At the heart of every American, the principles of the First Amendment are enshrined — the right to speak freely, worship openly, petition our government and assemble without fear.
Last week, America’s heart broke. We lost Charlie Kirk, a man who championed those very principles every day of his adult life. He courageously proclaimed his faith, founded a movement that brought young people together, organized citizens around candidates and causes, and engaged in honest conversations with those with whom he disagreed.
Not only was a husband and father murdered in cold blood, but the values he stood for feel increasingly fragile. As evidenced by his tragic death, the shootings of Minnesota legislators, and the attempted assassinations of President Trump and the governor of Pennsylvania, Americans, left, right and center, are feeling a particular kind of soul sickness. If we can no longer gather around a pundit or politician without fear of violence ... if the public square can no longer host the kind of great debates once held by Lincoln and Douglas ... then we have lost sight of who we are.
America is in desperate need of something to unite around. To honor the victims of political violence, we must rally behind what each stood for: freedom. The very soul of America depends on everyday citizens declaring their opinions boldly, but doing so with civility, compassion, humility and with an eye towards finding common ground. To do otherwise, either shrinking and hiding from our opinions or entrenching ourselves deeper into hateful divides, would be to give in to those evil forces trying to destroy us.
America will face this challenge like it has every other — with strength and determination. Let us all rise up, appeal to our better angels, and honor the American values of free speech and compassion that have served us for nearly 250 years.
Mikaela Cook Wilson
Holladay