranks somewhere below a snake’s private parts in any measure worth measuring.
Another great quote:
“If we create a climate of fear so that everyone is afraid to talk,” Goldstein added, “then we’ve actually kind of accomplished the goals of people who wanted to silence Charlie Kirk in the first place.”
Ah yes, the classic slap-them-with-their-own-principles trick.
“Well, Jesus said to turn the other cheek, dontcha’know?”
Yes. But not in perpetuity. Reference the cleansing of the Temple.
Sometimes enough is enough.
No, we don’t need to “have a conversation”.
You killed the guy willing to do that.
–Boyd Meyers
https://x.com/redsteeze/status/1966333803288572358
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Of course, the conversation the left wants to have is about gun violence and right-wing rhetoric and action, never about that of the left.
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But I have to tell you, I am very concerned about what that [right-wing] reaction [to Kirk’s assassination] is going to be in the days and weeks and months ahead.
–Jonathan Capehart (speaking with David Brooks)
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/09/13/capehart_i_am_very_concerned_about_what_the_reaction_to_charlie_kirks_assassination_will_be.html
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The victim is never the real victim. The victim is the group of the perp which the left protects.
I find Capehart and Brooks particularly detestable.
Philip Sells on September 13, 2025 at 2:19 am:
Great comment:
“Hello, blog. After some processing today and yesterday, it strikes me that on an individual level, for a conservative or right-leaning person, there are two ways this can go: either toward hatred of those who hate us, or toward picking up what made Charlie Kirk* successful in the truest sense and continuing that.”
I sense that if Mrs. Kirk is going to use her husband’s martyrdom, she will have to find the balance of citing the hateful nature of the left that resulted in Charlie’s death, vs. employing his ability to disagree without being disagreeable. She needs the first to reduce the impact of the leftist’s attempts at blaming him (and by extension her for carrying on his mission), and the second is needed for the “more balanced left of center folks” (plus some rightists) to let them accept and engage with their (still) erstwhile “enemy”.
When I end up in conversations with my left of center liberal friends, sometimes we have to ignore politics due to TDS, but with some of them we end up with a “pox on both their houses” in describing the reality of the legislatures failing to find their own agreements across the aisle to address the modest (rather than rabid or extreme versions of ) problems that need addressing (i.e., immigration, healthcare and insurance, proper levels of DOD budgeting, aiding business growth and job creation, and especially fiscal responsibility.)
@ Jon baker – thanks for the link to the post about the Jewish man that Kirk converted to Judaism.
The last sentence shows a trait which, alone, would be enough for the Left to hate him.
Top comment:
Anti-Confusion 2 days ago
Charlie Kirk advocated that people read the basic texts of Western Civilization at least once a day and he practiced what he preached. He wanted people to read Plato, Aristotle, John Locke, the Federalist Papers, etc. But the single most important text was the Bible. What he saw there led him to a personal decision to turn off his phone from sundown Friday until Saturday night.
From a Halakhic perspective, there is no requirement for and no merit to a non-Jew observing the Sabbath, but his decision shows a remarkable level of intellectual honesty. Ask a Christian why his Sabbath is on Sunday, and you’ll be amazed. There is actually no mention of such a thing in either the Old Testament or the New one.
In fact, a few Christian groups who reflected on the matter decided to move their Sabbath back to Saturday. The Seventh Day Adventists are the most obvious, but there were also “Subotniks” in Czarist Russia.
As this article illustrates, it does seem that Charlie Kirk demonstrated an uncommon level of respect and warmth toward the Jewish people.
Rick67, of course. I left my thought about the spiritual approach to the whole thing extremely unfinished, obviously, but it’s a little bit along the lines of your point drawing from the prophet above. I was thinking more of Our Lord’s own approach and that of the martyrs that we commemorate. See the hostile interactions with the Judeans described in John 7 to 10, for example.
which I grab onto in this context as a way of noting that, while it is true that they claimed instead to want to stone Him on account of things He had said rather than done, there were also the good works in play; and these should also be part of what one who would be any sort of martyr following in Kirk’s footsteps brings to the table.
Philip, thanks. I appreciate your further thoughts on how Jesus responded in John 7-10.
Rick67@11:22am,
Something tells me Charlie would have give that young woman the hat off his head at least seven times seventy times.
AesopFan,
There is no Gospel I know of that references changing the date of the Sabbath and Jesus practiced the traditional, Saturday Sabbath placement from what we read in scriptures. Except when the Pharisees and Sadducees were accusing him of violating it to cure the sick and save people.
However, I believe I have heard a Catholic Priest or two address the reasoning for the Catholic Church making Sunday the weekday for holy obligation is from the tradition of it being a Sunday when Christ rose from the dead.