In his Sunday newsletter, Editor Les Zaitz asked readers to reflect on the state of the country in the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk. Here are the messages in response.

I am very stressed about the present state of our country; the dehumanizing language that is used to describe people of color, people whose first language is not English, people who are LGBTQ+, people who are immigrants and almost any person who disagrees with someone in power. We are all human beings and until we all learn to work together and see each other’s humanity, we will not survive. 

I am talking about living in a peaceful society with dignity and honesty. And yes, I do believe that is possible. To be honest and open about our country’s past mistakes and the ongoing injustices of today. Nothing else makes sense. We need to disagree without violence.

–Patrice P.

I find it disturbing that such attention and lamenting is going on about one shooting of a man who belittled the intelligence of Black people, talked of wanting Biden to be tried and maybe even executed for his efforts to serve as president, sent buses of “patriots” to storm the U.S. Capitol, and spewed divisive rhetoric in our country, while the shootings of innocent children in schools is passed over by his followers with little more than brief “thoughts and prayers.”

I wonder what this means about his version of “Christians”. I don’t think he represented a loving and caring version of Christianity. In fact he even said he did not believe in empathy. And now his wife, who is understandably upset, seems more focused on photo opps and riling up angry followers of Kirks, which could result in more political violence nationally. It will certainly not help heal the division and violence. There are better examples of grieving widows (maybe she needs to pray for guidance toward a more Christian response).

Kirk’s followers and the president seem to be jumping to the conclusion that the assassination of Kirk was backed by a radical movement or group. Yet it was in reality just the action of one disturbed, emotionally lost young man, whose family helped him become proficient at rifles and an excellent shot. 

– Laurel H., retired mental health therapist

I think the Utah governor set the best tone. We need to stop the blame game and look for solutions together. 

–Ann R.

Respectfully, I have to say that I am totally confused! How are politics and Christianity getting smashed together? This gentleman who recently was murdered, had little to no Christianity in any of his words! All he talked about was being the alpha male! Putting women down! Putting people of color down. I heard nothing good from his mouth! So, I obviously didn’t want to listen to another nasty word from him! I am sorry for his children.

Very sad for them, but I’m confused as to why our country would be having all of these vigils for him. If Corban is a Christian university, why weren’t they having vigils for the murdered Minnesota politicians? Why weren’t they having vigils for the children that were murdered in schools and in churches with this man who was in my eyes not different than any other person on the street means so much to them.

That is where I feel anger and frustration and confusion! These are not people who bring Christian values! And in this really troubling time of the Trump administration, which is a false pretend of Christian values I’m sad that a university like Corban would be following along. It is very disappointing to me! I do appreciate you listening. I’m really confused.

–Diane M.

I didn’t know of Charlie Kirk before he was murdered. Since then, I have learned things about him that are somewhat unsettling to me. Even though I don’t agree with much of his ideology, I very much appreciate the fact that he invited discussion regarding the same. I am also very distraught that someone who didn’t agree with him thought it best to quiet him with a bullet! Why do so many people these days think the answer to whatever is bothering them, internally, is to pick up a gun? How does that make anything better? It doesn’t, and now an intelligent, thoughtful young man with a bright future is gone. Whether I agreed with him or not, his death is horrific.

I usually keep anything to do with politics close to the vest. I don’t want to upset relationships by speaking my thoughts out loud, so I stay quiet. Unfortunately, I feel like our country has crossed a line with the use of violence, in so many different ways and at so very many levels, that continuing to stay quiet is not an option.

It is obvious to me that the issues we are facing will not be solved, or even be attempted to be solved, from the top down. Maybe we can try instead to create a movement from the bottom up. If, at the community level, we could arrange gatherings of people from all political persuasions, to address some issues of the day, by talking. We badly need to learn to talk to each other again. We need to strengthen the center, and quiet the noise the extremists make. A good old-fashioned gathering where we sit around a large table with coffee and banana bread and conversation. There would have to be guidelines; no yelling, pointing fingers, calling names. The people who can’t control their actions are not invited. If we can start one small group, the expand to several small groups. . . then maybe the groups will grow. Instead of people automatically assuming they have nothing in common with the other side, we can find we very much do have many things in common, and build on that.

