Reflections on Charlie Kirk’s assassination
Treasure Hardwick, News and Feature Editor
Graphic by Treasure Hardwick
Some headlines change you. They make time stop, your heart pound and your stomach drop. They make you question if what you’re reading could possibly be real.
This is how I felt when I first read the headline announcing Charlie Kirk’s assassination. I did not believe it. And when I came to the realization that this was not just fake news, my shock turned into a deep sadness that still lingers as I write this article.
As I have processed this horrific and disgusting tragedy over the last few weeks, I have read countless articles describing the man Kirk was. He was intelligent, courageous, godly, wise, thoughtful and unafraid to speak truth in a culture that often hated him.
And no matter where you stand on his movement, we can all agree that he was a loved and irreplaceable father, husband, leader and follower of Christ who many looked to for an informed opinion on major issues.
As I have spent hours reading the news, watching videos and looking at comments, I have changed. I know it sounds dramatic. But I am not the same person I was on Sept. 10, 2025.
I have thought over the situation repeatedly, and I have realized three lessons that I want to encourage readers with.
First, I have come to understand who the real enemy is.
My first instinct was to become angry and cast blame on a specific side or person. But I realized that this will only sicken my heart more and cause division. The real enemy is not the left or the right, or even the man who pulled the trigger.
The real enemy is the devil, who seeks to kill, steal and destroy not only the body and soul, but also the unity of our country.
Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
If we forget this, we will start to see enemies in the faces of our neighbors, coworkers and even our brothers and sisters in Christ. Division is exactly what the enemy wants.
I am not saying to let the situation go. Justice must be done, and change must happen. But instead of letting bitterness and anger fester, we should pray and remember who the real enemy is.
Second, I have had to remind myself daily of the gospel.
The gospel is this: Jesus died for sinners, rose again and offers eternal life for those who trust Him. This is why we can grieve with hope, knowing Kirk is fully alive with Christ today.
But until Christ comes again, we live in a world tainted by sin. Kirk’s assassination is a reminder of this. However, we can hope in the Lord, knowing that one day he will wipe away every tear from our eyes and death will be no more.
My last point will take more length to discuss, and it has been on my mind even before the assassination occurred.
Here it is: In public tragedies like this, sometimes it is best to just put the phone down and be still.
As I mentioned above, as the situation has unfolded over the weeks, I have read more articles and watched more videos than I want to admit.
At first, I wanted to understand what happened. But as time has passed, I have been pulled in by the comments, conspiracy theories and information that I simply don’t need to know. I couldn’t seem to look away.
I am angry that this tragedy has been made into a spectacle, and that the actual footage of the shooting is accessible for anyone to watch at any time. It’s so wrong.
And yet, as wrong as it is that this tragedy is so public, I still could not look away. I kept refreshing headlines, watching clips, scrolling through unspeakable comments. The more I consumed, the heavier it felt. But I didn’t stop.
It made me realize how powerful media really is. It does not just tell us what happened, I believe it shapes the emotions we feel, what we think about and sometimes, even what we believe about the world.
The way a headline is carefully crafted, the comments we read and the videos we watch, all slowly shape what we believe about a situation.
Remembering this made me think about Kirk’s assassin. Evil like this does not happen overnight. People do not just wake up overnight and choose to take another human’s life. They are shaped, slowly and quietly by what they think, watch and read. Their heart hardens until they carry out the unthinkable.
This is a clear picture of sin. James 1:14-15 says, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
This realization made me examine myself. Though I could never imagine committing such as act, this tragedy made me realize how easily my own heart can be shaped by what I consume. Every single piece of media I consumed pushed me toward an opinion, toward anger, toward despair.
This is why I believe more than ever, we must be intentional about what we watch and read. We must know when to put the phone down. There is a point when scrolling does not bring clarity, it just clouds out judgment and pushes us towards hopelessness.
So yes, we should stay informed. We should care deeply about these situations. But more times than not, it is best to turn off the news, to be still and to pray. We must remind ourselves that this world is not our home. God is still on the throne, and one day, He will wipe away every tear, and all things will be made new.
Until that glorious day, I want to guard my heart and let scripture, not my algorithm, shape what I believe.
