Why I Spoke Up for Charlie Kirk

Recently, someone asked me why I posted in support of Charlie Kirk online, knowing that I didn’t agree with him on everything. It’s a fair question; one I think a lot of people were probably wondering. And honestly, they were somewhat right… but also, a little wrong.

See, I’ve never claimed to agree with every single word Charlie Kirk ever said. I didn’t know him personally. We never met, never spoke. But I did watch a lot of his videos over the years. I paid attention. And what I saw was someone who was always prepared, always willing to stand up and speak out; even when it wasn’t popular, even when it was uncomfortable. That takes courage.

There were times I disagreed with his takes. But there were also plenty of moments where I found myself nodding along, thinking, “Yeah… that’s exactly how I feel too.” He was smart. Quick on his feet. And when he didn’t know the answer to something, he was clever enough to navigate around it. There’s a skill in that; in knowing when to speak and when to pause.

But right now, it’s not about politics. It’s not about whether you agreed with Charlie Kirk or not. It’s not even about left or right, conservative or liberal. It’s about something far deeper; something far more dangerous. I’m speaking up for Charlie because he was a law abiding citizen. A husband. A father to two young children. And he was killed for what? For the mere offense of speaking his truth?

To me, that’s not just a tragedy. It’s an attack on the First Amendment. It’s an attack on the foundation of what this country is supposed to stand for. And whether you liked Charlie or couldn’t stand him, whether you voted red, blue, or not at all; that should scare you.

Do we really want to live in a world where violence replaces reason? Where you can be physically harmed, or worse, simply for expressing an opinion? Because if that’s the road we’re going down, we’re all in danger; every single one of us who’s ever dared to say something that someone else didn’t like.

This isn’t just about Charlie Kirk. This is about the idea that disagreement can’t exist without hatred. That debate is dead. That the only response to speech you don’t like is to silence it by force. That’s not America. At least, it shouldn’t be.

We don’t have to agree with each other to respect each other’s right to speak. That’s what freedom actually means. The real test of our principles isn’t when we’re standing up for people we love; it’s when we’re willing to defend the rights of people we may not always agree with.

Charlie Kirk deserved better from his fellow citizens. We all do. None of us should live in fear of expressing ourselves. None of us should be punished for speaking our minds; even if others don’t like what we have to say.

As Thorne Empire, I make music that speaks from the heart. Most of my songs are serious, though a few were written just for fun. I don’t expect everyone to vibe with my message; and that’s okay. But I do expect, and firmly defend, the right to share it. That same right belongs to every artist, every speaker, every thinker; and yes, every political commentator too.

Whether you mourn Charlie Kirk or not, whether you agreed with him or not, we should all be mourning the state of a society where someone can lose their life over words.

We must be better. We must do better. Because freedom of speech isn’t a partisan issue. It’s a human one.