“Charlie Kirk got shot.”
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2:08 pm. A flurry of texts and whispers rippled through classrooms.
People crowded around phones and spoke in hushed tones, and that’s when so many of us saw the video—his head snapping to the side. It was sickening.
In the moments that followed, I witnessed classmates in ecstasy and pandemonium, some in shock, others in silent satisfaction, as more angles of that graphic scene were shared.
Charlie Kirk was fatally killed on a college campus—the same setting where he launched his career with “Prove Me Wrong” videos.
Before his death, I didn’t know a lot about Charlie Kirk. I’ve seen more clips of him these past few days than in the last two years. But this isn’t a column about politics. This isn’t about the Second Amendment. This definitely isn’t about who was right or wrong.
I’m not here to take a side. I’m here to report the reaction it sparked.
In the aftermath, media outlets have pushed two terrifying narratives: One in which karma was served, and the other in which his allies will avenge their symbol of free speech.
People celebrated a man’s death. Others staunchly defended his statements and vowed vengeance. Fingers pointed. Voices rose. And throughout our country, communities were divided.
But that’s not who we are.
This school, where we welcome people from all walks of life, experiences, and identities, is better than that. I love this community so much because, when we are confronted with adversity, we rise to the occasion, defy every expectation and persevere.
That is why I am writing this article. To prove that in solemn silence—not noise—we honor our shared humanity. I don’t expect us to always have the same viewpoints or to always believe the same things, but I do hope that, regardless of our beliefs, our responses reflect our shared values of dignity, respect and kindness.
To those who believed in what Charlie Kirk espoused and are saddened by his death and to those who vehemently opposed his words and felt little compassion at the news of his passing, I urge us all to pause and reflect on what his killing means about the society we will one day inherit.
Thankfully, we are not left without voices of reason.
Across the political spectrum, leaders have stood up to remind us that violence is never justified. I echo their words:
“This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,”
“Members of other political parties are not our enemies; they are our fellow citizens.”
“Republicans and Democrats alike must stand united in condemning this brutality that has no place in America.”
These statements come from Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters—people who may disagree on nearly everything else, but agree that this is not a partisan issue.
Ultimately, I’m not here to tell anyone how they should feel. You don’t have to pray for Charlie Kirk; you don’t have to make a martyr of him; you don’t have to condemn him; you don’t have to attack others based on their opinions of him.
However, when tragedy strikes, let us not retreat to our echo chambers or alienate those who think differently. We cannot condone murder. We can and should disagree civilly. We must seek and find common ground.
I spent last semester in Washington, D.C., where I saw polarization at its most extreme—congressional hearings devolving into shouting matches, policymakers hurling insults from opposite ends of the political spectrum—further deepening the divide in our country.
When I came back to run for Head Prefect, I asked, “What legacy will we leave behind? What will we build for those that come after us? What will we show to the Class of 2029 and beyond, who will soon walk these same halls, who will sit in these same seats, who will join us in these same storied cloisters?”
I hope those questions resonate now more than ever because we stand at a crossroads between chaos and thoughtful dialogue. This tragic act of political violence gives us a chance to prove that our community can respond to hatred, not with more hatred, but by the precepts and principles of our School: gratitude, loyalty and spirited devotion, courtesy and consideration, honesty and integrity, and care. Let’s rise to the challenge of those words.
I urge each and every one of us to ask questions before making accusations. Listen before speaking. And be the change our community and world so desperately needs.
