EDITORIAL: Fearless and determined: Kirk shaped America

Charlie Kirk died defending and living out the values that built the country he loved.

On Wednesday, Mr. Kirk, a conservative political activist, was hosting one of his signature events at Utah Valley University. He had drawn a crowd of 3,000 people to hear him talk with those in attendance. Then a shot rang out.

Mr. Kirk’s security team rushed to him as the crowd shrieked and scattered. He was taken to a local hospital, but he had been mortally wounded. President Donald Trump announced his death and then ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff until Sunday evening.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump announced that he would posthumous award Kirk the Medal of Freedom.

It’s a fitting honor for someone who built a world-shaping political movement out of nothing but his God-given gifts of vision, energy and courage.

The conventional wisdom has long been that young adults start off as liberal and then gravitate to the right as they mature. Mr. Kirk had a different idea. At 18, he founded Turning Point USA in his parents’ garage. He sought to create student organizations on liberal college campuses. The group now has more than 800 college chapters and more than 1,000 groups in high schools.

Mr. Kirk’s success makes it easy to forget what a daunting task that was. Today’s universities are typically hostile to conservative values. Many college students either drift to the left or view staying quiet about their beliefs as an unavoidable necessity. He changed that.

For most, this would be a life-defining accomplishment. Mr. Kirk wasn’t satisfied. He built a turnout machine that drove low-propensity and young voters to the polls for Mr. Trump. He was also a devoted husband and father.

Through it all, Mr. Kirk valued open and respectful debate. His last event challenged students to “prove me wrong.” His quick wit, encyclopedic knowledge of facts and moral clarity made that a difficult challenge. The failed attempts of many to do so produced viral videos that rocketed around social media. But that wasn’t the only reason he wanted to have those conversations.

“When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts,” Mr. Kirk once said. “When marriages stop talking, divorce happens. When civilizations stop talking, civil war ensues. When you stop having a human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes a lot easier to want to commit violence against that group.”

Little did he know how tragically prophetic his words would be.

Mr. Kirk didn’t just want to win elections. He wanted to converse and convince his fellow Americans. Even if one disagreed with him, that’s a legacy worth celebrating.