In the wake of Charlie Kirk's death, I've noticed a heartfelt, bittersweet camaraderie among conservatives. The slogan "We are Charlie Kirk" has spread across a nation desperate to make sense of this tragic loss and to find a piece of ourselves in him, this bright light, suddenly snuffed out. The phrase conveys kinship with Charlie Kirk's courage, verve, and sadly, even acknowledges that conservatives feel targeted like he was.
In his short 31 years, Charlie accomplished what most people could not in several lifetimes. From starting Turning Point USA at a young age to traveling the country debating college students, to building conservative coalitions and allying with President Donald Trump, the young father of two and husband to Erika lived a big, purposeful life.
The rest of us are trying to fill the void; there is just one man left.
As I've spent the last several days engrossed in coverage, watching unearthed clips of him debating students or hosting his podcast, "The Charlie Kirk Show," I have felt a lingering question deep within: Am I really Charlie Kirk?
Don't get me wrong. I love the sentiment. It's beautiful and unifying --- we need that right now. But am I really living with the kind of boldness and clarity Charlie Kirk seemed to have?
"Leave a legacy. Be courageous."
Conservatives are trying to grapple with the answer to the question, "What now?" Republicans are already looking to memorialize and cement his legacy. President Donald Trump said he would posthumously award Charlie the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A handful of GOP lawmakers advocated that a monument be erected in Charlie's honor. College students are holding vigils, rallies, and memorials at campuses around the country. The world of sports has even stepped in, honoring Charlie at games.
All of these things are right and good. These are well-meaning gestures, made in a spirit of bereavement and honor. They still do not feel quite right or enough.
On July 27, Charlie Kirk posted a video on X of his young daughter running up to him after taping "Fox & Friends Weekend." He wrote this caption: "Get married, have kids, and stop partying into oblivion. Leave a legacy, be courageous. Happy Sunday, God Bless all the parents out there."
Leave a legacy, be courageous. What an incredible idea! People hardly talk like that anymore, but Charlie not only spoke that way, he lived it, too.
I never had the pleasure of knowing Charlie, so I don't know how he would have reacted to being given awards or a statue in his name. I think beyond any memorial or statue, that's what Charlie valued most. A person willing to stand for truth, for what was right, and to do it with courage. I can say that his life and now his death have given me clarity and inspired me to live with more boldness.
Am I really Charlie Kirk?
It's easy for me as a commentator to focus on Charlie's stalwart conservatism. He loved America and the tenets of conservatism—especially liberty. But the way he lived made it clear to me that that was not the only thing he loved or wanted to spread awareness of.
When asked on a podcast how he wanted to be remembered if he died, Charlie said, "I want to be remembered for courage for my faith."
I am a Christian. I love God and strive to love people, pass on my faith to my kids, and communicate what I believe with candor and grace in the public sphere. When I realize the breadth of Charlie's influence—a nearly 7,000 percent increase in TP USA chapter requests across the country—and just how much he spread the gospel in 31 years, it's clear now, though, that I could do even better, and I could do it even more.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan said on Fox News September 19, "The more I learned about [Charlie Kirk,] I thought this guy is a modern-day Saint Paul. He was a missionary, he's an evangelist, he's a hero. He's one, I think, that knew what Jesus meant when he said, 'The truth will set you free.'"
I could not agree more. It's awful that Charlie Kirk was killed and in such a gruesome way in front of the world. But it has already inspired a conservative awakening and a spiritual revival. This will now be his legacy.
I am not Charlie Kirk. Only Charlie Kirk can be Charlie Kirk. But I can be the best version of myself, inspired by the legacy he left, and resolve to live with more purpose and courage.
