Kirk abhorred violence and believed in navigating differences through sincere conversation

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Progressive commentators have spent the past week misrepresenting the views of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, in an apparent attempt to demonize him and justify his murder. This behaviour is deplorable and provides a case study of the toxicity that leads to political violence.

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Kirk was famous for his embrace of debate and cross-partisan dialogue. He regularly visited college campuses and invited progressive students to rebut his beliefs, often exposing their intellectual vacuity. Videos from these engagements, along with other content produced through Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, proved highly effective at attracting youth to conservative politics.

While his messaging could occasionally be strident, he generally came across as moderate and understanding. He was, at his worst, no more aggressive than most other political commentators; and, at his best, he was refreshingly conciliatory compared to many of them.

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Similarly, his beliefs, though stalwartly conservative and Christian, were not particularly extreme and generally fell within the bounds of mainstream American discourse.

His more hard-line views included opposition to all abortions, even in cases of rape. In one debate, for example, he argued that, if he had a hypothetical 10-year-old daughter who was impregnated involuntarily, he would still want the child to be born. He was also a relentless critic of transgender activism and