Point of No Return

By Joseph Catena

A halfway decent parent knows their child well. They can tell you their kid’s interests, likes and dislikes, name of their close friends, and when they’re lying. But every now and then, they throw you a curveball, and they leave you asking yourself, “How the heck did I not know this about you?”

 My daughter, Sophie, just gave me one of those moments.

She is a typical sophomore, a little lady, 14 going on 35. She is very mature and a little feisty. She is in her high school marching band, has a good number of friends, and like zillions of other kids her age, she goes on Tic Toc. I have faith that she will vote for a conservative Republican (J.D. Vance?) in three years when she turns 18, as she already has some right-minded views.

I was lamenting about Charlie Kirk the day after his horrific death while we were in the kitchen. I asked her if she was aware of his tragic situation. Sophie isn’t exactly a news junkie like her old man.

 Then, she laid it on me.

“Wait,” she said. “Is he the funny Trump supporter, the guy on Tic Toc who went to colleges and spoke to college kids?

“Yes!” I exclaimed. “You heard of him?”

In very nonchalant, Gen Z fashion, she said, “That was him who got shot? I didn’t know his name. You know I’m bad with names. I followed him on Tic Toc for about a year. He popped up on my feed.”

Of course, my mind was blown, and I stood there dumbfounded.

 “You’re kidding me!” I exulted. “Why the hell didn’t you ever tell me?”

She looked at me quizzically and told me she didn’t think I knew who he was because I rarely, if ever go on Tic Toc. I followed by asking why she followed him, and she  gave me another look as if I just asked her an idiotic question.

“Why wouldn’t I?” she said, and walked off with a dish of whatever she concocted moments before.

And even though I shouldn’t have, I felt like a moron. Yes indeed, why wouldn’t she? Why wouldn’t anyone?

Sophie is living proof that Charlie Kirk’s mission was and is a raging success. He spent his life using the power of the spoken word to inspire thoughtful debate and to further the gospel of conservatism to America’s youth. He was the antithesis of Marxist college professors, for he welcomed the opinions of those with whom he disagreed. He gave them a platform and an opportunity before gently, yet powerfully dismantling them with logic and conscience, and a little humor.

The bullet that pierced his throat and killed him may have ended his all-too-short life on Earth, but the legacy he built through Turning Point USA and the relationships he forged with politicians and citizens alike will continue and remain a force in American politics.

Kirk’s death signals a demonic climax for the unhinged left. One of their evil minions needed a weapon to help do a job that his limited mind could not. Wit and verbiage seem to be lost on extreme liberals, and their voids become filled with hatred and violence. This latest act of terror reveals just how depraved they are.

We have moved past the battles of Republicans versus Democrats and conservatives versus liberals. The battle of ideas left us long ago. The days of Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan heatedly agreeing to disagree and putting differences aside to have a drink together after dinner is ancient history.

This, of course, is because civility and decency have been abandoned by the far left, and they have taken over the Democrat party. The media is filled with idiots like former MSNBC pundit, Matthew Dowd, who made inane, flippant statements about Kirk following the assassination rather than condemning the perpetrator or just showing compassion and decency for the victim. In a recent incident before Kirk’s demise, Abby Phillip, CNN’s unqualified political correspondent, quipped that Republicans and conservatives “are looking for their white George Floyd” after an egregious black-on-white crime.

 And if the pundits aren’t bad enough, elected officials are equally lousy, perhaps worse. After briefly giving his sympathy to Kirk’s family, dumpy Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker rounded out his statement with a criticism of President Trump, whose rhetoric, he said, foments violence, and went to the left’s favorite, albeit flawed talking point about the Jan. 6 riot. Thanks for the wet blanket, kind sir.

Charlie Kirk’s work here is far from done. Turning Point will continue in his spirit, and America’s youth will remain energized and educated. Charlie laid the groundwork for a movement that has changed numerous hearts and minds. He preached conservative politics and religious values in an unapologetic fashion, yet he never dismissed anyone who differed from him. Instead, he welcomed them, and he let them be heard. His opposition may not have agreed with him, but they also couldn’t match him or outfox him. Erika Kirk, Charlie’s resilient, beautiful wife put it best when she explained that the enemy may have vanquished Charlie’s body, but they have no idea what they unleashed insofar as his legacy and crusade are concerned.

There are millions of youths just waiting for their chance to debate their professors and cast a ballot to prove Erika’s point. And when they do, the evil radicals just might realize that America has been pushed to the point of no return, and the good in this world will overwhelm them. Thank you Charlie Kirk. May you be with your maker, and may you both admire the beautiful flourishing seeds you have sown. I’m proud to say Sophie is one of them.