I am a 71-year-old grandmother who lives a simple life. I desperately want better for my children and grandchildren. I don’t know how to go about starting a movement like I am describing, but I feel it is badly needed. There are Democrats who are good people. There are Republicans who are good people. There are good Independents and Libertarians. We need to focus on how we are similar, not on hating each other as the political extremists would have us do.

I would say one more thing. I mentioned before that much of what Charlie Kirk stood for, I am not in agreement with. But never would I ever wish harm to him. Our President, though, has basically accused me and others like me; just normal people who are not Republicans, of being responsible for Charlie’s death. President Trump seems to have no interest in bringing our country together. Quite the opposite. He has made it clear he is only a president to one party. If you didn’t vote for him then you are the enemy. How is that okay? I feel that his rhetoric puts many more of us in danger, as so many people just need a little nudge to help them decide to use their guns, just like Charlie Kirk’s killer did. Overall, this situation has left me even more discouraged with the world of politics then I was before. I’m starting to run out of hope, and that’s a bad feeling.
–Marci C.

From my local leaders I would like to see condemnation on violence, regardless of the reason why.  I would like elected leaders to stop with negative comments (I just sent an email to Andrea Salinas in response to her newsletter bad mouthing Republicans and referring to the Big Ugly Bill. I’m tired of hearing how the other side are fascist Nazis.  Please just tell me what is so good about and what you are doing).

And I want the media to be reporters again, not journalists.  I remember taking a journalism class in 8th grade and was taught that the reader should never be able to tell your views from your reporting.  So not true today.  Most reporting is outright fabrications.  Honest facts would be so refreshing.

–Lori M.

No healing can begin until we all (not just our elected officials) stop telling lies and using hateful and violent rhetoric to demean and attack any human being all in the interest of gaining political and financial power. I believe that only the truth can move us forward to a lasting peace within a community, within a state, within a country, and among nations.  Telling the truth when the truth should be told will not only set us free and unite us but will free everyone from all forms of injustice.

–Michael P.

I’m a 62-year-old woman who used to vote Democrat but have not done so since 2020. I paid very little attention to Charlie Kirk but knew his name and saw occasional video shorts of his college appearances on YouTube. I never saw or heard anything from him that would justify an act of violence against him, and the thing that has been most upsetting to me in the wake of his assassination is the celebrating by supposedly “normal” people, many of them in positions of great responsibility (teachers, nurses, etc.). It is times like this that make me feel that not only is the devil real and walking the earth, but that maybe he is winning. These people are demonic.

I was happy to find out from your email that Corban University has a chapter of Turning Point. Thousands of applications for new chapters have been submitted in the days following this vile act of murder and the astonishing aftermath that makes me despair for the future of humanity. I hope there are a million more Charlie Kirks.

Charlie Kirk was not an extremist. His positions on most issues were the same as mine. I am Charlie Kirk. I don’t deserve to be killed for my political positions. Thank you for letting me express my concern. 

–Dawn M.

Personally, I am a Christian and a political conservative. I didn’t follow Charlie closely, but I probably agreed with many of his religious and political beliefs. It’s important to me that people be able to speak honestly and openly in public, from both sides of the political aisle. I probably would include extremists within that, even people who say what others think is “hateful.” When I speak to and with others, I am kind and civil. At the same time, I think that as I’ve heard it put, “Ideas have consequences, and bad ideas have victims.” I suspect the shooter believed one or more ideas that led him to do what he did. He was a victim of those ideas, and also responsible for believing them and acting based on them. It’s important to have room to say that.

In short, both political sides need to do what the Bible tells me to do: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” But we also need to be truthful, and be allowed to be truthful, in keeping with what Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.”

