One year ago, on September 10, 2025, conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot dead in front of millions at Utah Valley University. In the aftermath of his killing, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox emerged as a powerful voice calling for Americans to mend a politics that sometimes feels broken. Cox argued that 70% of the country doesn't like where we are right now, and people are tired of hyper-partisanship and contempt.
Cox has been promoting a book, "Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt", which he was inspired to finish after Kirk's shooting. He has also spoken at the Knight Foundation forum in Philadelphia, where he warned that America's tradition of free expression is at risk due to rising political violence.
However, some critics argue that Cox's calls for civility are not enough, and that his message is overshadowed by the growing polarization in American politics. In fact, Kirk's killing has been used as a rallying cry for conspiracy theories and far-right ideology, with some people being fired from their jobs or threatened with violence for speaking out against him.
The aftermath of Kirk's death has also seen a wave of free-speech crackdowns led by the Trump administration, which targeted critics of Kirk and his ideology. At least 600 people have had their lives upended as a result, including professors, teachers, and journalists who were fired or threatened with violence for speaking out against Kirk.
Despite these challenges, Turning Point USA, the organization co-founded by Kirk, has grown dramatically in the past year, expanding its presence at colleges and high schools. However, some young voters are not proving uniformly loyal to Republican President Donald Trump, testing the coalition that helped return him to the White House in 2024.
the day after marked 25 years since 9/11.
Kirk was slain in front of the whole world for the simple crime of trying to reason with an unreasonable group: young leftists.
the Left hated him for it.
