The goodness of Charlie Kirk’s legacy

The gunshot that murdered Charlie Kirk may have been fired for reasons that have nothing to do with his steadfast support for Israel and the Jewish people.

But it penetrated all those who love the Jewish state and have been pained by the incitement against anyone and anything related to Israel.

No one can deny anymore that the phrase “globalize the Intifada” means spreading violence and hate around the world, because it has already happened.

The pro-Hamas movement on college campuses and communities throughout the United States legitimized violence and hateful discourse for any cause, calling for resistance by any means. If murder, rape, and kidnapping are justified, where does it stop?

Charlie Kirk stood for the opposite. He believed in open discourse, invited anyone to debate him on his views, and died as he spoke passionately and fearlessly.

Charlie stood for goodness and against evil. He was not Jewish, but he knew Israel was part of that goodness that evil is trying to extinguish.

The same left-wing people who have celebrated his murder also celebrated the murder of 1200 Jews in Israel on Oct. 7, the most Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust. No one should be surprised by the assassin’s endorsement by journalists after watching the way they have covered Israel’s war for Western civilization.

Watching left-wing people celebrate his death with such palpable enthusiasm absolutely sickened me.

Those who used rhetoric that glorifies violence against Jews and Israelis are hypocritically condemning Charlie’s assassination instead of looking inward. Democratic nominee for New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, for instance, refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” until recently, and only now has said he will not use the phrase that romanticizes violent uprising against Jews and Israelis. Following Kirk’s murder, Mamdani called himself “horrified,” insisting that “political violence has no place in our country.”

Charlie was the modern-day righteous gentile whose values and principles must be put on display and taught to future generations. We learned from Charlie that silence in the face of evil is complicity and moral courage requires action.

I was privileged to have met Charlie on several occasions, and, like countless people, he had a profound effect on me.

His defense of Israel and strong condemnation of Hamas on campuses around the world cannot be taken for granted. In a tough room at Cambridge, he explained to students why Hamas is to blame for all deaths in this war, including Gazan civilians.

As a religious Zionist, I was impressed by his strong appreciation for and validation of Jewish rituals. He kept Shabbat and encouraged other Christians to join him. His next book, “Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Change Your Life,” will be published posthumously in December.

Dennis Prager called him the most articulate spokesman for America and its values. Kirk visited Prager in the hospital after he suffered a fall that left him paralyzed.

Following his death, I was shocked by the number of crazy people suggesting Israel had a role in his assassination. Candace Owens even implicated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who put out a wonderful video mourning Charlie’s death and expressing Israel’s gratitude to him.

The wakeup call that came from his assassination must also make Americans realize that they went too far in criticizing Israel. It is time for the haters to reexamine their views and consider that the reality may be different. It is time for them to find something good to love in those with whom they disagree.

The goodness that is Charlie Kirk’s legacy must also be bestowed upon Israel, the country he defended until his dying day. We lost Charlie, but in the long run, with God’s help, good will conquer evil, and both America and Israel will emerge stronger.

Martin Oliner is chairman of Religious Zionists of America, as well as a committee member of the Jewish Agency. He currently serves as a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and is the author of In Praise of Donald Trump, available at Amazon. The views expressed here are his own. [email protected].

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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