It says a lot when an influential leader takes the time to help other emerging leaders who are fighting on the same battlefield. How many great leaders would stop what they’re doing—and bring their entourage with them—to meet with a bunch of moms battling tyranny at their sons’ high school?
Charlie Kirk was a force who stirred a nation to wake up. But it will be his heart for Jesus, people, and American ideals that changes this nation for good. God used Charlie Kirk to bless a generation of youth—but he also inspired and challenged millions of women like us!
Back in 2021, Arizona Women of Action (AZWOA) was a new movement finding our way when Charlie came to my home to help a band of Brophy moms fight back against a near-mandate that every student comply and get the Covid-19 injection. We had become the voice for hundreds of parents. We gathered at auditoriums and produced a petition signed by 850 or so citizens (including over 30 AZ lawmakers) to urge Brophy College Prep to consider medical concerns and more studies. Still, they ignored the community.
So, we decided to call Charlie Kirk. He came around 7 pm the end of August 2021 to my dining room table, along with some of his staff, his pastor Rob McCoy, a former U.S. Congressman from the Midwest (who had been on his podcast earlier), and Charlie’s newly wedded wife Erika. He listened to the facts and the effects on families. And in the following days Charlie called out Brophy’s board on his podcast and social media. This made a huge difference, and concessions were eventually made (though no public acknowledgement came regarding our cause).
In the months and years since then, Arizona Women of Action collaborated at the local level with Charlie and his team here in Arizona. We spoke on panels with Turning Point USA and were flown out to Detroit in 2024 to present two break-out sessions at ‘The People’s Convention.’ We’ve had tables at Turning Point Faith events, and of course we included them at AZWOA’s. Charlie Kirk recognized the power of grassroots and generously invited hundreds to collaborate with him for the cause of freedom.
Before the 2024 election, Charlie and Turning Point partnered with AZWOA on a get-out-the-vote ballot initiative to reach women—a tough demographic. American men had been responding to conservative messaging, but most women still leaned Left. So, a strategic national organization saw the power of joining the forces of Turning Point and AZWOA. I was blessed to get to know Charlie better. Once when we were backstage, Charlie asked whether I thought America’s women could be awakened like men had. He cared about reaching EVERYONE with the truth. And not just the truth about values, virtue, family, science, philosophy, and Americanism (though he DID care deeply for those).
Charlie Kirk wanted everyone (ultimately) to know the Truth that can set them free. It begins with knowing and following your Creator. You and I cannot be free in any other way. In fact, THERE IS NO FREEDOM WITHOUT GOD. That is WHY Americans are free. Because the God of the Bible is our foundation.
I answered Charlie’s question by committing to him that we’d work as hard as he worked—at our mission to awaken women. We would engage women in the most effective, lasting way we could—through local relationships in action. Because of Charlie Kirk, and the hearts poured out by his team and ours, Arizona reached thousands and won by the highest margin of victory of all swing states.
But Charlie knew that America couldn’t be satisfied by winning political victories for conservatives and Christians. That’s fleeting and hollow by itself. Lasting joy—lasting victory—comes when God wins souls to a new life and hope for eternity! And He used Charlie Kirk for this specific purpose. Thank you, Charlie, for saying YES to God—and for all you did for each one of us!
But now what about you? Don’t miss this opportunity. God made YOU just as uniquely and specifically for a purpose that will bless everyone in the sphere He’s given to YOU.
What will YOU do, knowing you are here for a purpose, knowing people NEED YOU to stand up for them—and the truth that sets them free? What is worth your time, treasure and talent? What will you sacrifice to make a difference?
Let us all honor the message and memory of Charlie Kirk’s life!
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?” – Matthew 5:10-13
Kim Miller is the President and Founder of Arizona Women of Action. You can find out more about their work here.
Requests to establish Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapters exploded in the days following the assassination of its CEO and founder, Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, a devout, professed Christian and Phoenix native, was a month shy of turning 32 years old at the time of his death. Kirk left behind a wife — CEO of Proclaim Streetwear and Bible in 365, and former Miss Arizona USA, Erika Kirk (née Frantzve) — and two young children.
Andrew Kolvet, executive producer for “The Charlie Kirk Show,” said on Sunday that TPUSA received over 37,000 requests for new chapters.
Prior to Kirk’s assassination, TPUSA reported having approximately 900 college chapters and 1,200 high school chapters, or about 3,500 chapters total.
“The organization has received over 32,000 inquiries in the last 48-hours to start new campus chapters,” said Kolvet. “Charlie’s vision to have a Club America chapter (our high school brand) in every high school in America (around 23,000) will come true much much faster than he could have ever possibly imagined.”
🚨 I wanted to share a paise report from TPUSA. The organization has received over 32,000 inquiries in the last 48-hours to start new campus chapters. To put that in perspective, TPUSA currently has 900 official college chapters and around 1,200 high school chapters, with a…
Kolvet also reported to Fox News that he personally received “hundreds of offers” to work or volunteer for TPUSA.
