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By Shane Gilreath
I spent years of my life in politics. Deeply, deeply involved at times. It’s an “institution” that not many understand, as the inside can look different than the out – with different expectations – but it’s one that has a tendency to suck you up into some vortex that requires cognitive conformity. If you’re wearing the hat, you have to understandably carry the load. We can argue whether that’s good or bad – I tend to lean toward the latter – never thinking it particularly healthy – or a natural possibility – to agree in complete uniformity. Five years ago, I made the gut-wrenching decision to resign all my political posts, from local to state boards. There were many reasons for that, and to say that I miss it would be an understatement. Many dear friends – who make my life better and who have helped shape me forever – are still heavily involved, but there was also a significant sigh of relief, mostly because I felt free to think for myself again; to embrace that great mantra of President Herbert Hoover toward “American Individualism.” If I’m honest, after this week, I don’t know why we all can’t embrace individualism.
If nothing else, the death of Charlie Kirk should make us all reflect and reassess the direction of our world. Any thought that we should eradicate those with whom we disagree – no matter that disagreement – has no place in any decent or God-fearing heart. We all should condemn such actions – each of us, Democrat and Republican. From the extremities of each ideology to the moderates among us, the bumpy road of division has led us right here – bloodshed. Rather than looking for unity, we have chosen divide. Kirk’s death should open our eyes, as the foundation of what he built was, in truth, the foundations of the republic – simple freedom, individual thought – including what he was doing on the campus of Utah Valley University. When his assassin acted, he did not simply target Charlie Kirk but targeted those foundations. It was an assault on freedom of opinion and the liberty to express them freely. Though those foundations may be rocky at times – even questioned – I pray they do not fall at the feet of such inhuman action. And that’s the world that I seek: where we can put aside the cults of politics; a world where we can agree to disagree again; seek diplomacy where there has been none; a world where our children need not fear or hate because of an R or D beside our name, who we vote for, and the future we seek. We all should condemn such deplorable violence. Disagreement is not hate, nor has it ever been. It is not the answer. It is not of us. Lives should never be cut so senselessly short for something as fickle as politics. Now we face, again, a case where a young family – like too many in our history – must pick up the pieces without their husband and father. No matter who you are, whether you agreed with Charlie Kirk or didn’t, whether you voted for a Republican or a Democrat, I urge you to look at the broader picture and ask yourself: was it worth it?
My earnest prayers are with the Kirk family and will continue to be – and for a world in deep despair. I’d beg you to do the same.