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In my op-ed remembering Charlie, I tried to capture what made him unique: his fearlessness rooted in Christ, his gift for building institutions that last, and the way his smile and hospitality made hard work easier. I also tried to put a name on the grief we all share, for the futures that were stolen—the decades of marriage, fatherhood, friendship, and activism he should have had.
Foster Friess introduced me to Charlie Kirk at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2013. Foster was so excited, and rightfully so, about a young man named Charlie whose energy and faith were already unmistakable. From that moment on, Charlie treated me—and everyone at Tea Party Patriots Action—like family. He opened the Turning Point campus to us so generously that it became a second home during our work in Arizona. His organization enabled my daughter to join a community of young conservatives and helped her find her footing as a leader in high school and again in college.
If I could preserve just one line from that piece, it would be this: “We can all honor Charlie and his memory by deepening our relationship with Christ, that we might better love our families, and better stand up for liberty in America. It’s what he would want, and it’s so like him – even in leaving his earthly life behind, his wish is for our betterment.” That is who Charlie was—a man whose confidence came from faith, whose leadership sprang from love, and whose life called—and still calls—the rest of us to do the same.
Charlie viewed politics through the lens of his faith, which is why he urged us to keep laboring faithfully and obediently—especially after setbacks. You can hear that in our podcast conversation recorded on the Turning Point USA campus, where we talked about courage in the church, the Sabbath, never giving up, and why we do this work.
From that episode, the quote that now rings the loudest for me is this one: “I am of the mindset that if we are not successful, I’m going to get up and go back to work. And if that’s not your mindset, then you’re what’s called… and the Founders had a great term for it… a sunshine patriot.”
Charlie meant it: whether we won in 2024 or not, he intended to rise the day after Election Day and keep going. He knew that setbacks happen, but you don’t quit when they arise. He intended to fight for decades, and the fact that those decades were taken from him makes our duty plain: we do not stop. We carry on. We honor our friend by refusing to be “sunshine patriots,” by getting up the next morning, and the next, and the next, to work for the country we love. We do it by sharing our faith courageously, like Charlie did.
Charlie taught us how to do that work with integrity. He built places—campuses, chapters, conferences—where young Americans could learn to be brave, debate well, and serve their communities and country. He refused to let cynicism win. He believed everyday American citizens could do wonderous things, and he believed the conservative movement would endure by being anchored in faith, family, and community. He was the quintessential “happy warrior,” not because the times were easy, but because his hope was real, because it was based on the eternal truth of Jesus Christ.
So, let us begin where he always began. We deepen our relationship with Christ so we can love our families better and stand more firmly for liberty. Let’s keep showing up in our communities, in our churches, and in our civic life. We build institutions that will outlast us. And when we lose a round, we get up and go back to work. That is not only the path to victory; it is the way we keep faith with a friend who led with courage and joy. And, of course, we pray. We pray for Charlie’s family, his friends, for our country, and for those whose hearts have been hardened by hate.
We miss you, Charlie. I miss you, Charlie. I promise to carry the work forward—with faith, with joy, and without ever giving up.
Click here to read the extended version of Jenny Beth’s article on the Daily Caller website.
- Charlie Kirk
- Expose Charlie’s Murderers
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- Turning Point USA
- conservative movement
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- Donald Trump assassination attempts
- MAGA movement
- American unity
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