Nous Sommes Charlie

I didn’t know Charlie Kirk. I never watched, let alone attended any of his podcasts or debates, and I have not read a single piece of his writings. In fact, until a few days ago, I didn’t even know his name. As far as I could figure out, he did not use his right to free speech to deny anyone else this essential civil liberty, or any other human right.

Freedom of speech is the core of our human existence. Our ability to exchange ideas peacefully, to have a free marketplace of ideas, where all kinds of ideas can be spread, debated and tested, and where ultimately the best ones can prevail, is the very foundation of our civilization. It is what sets us apart from the savage animal kingdom.

The emphasis is on a peaceful exchange of ideas.

We at CODOH have a principle written out on our “About Us” web page:

Our guiding principle is that freedom of speech is unlimited, as long as it does not advocate, promote, justify or condone the violation of anyone’s civil rights and right to self-determination in the past, present or future – for those who work to deny others their civil rights or right to self-determination cannot expect to have their own civil rights or and right to self-determination protected.

Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered on September 10, 2025. Murder is the ultimate violation of a person’s civil right to exist. There is no tolerance at CODOH for anyone who advocates, promotes, justifies or condones the violation of Charlie Kirk’s civil right to exist – or anyone else’s, for that matter. Or worse even, for those who perpetrate such ultimate violations. Because here at CODOH, we reject and decry any criminal action as defined by the criminal codes of the United States, for any purpose.

Learning what Charlie Kirk’s views were, I disagree with quite a few of them, but I would have fought to preserve his right to express his views – and for his right to keep existing, and thus remain a good father to his children and a good husband to his wife. My heart goes out to them. I can feel their pain.

Going forward, I would hope that more organizations adopt principles as we have at CODOH, because civility is the prerequisite for civilization.

I think that Charlie Kirk was a conservative libertarian. Freedom was at the heart of what he believed in. Here is Charlie, talking about his discovery of the libertarian Austrian School of Economics: