Enough is Enough

I’ll be honest. Before yesterday, I had absolutely no idea who Charlie Kirk was. I’d never heard his name, much less anything he’d ever said. Twenty four hours later, I’m mourning not just the man I never knew, but the lost opportunities of a life cut short by senseless violence.

Rarely will I post anything political on my social media. Mostly because, and I’ve said it before, opinions are like assholes….everybody’s got one. I’m entitled to mine just as you’re entitled to yours. The sad truth of social media is that we can’t have a civil conversation. People feel empowered behind a keyboard or hiding behind their iPhone. They say things they wouldn’t dare say face to face, and respect seems to go right out the damn window. We forget the lesson that Thumper taught us. Things get ugly.

But then there are times when I cannot keep quiet. Times when something is weighing so heavy on my heart that I have to give it life and put it out into the world. This is one of those times. Now, here’s the tricky part. If you’re going to keep reading this, I simply ask that you remember I’m just like you. I’m somebody’s mom, wife, daughter, friend. No matter what your beliefs may be, I am not the enemy. And neither are you. We are simply people living in a world of turmoil trying to live the best life we can. It’s ok to disagree. It’s ok to voice our opinions. It’s ok to say what’s on our minds. It’s not ok to be disrespectful or hurtful for the sake of argument. And it is NEVER ok to choose violence. If we’re all in agreement on that, let’s keep going.

I googled Charlie Kirk last night. First thing I see is him holding a “Make America Great Again” hat. Now personally, I hate those awful red hats. They remind me that uninformed people are easily manipulated. I still don’t think that’s worth shooting someone. Then I come across a video of him speaking about the “American way of life.” When the video starts, I’m on board with what he’s saying. By the end, I’m questioning why anyone would give him a microphone. I still don’t think he deserved to die.

What’s even more disturbing to me than all the things he posted on social media are the comments of people saying he got what he deserved. Comments from ignorant people who somehow think anyone who has an opinion that differs from theirs isn’t deserving of the same respect they demand for themselves. I think that’s the biggest problem we’re facing. We don’t have a gun problem, a race problem, or a drug problem. We have a people problem. Too many people have forgotten the golden rule. Too many people have taken it upon themselves to act as judge, jury, and sadly now executioner. Too many people are running their mouths with blatant lies. Too many people are curled up in the fetal position afraid to take a stand for themselves, let alone others. Charlie Kirk wasn’t one of those people.

I had a long conversation with my daughter tonight. I like to think that she and I are the best of friends. I’m pretty sure she shares that sentiment. (At least most of the time.) We don’t agree on everything, and when it comes to politics, we’re more like peanut butter and sardines than peas and carrots. Let’s just say we’re given different ballots at the polls on Primary day. We’ve never talked about Charlie Kirk before. She’s followed him for quite a few years apparently. She remembers when he first posted about his daughter being born. She talked about what happened yesterday like she’d lost a childhood friend. She spoke passionately about his beliefs, about how he would offer the microphone at his speaking engagements to anyone who had a point to make. She told me how he encouraged healthy debate and how he would respectfully make his opinions known without being rude, derogatory, or violent.

If we’re being honest, which I hope we can be, I don’t know how I feel about what Charlie had to say. I haven’t heard enough or read enough to make an informed decision. But that doesn’t matter. I still don’t agree with the premise that anyone “deserves” to have their life taken over politics. If you know me, it’s no secret that I do not like Trump. Never have. And nothing anyone can say is going to change my mind on that. It’s my opinion. MINE. I believe that opinions and God’s grace are the only things we are entitled to. That being said, I don’t think Trump deserved to be shot. I don’t think Charlie deserved to be murdered with his family 15 feet away. I do think pedophiles deserve to be tortured, but that’s a story for another day. And now I’m rambling again.

My point is this…my heart hurts. It hurts for Erika and those two precious babies who have to grow up without their daddy. It hurts for the young children who were in attendance and ran in fear when that shot rang out. It hurts for the parents who have to answer the hard questions about why things like this happen. It hurts for the students in Colorado and the passengers in the train in Charlotte. It hurts for every person in America who’s afraid to walk out their door because they don’t feel safe anymore. It hurts for my son, my daughter and son-in-law, and for my Tiny Bestie💕.

Our world is broken, and the broken parts aren’t just in other countries anymore. It’s our hometowns, our favorite vacation spots, our new beginnings and fresh starts. My fear is that another civil war is coming, and too many people will refuse to believe it until it’s too late.

I’ll end with this. I believe in Divine Intervention. I believe that we will all be called home to Glory in God’s time, and I believe His plan is perfect. Charlie had received death threats. He knew chaos could erupt at any one of these events, especially now with the political climate being what it is today. I’m sure he had a healthy amount of fear, but he didn’t let it stop him. He just kept on living his life the way he wanted, and I’m sure he prayed that God would stay with him always. Years ago, my very wise mother told me after a tragedy that you defeat evil by refusing to give up. She said you gotta keep on living. Those words stuck with me. I refuse to give in to the fear of the unknown. My time will come whether I’m climbing a mountain, jumping out of a plane, rolling on the river, or sitting at home wrapped up in my favorite fuzzy blanket watching Hallmark Christmas movies. When He calls me Home, I’m going. Until then, I’m living.

🙏🏼✌🏻❤️