Rest in Peace, Charlie

We lost another one of our generals.

We lost Charlie Kirk yesterday to a madman, one who remains at large. I pray that the FBI and law enforcement partners can find this man ASAP and bring him to justice.

As a husband and father, I feel an elevated sense of loss and outright anger for Charlie. We lost one of the stars of the conservative movement, sure, and that stings. But much more importantly, his children now have to grow up without a father. His wife must carry the enormous burden of losing her soulmate. What was done to Charlie was grossly unfair. It was a demonic level of evil.

Charlie had a uniquely American story. He began his life in activism with incredible passion, but without any credentials or significant contacts. He dropped out of college to build from scratch what has now become by far the most significant American campus coalition that has ever existed. He rose through the ranks in his field through hard work, a thirst for knowledge, a humble yet confident disposition, and a love for family, God and the American way.

We live in a hyper-technological era when we are encouraged to retreat from interacting with society. It is an era when public interaction with high-profile political figures is so desperately needed, and so too is robust debate and civil discourse between people who disagree. Now I fear civil society will be forced to retreat even further behind its screens and studios, because these events seem simply untenable for the foreseeable future.

Over the last few years, I’ve spoken at public and private events with a limited to non-existent security presence, with audiences ranging from hundreds to thousands of people. I just can’t see myself doing these kinds of gigs right now. As much as I love to get out on the road and exchange ideas, it’s hard to imagine it’s worth the risk. Does this mean the bad guy won? No, but it is tragic what is happening in America right now, and there are no easy answers. The whirlwind of political violence is entirely out of control.

Charlie was already a significantly influential figure by the time I had left Blaze Media and launched The Dossier. He was always supportive of our work here and brought me on his podcast and TV show as a regular guest. He frequently promoted our work and asked for nothing in return. He was a man of integrity, honor, and compassion. He was a mensch. I greatly appreciated his deep and genuine faith in God, his passion for Western values, and his robust defense of the Jewish people in an all too frequent campus climate of ferocious antisemitism.

In July of last year, I worked very closely with Charlie and his team to publish a major story involving President Biden. “You're the right guy to track this down,” Charlie messaged me. Without hesitation and with total confidence, he directed all of his sources to get in contact with me. He was mission-oriented and never asked for anything in return.

I decided to become a firefighter after the horrific attacks of September 11, after witnessing the incredible bravery of the FDNY during that tragic day. I decided to first enter the political arena following the tragic early passing of Andrew Breitbart, seeking to do what I could to continue his legacy and fight the good fight for the future of America. I have zero doubt that Charlie Kirk’s legacy will inspire many millions to rise to the occasion and follow in his footsteps by bringing goodness and godliness to America.

Rest in peace, Charlie. You will be greatly missed.