It’s sickening to know that on the grounds of a Utah university, a political figure and activist was shot and killed. Utilizing his free speech, the core of America, was too much for someone. This event doesn’t represent Utah, nor should it represent our political divides.
Students in classes frantically checked their phones as the news broke, a disturbing video on X played over and over across different phones. One of my friends texted me saying she grabbed her friend and ran into a nearby room. An event hosted by UVU’s Student Association was occurring on the level above.
Charlie Kirk was a polarizing and effective voice for conservative youth. His organizing efforts contributed to his popularity. During the 2024 election, his organization, Turning Point USA, deployed a range of strategies that some conservatives credit for helping Trump win. These included a get-out-the-vote initiative in key battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. They partnered with churches and faith organizations to register new voters, raised millions of dollars and engaged with college campuses. In other words, Turning Point USA picked up on every falter of the Democratic Party in 2024.
The loss hit particularly close to home because Utah State University, my university, was one of the next places on the America Comeback Tour. The announcement of Kirk’s attendance at USU was met with controversy and a subsequent petition to cancel the event. Witnessing such violence occur in my backyard at a moderate-leaning university like Utah Valley University is incredibly jarring.
College campuses should be havens of free speech. As students grow into their political ideologies, we should allow dialogue and push against self censoring. If we want to preserve our great democracy, that includes conservative voices. What happened to Kirk represents the complete breakdown of that principle. When we can’t tolerate hearing opposing views, we’ve lost something fundamental in our society. If we want to preserve our great democracy, that includes conservative voices. What happened to Kirk represents the complete breakdown of that principle. When we can’t tolerate hearing opposing views, we’ve lost something fundamental in our society.
Concerningly, political violence is becoming more supported by the general public. The Chicago Project on Security and Threats found in May that nearly 40% of Democrats supported the use of force to remove President Trump from office and about 25% of Republicans supported using the military to stop protests against Trump. This isn’t America.
It should go without saying that you cannot eliminate viewpoints with a bullet, but it seems this hasn’t dawned on some individuals. In fact, one in three students now believes it is acceptable to use violence to stop a speaker.
Events like these will challenge people’s centrism, their ability to resist falling into extremes. Nationally, I urge Democrats to not jump to arguments on gun control or “selective mourning.” They are unproductive, inflammatory and do nothing but point the finger at somebody. I urge Republicans to not see this as war from the other side, or as a radicalizing moment. In order to combat the division and hate that brought us here, we can’t be the cause of more.
History shows us that political violence leaves lasting scars on communities. The assassination of JFK in Dallas reportedly made it more difficult to bring in new industry and conventioneers. The city was dubbed as the “city of hate” because of their polarized political climate. One of the things that brought back goodwill was unity, demonstrated through the success of the Dallas Cowboys. Utah will follow a different trajectory — one of peace and unity.
I agree with Governor Spencer Cox when he says we need to turn down the temperature on our rhetoric and “Disagree Better.” It’s become clear that politics has become far too personal, and Americans need to learn to be able to hear viewpoints they disagree with.
Utah universities moving forward should make a concerted effort to include a wide diversity of political voices in events, administration and their actions. The approach taken by my university has been commendable, publicly condemning the celebration of Kirk’s death and planning “peacebuilding” events hosted by the Heravi Peace Institute and other campus organization.
These efforts, while important, are just the beginning. Americans deserve a better future than one where political differences end in a gunshot.