The brutal murder of Charlie Kirk was the most significant political assassination of a non-politician we’ve experienced since that of Martin Luther King more than a half-century ago. And, just as the assassin’s bullet catapulted MLK from a widely-respected civil rights leader into an historical icon, the coward who martyred Charlie did the same– thereby unwittingly creating the MLK of our age.
The diabolical events of September 10 also shone the light on another truly extraordinary young person, Charlie’s widow Erika Kirk. At a moment of unfathomable personal grief and despair, Erika stepped forward not only to assume her late husband’s leadership of Turning Point USA but also to deliver two remarkably poignant and memorable speeches to tens of millions of people. The second of these speeches, given at the celebration of Charlie’s life in Phoenix on September 21, was particularly beautiful and inspiring.
But the one line in this speech that to so many others stood out for its courage and grace – forgiving her husband’s murderer – was quite discomforting to me. This was so despite my certainty that Erika uttered those words in devotion to her faith and with the purest of intentions. My contrary reaction most likely results from the fact that, as much as I revere Christianity, I am not a Christian; I am a Jew. And on this point many well-intentioned, serious, and otherwise likeminded Christians and Jews part ways.
I have two primary objections to Erika’s forgiveness of Charlie’s murderer. The first is one of standing: In my view, only the victim of a crime may forgive the perpetrator. If I punch you in the face your spouse cannot forgive me; only you can. Murder, therefore, is the one inherently unforgivable crime for the simple reason that the victim is unavailable to do so. Of course, Erika also is a victim of her husband’s murder, as are their children and millions of others whom Charlie touched so deeply. But Erika will have the opportunity to watch her children grow up, get married, and perhaps have children of their own one day. And Erika will have the opportunity to lead Turning Point USA into its next generation as the organization imparts fundamental American values to millions more young people while playing an increasingly vital role in preserving and strengthening our sacred Constitutional republic.
Charlie will have none of these opportunities. Yes, Charlie was stolen from Erika and from all of us. But, far more importantly, Charlie’s life was stolen from him. And I don’t believe any of us rightfully may forgive his murderer for this inherently unforgivable loss.
My second concern about Erika’s forgiveness is that the vile creature who committed this crime has expressed no remorse and has sought no forgiveness. In my view, granting forgiveness to such a person is an empty act. Perhaps God in His infinite wisdom forgives remorseless evildoers for reasons that are well beyond our mortal comprehension. But here on Earth, I believe forgiving a person for a heinous crime must serve some discernible Earthly purpose. And I see no purpose whatsoever in forgiving a monster who has expressed no remorse for his crime – indeed, who has sought to justify his despicable act – and has not asked for forgiveness from Erika or anyone else.
I must emphasize my certitude that Erika and those who laud her words of forgiveness have done so with pure hearts and in deep devotion to their faith. I also resolutely believe – even as a committed Jew – that the Christian revival long envisioned by Charlie is essential to the preservation of our beloved Constitutional republic. Indeed, only a God-centered citizenry armed with the universal Judeo-Christian values upon which our great nation rests will have both the means and the motivation to vanquish the secular Marxist cancer that has metastasized in our land for far too long.
At the same time, however, I believe it is beneficial for Americans of all faiths to search their souls as to whether meting out unconditional forgiveness to remorseless evildoers truly is righteous. Perhaps in contrast to the Roman legionnaires who crucified Christ, I have no doubt that the reprobate who viciously murdered Charlie Kirk in cold blood knew exactly what he was doing. In my view, therefore, he should be held fully accountable both by our legal system and by each of us.