We deplore the murder of Charlie Kirk, a Christian Zionist whose life was cut short at the age of 31. We offer our sympathy to his family and to all those grieving this terrible loss.
This crime comes at a time of rising violence directed at Jews and those who stand with them. In Boulder, Colorado, a solidarity walk for Israeli hostages was attacked with firebombs, leaving an elderly participant dead. In Washington, DC, two Israeli Embassy staffers were shot outside a Jewish museum. These incidents, and now the murder of Mr. Kirk, reflect a disturbing trend: hostility and hatred that begin with words are increasingly spilling over into physical attacks.
Against that trend, Charlie Kirk chose to meet disagreement with words. On campuses and in public forums, he welcomed argument and dialogue, often engaging with those who opposed him most strongly. In this, he exemplified the democratic ideal that disputes must be tested through debate rather than settled through intimidation or violence.
Democratic life depends on the ability to argue, to disagree, and to contend with one another without fear of being harmed. When violence is used to settle disputes, everyone loses: not only the victims and their families, but the society that permits intimidation to replace dialogue.
For more than four decades, CAMERA has worked to ensure that media reporting is accurate and fair. We do this because when falsehoods and distortions go unchallenged, they create an environment in which prejudice and aggression can flourish. Truth is not an abstraction; it is a safeguard against the culture of contempt that so often precedes violence.
The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy and a warning. At CAMERA, we will continue to defend the principles of truthful reporting, civilized debate, and democratic life itself.
This statement was originally published in CAMERA.org.
