Charlie Kirk and the need for conversation

As everyone reading this probably knows by now, Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was tragically murdered last week. Only 31 years old, he left a wife and two young children.

Turning Point USA is a non-profit that seeks to educate high school and university students in the basic principles of conservative political philosophy and traditional American values like patriotism, respect for life, and the meaning and value of American liberty.

Campuses can be volatile places, but Charlie never tired of debating with students from all across the political spectrum. His events were simple: he would invite people to the microphone to tell him what they believed- usually why they believed he was wrong. Then they would have a conversation. Sometimes the students might concede one of Charlie’s points; more often Charlie would concede one of theirs.

He was an incredibly talented debater, as were many of the students who disagreed with him. Charlie’s events were an education in the skills of debate.

They were also an education in the art of conversation.

Conversation lets us share our beliefs, but more importantly, it helps us explore our beliefs. We may find that despite opinions we’ve held for years, what we actually believe is something quite different. Dean Winchester believed in the supremacy of blood family for years, until one day Bobby Singer made him see that family goes beyond blood. It was a great awakening for Dean.

I believe that, just in getting people of differing political and social beliefs to talk to each other, Charlie Kirk did our people a great service.

“Supernatural,” I believe, is a common ground from which all kinds of conversations, including conversations about what matters most in life, can spring. The SPN family shares a love of in treating characters and great story telling. If we start there, there is no telling how far we can go together.