Today, we commemorate the 24th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. To those who love our country, it was visceral and will live in our memories forever. Yesterday, we witnessed another gruesome attack: the assassination of Charlie Kirk, who dedicated his life to bringing young people into the political process and finding common ground with those who disagreed with him through civil conversation.

Charlie came to Montana just after founding Turning Point USA. I remember thinking how impressive the “kid” was and encouraged him to take his show on the road. Many Montana leaders have similarly expressed how kind, intelligent, and dedicated Charlie was to the cause of liberty. He grew his group into a nationwide movement, one thoughtful discussion at a time.

His assassination reminds us, once again, that freedom is not free, and never has been. There are evil forces — opposed to all that is good, true, and beautiful — that seek to strip all who do not believe exactly as they do of their God-given rights, up to and including life itself. We cannot let them prevail. 

“These are the times that try men’s souls,” proclaimed Thomas Paine, concerning American independence some 250 years ago. The same could be said today. Charlie was no mere “summer soldier” or “sunshine patriot,” who Paine warned would shrink from service to their country in times of crisis. He constantly put himself in harm’s way to defend truth, the United States, and God through civil discourse. Charlie was one of the most effective patriots of his generation to serve the cause of freedom.

We must come together to grieve, pray, and then recommit ourselves to the cause Charlie dedicated his life to: faith and freedom — especially freedom of speech.

As America mourns the innocent lives lost on that Tuesday morning 24 years ago, as well as for Charlie, a patriot and decent man, we should take comfort and renewed strength alike from Abraham Lincoln’s passionate eulogy for those slain defending liberty at Gettysburg:

“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

MTGOP Chairman Art Wittich

Published in Lee Enterprises newspapers, September 13, 2025
https://missoulian.com/opinion/column/article_e17d9024-3e3c-4e27-a1ad-34508d60cbbf.html