‘An Attack On All Of Us’: Utah Governor Calls Kirk Assassination A ‘Turning Point’ For The Nation

Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox said Friday that the assassination of Charlie Kirk could be a “turning point” on whether the country would embrace free and open debate or turn to political violence. 

Cox made the comments during a press conference announcing that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson had been arrested for the murder of Kirk on Wednesday. After announcing the arrest, Cox delivered an impassioned plea, declaring that Kirk’s killing was a direct attack on the values he championed.

“This is certainly about the tragic death, assassination, political assassination, of Charlie Kirk,” he said. “But it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us. 
It is an attack on the American experiment. It is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been, and who we could be in better times.”

“Political violence is different than any other type of violence, for lots of different reasons,” Cox added. “One, because in the very act that Charlie championed of expression, that freedom of expression that is enshrined in our founding documents, in having his life taken in that very act makes it more difficult for people to feel like they can share their ideas, that they can speak freely.”

Cox added that in the hours following Kirk’s killing, he was as angry as he had ever been, but that his attitude changed when he reflected on Kirk’s own advocacy of forgiveness, the importance of debate, and advocacy of non-violent disagreement.

Kirk, a devout Christian, frequently urged his supporters to treat their political opponents with respect and peacefully engage with them. 

Cox highlighted how no riots or looting had broken out in the wake of Kirk’s killing.

“I want you to look at how Utahns reacted the last two nights. There was no rioting. 
There was no looting. There were no cars set on fire,” Cox said. “There was no violence. There were vigils and prayers, and people coming together to share humanity. And that, ladies and gentlemen, I believe is the answer to this. 
We can return violence with violence, we can return hate with hate. And that’s the problem with political violence: It metastasizes because we can always point the finger at the other side. And at some point, we have to find an off-ramp, or it’s going to get much, much worse.”

Cox ended his remarks with a call for everyone to follow Kirk’s advocacy of peaceful debate. 

“History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country,” he said. “But every single one of us gets to choose right now, if this is a turning point for us. We get to make decisions. We have our agency. And I desperately call on every American Republican, Democrat, liberal, progressive, conservative, MAGA, all of us to please, please, please follow what Charlie taught me.”