There are always two sides to every story, and it is important to hear both. One must form their own opinions in life, but it is vital to remember that when there are disagreements, people should talk it out with each other in a civil manner.

  In today’s political climate, violence has become normalized, but violence will never be a solution. Someone being killed because of what they say is not something that should be celebrated, no matter what their beliefs are. All Americans have freedom of speech and of the press; therefore, all Americans speak on their beliefs publicly.

  Most recently, Charlie Kirk, a Christian-conservative influencer, was assassinated at Utah Valley University. One quote of his that wasn’t all over the internet was, “Do good to those who hate you. It’s easy to love those who love you. Instead, love those who hate you.” According to his wife, Erika Kirk, he loved debating because he believed everyone should have a chance to be heard, especially the youth who are often overlooked. 

  It’s easy to think poorly of people who think differently, but at the end of the day, he was a husband and father, and now his wife and kids will never see him alive again. Some people would often not listen to his full debates and would take his comments out of context, which means they didn’t really hear his side. If they had listened, they might still disagree, or they might have a different view of him, like I do. For example, he often preached the importance of family: “Having a family will change your life in the best ways, so get married and have kids. You won’t regret it,” Kirk said. 

 He always talked about how he put his family above everything and God above it all. I believe having a strong, connected family is where true happiness comes from because I have seen it in my own life with my family.

  During Presidential elections, both sides have taken opposing candidates’ words out of context to make them look bad, and voters’ decisions are not based on the full facts

  In the end, no matter one’s perspective on Charlie, his death is an example of why it is so important to have civil debate and truly hear each other’s sides without labeling the other side as “evil” and trying to silence their viewpoint.