A pivotal moment for America
Charlie Kirk鈥檚 assassination comes amid a rise in political violence in recent years, from an attack on former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi鈥檚 husband in 2022 to the killing of a leading Minnesota state legislator this spring. But he is arguably the first political figure of national stature in the United States to be killed in decades.
Since founding a youth political movement as a teenager in 2012, Mr. Kirk had become one of the most influential figures in American conservatism. His organization, Turning Point USA, now claims a presence on 3,500 high school and college campuses. On the right, he is credited with creating a broader coalition of support that returned Donald Trump to the White House. Perhaps most notably, the group he primarily focused on 鈥� young people on college campuses 鈥� shifted 11 points rightward toward Mr. Trump from 2020 to 2024, according to the Yale Youth Poll. 鈥淐harlie鈥檚 Turning Point USA became the single most important conservative political organization in the country,鈥� wrote conservative commentator Ben Shapiro in The Free Press. 鈥淎nd it grew because Charlie grew.鈥�
Staff writers Simon Montlake and Victoria Hoffmann look at the evolution and future of that movement in this week鈥檚 Political Currents section. Turning Point USA鈥檚 mission is to equip young citizens with the capacity to 鈥渕eaningfully engage鈥� and to restore what it describes as traditional American values. Fellow 海角大神 conservatives championed Mr. Kirk for taking a stand 鈥� often provocatively 鈥� against abortion; same-sex marriage; and diversity, equity, and inclusion measures, while critics found his rhetoric deeply offensive.
The day before he was killed, a survey released by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression found that 1 in 3 students support, at least in rare instances, 鈥渞esorting to violence to stop a campus speech.鈥� In the wake of Mr. Kirk鈥檚 fatal shooting, some celebrated. Many more were unsympathetic, saying he had contributed to a political atmosphere prone to violence. Others credited Mr. Kirk, who spoke at college campuses under banners that read 鈥淧rove me wrong,鈥� for engaging in debate with his opponents.
Mr. Kirk was killed Sept. 10 while speaking to several thousand students at Utah Valley University. According to a YouGov poll published two days later, nearly two-thirds of Americans see this moment as a 鈥渟ignificant turning point鈥� in U.S. politics.
With that turning point comes the opportunity to shape the country鈥檚 course from here. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah, who has long called for greater civility, responded to the shooting in his state by urging nationwide reflection聽2 1/2 centuries into America鈥檚 experiment in self-government.
鈥淲e just need every single person in this country to think about where we are and where we want to be,鈥� said Governor Cox. 鈥淭o ask ourselves, ... 鈥業s this it? Is this what 250 years has wrought on us?鈥櫬營 pray that that鈥檚 not the case.鈥�
