The death of Charlie Kirk is more than disconcerting, it’s heartbreaking.
I was stunned, saddened and deeply shaken.
But what followed was even more disturbing: the public reaction.
Comments like, “We are better off without him” and, “He brought the attack on himself” weren’t just cruel, they were chilling.
When political figures like J.D. Pritzker used the tragedy to blame President Trump, it felt like opportunism, not leadership.
Others rushed to call for sweeping gun law changes before the facts were even known.
Some say this is national news, why should Port Angeles care? But this isn’t just national.
That quote, “we are better off without him,” came from a Port Angeles community forum. No one challenged it. Silence speaks volumes.
Let’s be clear about Charlie’s crime: he spoke openly about his faith, his love for family and his devotion to country. Whether you agreed with him or not, he did not preach hate. He encouraged debate, not division.
This is a watershed moment.
We must decide whether we stand for what is right or retreat into partisan blame games. To those who call Trump a dictator or Nazi, I say: enough. Get a backbone. Confront hate wherever it appears.
In Charlie’s memory, let’s commit to civil discourse. Let’s challenge hate speech, not excuse it.
Edmund Burke said it best: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Let’s not be those men.
Kim Butler
Port Angeles