–Charlie C. 

The recent days have affected me deeply.  I am grieving for the loss of Charlie who was someone I followed closely and respected very much.  My heart hurts for his wife and babies, his parents, his coworkers, friends, and the entire country.  My concerns about where we go as a country are how we can be respectful of other people’s opinions, just as Charlie was.  He honestly listened and had healthy debates with people. 

Leaders need to take a long, hard look at themselves and the hateful rhetoric being spewed.  Yes, both sides of the aisle, but honestly, one side is particularly vile at stirring dissent and hatred.  In order to really heal in this country, we need to get back to morals and God. Without that, we will continue to spiral.  If we don’t stand for something, we will fall for anything.

–Brenda A.

Politics aside, the Golden Rule, which appears in every major religion, directs us to treat others in a way that we would wish to be treated. I do not think a single human being on the face of the earth would ask to be shot to death. Thus, the use of guns by individuals is morally wrong, except in cases of defense of another person, or by just governments to keep order. 

–Shari M.

The President seems intent on continuing to stoke violence and an “us vs. them” mentality, so I don’t hold out much hope for a peaceful future. He and his cohorts deliberately leave out the acts of violence recently perpetrated by people on the far right. I admire the statement made by the Spencer Cox, governor of Utah, in the aftermath of the murder. The time calls for reasonable disagreement, not continued demonization. I would love our local leaders to adopt a proclamation for a return to CIVIL DISCOURSE in public meetings. I would also like schools to emphasize the importance of civics as part of the core curriculum.

Also, until social media stops rewarding and monetizing outrageousness, the trend of vitriolic rhetoric and violent and crazy acts will continue. We have more guns than people in this country and that’s a sad fact.

–Arlene M.

Although I’ve heard about Charlie Kirk and Turning Point, I guess I haven’t been paying attention to the depth and breadth of his conservative outreach.  I’m a senior citizen and consider myself center left and definitely not a fan of MAGA or Mr. Trump.  I think he’s leading our country, society and culture down a very dark path.  IMHO there has been permanent damage done to all three.

Besides the Salem Reporter, the only other news site I frequent is the New York Times.  I consume zero social media stuff and do not participate in it (nor does my wife).  You may have seen Thomas Friedman’s op-ed last week in the Times in which he urged President Trump to pull together the Clintons, Bushes and Obamas and try to underscore the need for national unity.  I don’t think that will happen under Trump but the idea is certainly sound.  

Could that unity plea come in the form of a religious leader, political leader or someone as yet unidentified?  I’m not sure but I’m still hopeful.  Hopeful in that we can turn this country around before bloodshed becomes more commonplace.  And then I wonder where will that stop?

–Jim K.

Some may think it trite (or even agenda-driven) to consider what Jesus says.  For those on one side, who align with progressive thought and justice … and for those on the other side, who align with conservative faith and justice … how can Jesus’ counsel not be relevant and valid?  The current arguments can’t go on without engaging these radical words, which prescribe — both scientifically and spiritually — the healthy course of action:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Luke 6:27-31 (NIV)

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:43-45 (NIV)

Oh that we in a city named Shalom would practice these precepts.  Not easy, but I know we can.

–Sam S.

I would love to see the local paper acknowledge that its readers have a great many reasons to not mourn this dismal and unhappy man’s death. He said we ought to stone gay people. He was a key mover in the racist anti-Haitian dog eating mass hysteria last year. As I’m sure you’ve seen, he remarked two or three years ago that the American level of gun violence is simply the price we pay for the freedom of the Second Amendment. 

Perhaps you could explain to your readers why you feel the need to participate in this delusional hagiography of a fascist? It seems to me that he lived by the gun and died by it. I hope we can all take the obvious lesson from his death that if we eliminated guns from American society, we could indeed eliminate gun deaths. So long as we insist that the disease of gun ownership is the cure to the violent ills it creates, there can be no real healing.

–Ryan P.

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