America is reeling from the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Charlie was more than just a passionate free speech advocate, talented debater, and protector of American freedom.  Charlie was also a husband and the father of two precious little children.

Charlie had the right to speak his mind without fear on a college campus.

We all do.

Charlie’s family had a right to their loving husband and father.

Before Charlie even landed in Utah, a petition was circulated on Change.org demanding the school “prevent Charlie Kirk from speaking at Utah State University.” 6,400 people signed it.

The FBI released photos of their suspect.  The Wall Street Journal reports that the shooter’s rifle contains cartridges upon which the killer wrote “transgender” and “anti-fascist” ideology.

There’s your motive.  The assassin hated Charlie’s points of view so much that he concluded he must be silenced.  Permanently.

Free speech in America is under assault.

While crazies may come from many ideologies, it is the political Left which has rendered the idea of silencing opposing voices into policy.

CFACT and Charlie Kirk fought the same fight, often together. For over four decades, CFACT has committed ourselves to standing up to institutional bullies wherever we find them.

Just this week, CFACT students gathered at Rice University in Texas to question Dr. Michael Mann.  Remember the SLAPP-happy climate scientist from the Climategate emails, the “hockey stick” graph, and his efforts to use expensive litigation to silence and destroy National Review magazine, journalist Mark Steyn, and others? CFACT didn’t seek to silence Mann, but instead asked questions such as: “Who funded your lawsuits?” “Why do you hate debate?” and “Why do you work to shut down scientific inquiry?”

Why does the Left work to censor social media, shout down speakers, rig the news, capture institutions, and do everything in its power to silence and slander those who disagree?

Because when seriously challenged, left-wing dogma collapses.

CFACT and Charlie Kirk had a great deal in common. We didn’t just work together but shared such strong confidence in what we had to say – that we never sought to silence anyone. We wouldn’t dream of it.

Charlie debated all comers. He moved those who disagreed with him most stridently to the front of the line.

CFACT does likewise.

Charlie was a free and happy warrior who inspired us.

CFACT resolves to honor Charlie Kirk’s memory by doubling and tripling our work to speak up without fear wherever freedom needs defending.