Reflections one day on
I appreciate people will be tired of this discourse and the heaps of toxicity surrounding this discussion but I just want to get thoughts out of my head into the universe so feel free to scroll on.
It’s hard to put into words the shock and sorrow I felt the last 24 hours for a guy across an ocean I've never met but Charlie Kirk was a voice I admired, even if I didn’t always agree with every point he made. His dedication to certain values I hold dear, free speech, and open debate was something I could respect deeply. And my thoughts cannot escape his young family. No one should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one in such a violent, senseless way, have the footage all over the internet and have hoards of people celebrating his murder online.
It’s frightening to think that speaking your mind, or defending convictions you hold dear, might one day put you in harm’s way. Charlie’s death is a stark reminder of the dangers of a world where disagreement can be met with aggression instead of conversation. But I don’t want to surrender to hopelessness because if there’s a way to honor him and his legacy, it’s by continuing what he did best which was encouraging free, thoughtful discussion and refusing to let fear dictate our speech. We must learn to engage with those who see the world differently and remember that even those we disagree with are human and deserving of life. Now more than ever, we need to remember that.
When I was in university I would regularly take part in debates and discussions where I’ve defended viewpoints that don't conform to the prevailing liberal narrative of the day, and yes, there are moments where tempers flare. But most exchanges were peaceful. Today, though, it’s clear how quickly disagreement can escalate when we stop seeing the humanity in each other. Charlie’s murder is a painful and chilling evidence of that. Today, I'd have second thoughts about setting up shop on campus for an afternoon of healthy debate.
But I hope and pray that we can move forward and not descend further as a society, because if we surrender a culture of being able to have polarising debates peacefully to violence and bloodshed, then we are truly doomed.
It’s hard to put into words the shock and sorrow I felt the last 24 hours for a guy across an ocean I've never met but Charlie Kirk was a voice I admired, even if I didn’t always agree with every point he made. His dedication to certain values I hold dear, free speech, and open debate was something I could respect deeply. And my thoughts cannot escape his young family. No one should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one in such a violent, senseless way, have the footage all over the internet and have hoards of people celebrating his murder online.
It’s frightening to think that speaking your mind, or defending convictions you hold dear, might one day put you in harm’s way. Charlie’s death is a stark reminder of the dangers of a world where disagreement can be met with aggression instead of conversation. But I don’t want to surrender to hopelessness because if there’s a way to honor him and his legacy, it’s by continuing what he did best which was encouraging free, thoughtful discussion and refusing to let fear dictate our speech. We must learn to engage with those who see the world differently and remember that even those we disagree with are human and deserving of life. Now more than ever, we need to remember that.
When I was in university I would regularly take part in debates and discussions where I’ve defended viewpoints that don't conform to the prevailing liberal narrative of the day, and yes, there are moments where tempers flare. But most exchanges were peaceful. Today, though, it’s clear how quickly disagreement can escalate when we stop seeing the humanity in each other. Charlie’s murder is a painful and chilling evidence of that. Today, I'd have second thoughts about setting up shop on campus for an afternoon of healthy debate.
But I hope and pray that we can move forward and not descend further as a society, because if we surrender a culture of being able to have polarising debates peacefully to violence and bloodshed, then we are truly doomed.
26-30, F
