For the last few days I’ve been silently thinking over and over this very thought in my head.
A single day before the remembrance of a National Tragedy, a Human Being, a Father, a Husband, a Son, sat on a stage, in a place that was always touted as being a place for knowledge and different points of view to come together and challenge each other. A single shot rang out and in an instant, in front of his family and a few hundred people (maybe more) a life was taken, not for a physical action taken by this man, but for words & beliefs this man held and wanted to speak about and challenge the views of others.
Then the nation went insane…
I’ve watched and tried to keep to a minimum my words posted about this, but I just can’t anymore.
Do I agree with the things Charlie Kirk said when he went on a stage or a podcast? No, not completely.
I hold no religious affiliation and have never agreed with him on the topic of abortion.
I have agreed with him on his thoughts about many other subjects and like any other rational, grown adult, I can accept WE WILL NEVER AGREE WITH ANOTHER HUMAN BEING 100% ABOUT EVERY SUBJECT!
Hell, I’ve been married to the same (beautiful) woman for over 30+ years and we don’t agree on 100% of everything. You know why? BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THE SAME PERSON!
You know what I will never do? Is to celebrate the death of another human being for having a different opinion than my own.
This man never did anything other than speak his mind (our First Amendment Right) and built a platform for himself to do that. He also engaged with people to speak their minds and use their own logic and resources to try to contradict his point. He was a debater by choice. He wasn’t knocking on your door and making you listen to him. He wasn’t sitting in a political position and forcing you to hear his words by order of decree. He was trying to get his points out to people who wanted to hear it. If you don’t want to hear it, it’s simple, do what a grown adult should do, ignore him.
You disagreed with him? Great!
You wanted to put your views up against his? Wonderful!
You think his assassination is a reason to celebrate him dying because a mentally ill person decided he shouldn’t live for speaking his opinion? You may need to seek mental help yourself.
Did other people die that day? Yes, in another horrible school shooting incident, again a mentally ill person went into Evergreen HS and shot 2 people and then himself and unfortunately that story got pushed to the side because the “news media” and our “Politicians” like to push the “division” of the nation to help their agenda and ALL sides eat it up like it’s candy (or antacids for some people).
Then comes the “gun control” part of this fun little exercise in being “Americans”.
Are guns the problem? I don’t believe so, I think the mental capacity of some people to express themselves might be. Any weapon can be used to take another person’s life (just ask the riders of the Light Rail in North Carolina or the people in New Orleans).
Do I agree with the people shouting “More Gun Control!” or “More Red Flag Laws”? No.
Every one of the vile people who use a gun (or any other weapon as a means) to harm others is committing a crime and we have laws already there to address that issue.
Here’s a keen idea, how about we actually enforce those laws?
Where was the “Gun Control” in “No Unpermitted Weapons on Campus”? I know this is a hard concept for some, but, criminals do not follow laws, it is in fact is one of the (many) reasons that makes them criminals.
“But, Tony, those “mentally ill” people you mentioned could have possibly have been stopped by Red Flag Laws.”
Yeah, because the idea that my neighbor might get to decide that they don’t like my American flag flying because it “triggers them” is a great bases to remove my rights.
The evidence has been shown that we as human beings let our emotions and pettiness against each other deprive another of their rights (ask anyone going through a bitter divorce or custody battle).
I have guns and it’s my right to have them. They aren’t hurting you. Why should YOU get to decide I can’t have them to protect myself, my family or my property? And YES, to fight against a Tyrannical Government if it comes to that.
Then comes the backlash of people being “canceled”. I’m sorry to hear that you found there are consequences to your own actions. I don’t want anyone to be hurt (physically) by choosing to speak their opinions.
But as for anything else that may happen, stand by your words as strong as you did when you made them! I can respect that.
I’ve always said I personally lack empathy for a lot of people, but I think it really comes down to, I lack empathy for those who won’t stand up for themselves or use their own personal morals to decide how they should act and live by that set of rules.
You shouldn’t need a Book, a Religion, a Community, or Social Group to decide what your morals should be. We will always be different for so many reasons, but only you get to choose how you treat other people, whether you agree with their opinions or not.