LETTER: Kirk believed in the First Amendment

While I am disgusted by some of the posts regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I am reminded that this was an individual who believed so strongly in the First Amendment. He dedicated his life to its very protection. He raised the bar of public debate in our nation during a time when our freedom of speech was being subjugated by the very authority we entrust to protect this most sacred right.

On the day of his killing, we witnessed the further degradation of our society and culture at the hands of a radicalized murderer.

As a husband and a father, my heart aches for his family. That said, I believe Mr. Kirk would have embraced all the controversy surrounding his death and used it to further raise the visibility of the civil divide that plagues our society. He would have, as he did so many times before, spoken out and done so loudly.

So whether or not you mourn the passing of this man, I choose to honor his memory by respecting your right to speak freely based on your own point of view. I will not lower myself to insults or hypocrisy. I will not demand that our friendships be terminated because we fail to agree. I will celebrate your right to speak freely, especially when the very words you utter tear at my soul. In doing so, I strive to guarantee that the same right will be extended to me and preserved for my children and, God willing, their children to come.