“Be careful of your thoughts because thoughts turn into words, words turn into actions, actions turn into habits, and finally habits accumulate to define a life.” These words were spoken to me by my Quaker grandmother.
Many on the political left have chosen to define their lives by words of hate. You do not call someone a “Nazi” without expecting that those words could trigger a disturbed person to commit violence. Perhaps that is the implied intent of those who choose to use such language. Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk are not “Nazis,” nor have they ever been haters, racists, or bigots.
At the time of Jesus, many among the dominant, ruling religious classes—such as the Sadducees, Scribes, Pharisees, and the Roman occupiers of Jerusalem—feared and hated Jesus because he was a political threat. Early on, even many of his followers viewed Jesus as a political leader and anticipated a military or political victory led by the Messiah. They only gradually came to understand his true message. Those on the political left “hate” not only the conservative Christian message; they have come to “hate” many of us because we believe in that message. They mostly lack a message grounded in any moral predicates and seek power for its own sake. They have a “what” and “how,” but they do not have a “why.”
Some religious figures, like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, understood the message of Jesus and the need to confront evil. The animosity described in the Gospels stemmed from the ruling classes, both in civil government and “religious” communities. People in subsequent generations came to understand the message of Jesus and the spiritual realities of our connection to God. “Render unto Caesar…” describes how we should relate to both worlds—the civil and the spiritual. For Christians and Jews, those worlds are connected, and our spiritual values inform our civil actions. Without these moral predicates, a country is left with no moral foundation, no vision for the future. Family, children, and faith define the vision of Christian conservative men and women. A life centered on self, career, and materialistic nihilism, without grounding in faith, defines the political left.
The political left has no ideas because they have no moral predicates upon which to base them. We who are on the political right must understand the new political strategy of the left: a strategy mirroring the military concept of “aggressive defense.”
Aggressive defense moves beyond passively waiting for attacks. It involves active steps to disrupt and weaken opponents, such as reconnaissance-in-force, spoiling attacks, preemptive artillery fire, and immediate counterblows when the enemy breaches lines. This strategy maintains pressure and creates uncertainty in the enemy, often aiming to degrade morale and capability rather than simply hold territory.
“Russia collusion,” “pee tape,” faux impeachment charges, and the weaponization of the legal system and government against political opponents are all constructs initiated by the political left, starting with the Obama administration and his DOJ partner Eric Holder. We may be tempted to respond to these actions “in kind,” but we should not.
Our strength lies in playing by the rules. Asymmetric political warfare like “aggressive defense strategies,” command and control, only leads to totalitarianism and coercive political abuses.
We must continue to foster open and transparent conditions in our political debates. Our arguments are superior, and they know it. Command-and-control economies never work. Coercive political power that suppresses liberty never works. Political philosophies lacking grounding in moral principles and ethics inevitably lead to corruption and servitude.
We are called to confront evil in all its forms by our Savior—God. Charlie Kirk confronted evil openly, with a smile and a loving heart. We confront evil precisely because we seek to create a world rooted in love. Jesus openly confronted evil in the temple and every time he was asked to defend his assertions before the religious and political leaders of his day.
We are called to confront evil “in all its forms.” We must confront it in our hearts, families, communities, and country.
For those who celebrate the death and life of Charlie Kirk with their words and actions, we must respond with our words and our votes.
The battle lines have never been more clearly defined than they are now. Which side of the line are you on? It is time to turn our words and habits into action.
Charlie Kirk was a Christian soldier. His SCUTUM was his faith and his LANCEA was his words. He was only secondarily a conservative voice in the nihilistic world of the academy. It is now our duty to honor Charlie Kirk by acting and participating—all of us—in the process of saving our country from the evils of atheistic socialism.