Many have reported witnessing a massive increase in church attendance the Sunday following Kirk’s assassination, accompanied with online postings of baptisms directly influenced by Kirk.
Donations also poured in to support Kirk’s widow and two children.
One GiveSendGo for the Kirk family sits at over $4.9 million as of Monday, with a goal of $6 million. ALP Pouches, a nicotine pouch company, organized the fundraiser.
Another GiveSendGo organized by TPUSA has raised over $1.8 million. TPUSA is also soliciting donations to continue its work and grow.
Another GiveSendGo was launched by conservative pundit Glenn Beck as a resurrection of the 912 Project. That fundraiser has raised over $500,000.
Several smaller fundraisers have also cropped up online and collected thousands: over 200 on GoFundMe as of Monday. The fundraisers pledge money to the Kirk family, TPUSA, or creating memorials.
Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University during another one of his viral campus debates, part of his “American Comeback Tour.”
Several days following Kirk’s death, law enforcement arrested Tyler Robinson, 22, for the assassination.
Per the FBI, Robinson had an “obsession” with Kirk and “hated” the conservative evangelist. FBI Director Kash Patel said that Robinson told another individual ahead of the assassination via text that he had an opportunity to kill Kirk and would do so because of Kirk’s Christianity.
“He had a text message exchange with another individual in which he claimed that he had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk — and he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for,” said Patel.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino told Fox News that it was “fairly obvious to everyone” that Kirk’s assassination was “an ideologically motivated attack.”
In addition to the messaging evidence, ammunition recovered at the assassination site indicated allegiances to transgender and anti-fascist ideologies. Robinson’s romantic partner, his roommate, was an individual who identified as a “furry” and a transgender woman.
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Turning Point USA held a vigil for Charlie Kirk at the Desert Financial Arena at Arizona State University on Monday. Thousands of people, young and old, showed up to honor the life of Kirk.
According to an email from Turning Point USA’s ASU Chapter, the vigil to remember Kirk, who was assassinated on Wednesday, was held under high security conditions with a ‘clear bag’ policy in effect and a prohibition on any banners, flags, and signs of any shape or size in the arena.
Initially, student attendance was prioritized on Sunday, September 14th, with general attendees asked to join a waiting list; however, by Sunday evening, the restriction was removed, and all attendees were invited to RSVP.
Tyler Bowyer, COO of Turning Point Action, wrote in a post to X, “Please join us tonight to celebrate his life and pray. We have a long week ahead of us and the entire Turning Point ecosystem feels your love and prayers. The students in particular deserve to feel it, especially in such a memorable place for us. ASU!”
In an email, Dr. Owen Anderson, faculty advisor of the chapter wrote:
“I hope you can join us tonight. To understand what Charlie Kirk was doing, you have to remember his context.
Charlie was debating edgy university students who often used profane language and hurled insults at conservatives and Christians. He wasn’t playing cards at a retirement home.
In a setting where anti-Christian professors were never challenged, and where many Christian intellectuals felt pressured to compromise with leftism and remain silent, Charlie Kirk changed all of that.
Suddenly, conservative and Christian students felt they could speak up and defend their beliefs. They saw how wrong it was to pay tuition for ideological training camps. Charlie inspired them to have courage. And being courageous is loving because it presents the truth to students who are captive to unbelief.”
Attorneys from the Goldwater Institute, representing the Center for Arizona Policy and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, joined former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould on Thursday to challenge Proposition 211. The measure, called the “Voters’ Right to Know Act,” is being contested on the grounds that it violates the state Constitution’s protections for free speech and privacy.
In the wake of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination—and a decade marked by attacks on political figures—the security risks of effectively doxxing political donors loom large in the case.
If upheld, the law would force nonprofit groups that weigh in on ballot measures or reference incumbents near an election to publicly disclose their donors—not just names and amounts, but also home addresses and employers—in a searchable database.
In today’s climate of escalating political violence—from death threats and swatting to vandalism, arson, and even assassinations—a database like this could essentially become a “hit list.”
In the AZ Supreme Ct today w my @GoldwaterInst colleagues to defend free speech & privacy rights in the #Prop211 case. You can learn more about the case here https://t.co/AzcEiCOulg
And watch the oral argument live in a few minutes on the court’s website: https://t.co/dkcgE7KDHC
In a press release the Goldwater Institute explained its position stating, “While proponents of the Voters’ Right to Know Act say they’re simply combatting so-called ‘dark money’ in politics, it is clear to Goldwater and its clients — the Center for Arizona Policy, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, and individual donors — that their real intent is to intimidate their political opponents into silence.”
“Arizona’s Proposition 211 is as un-American as it is dangerous. No one should be exposed to retaliation or violence simply for supporting causes they believe in,” said Jon Riches, Goldwater’s Vice President of Litigation. “The law also violates Arizona’s Constitution, which provides stronger protections for freedom of speech and privacy than even the U.S. Constitution. That’s why we at the Goldwater Institute believe the Arizona Supreme Court will ultimately strike down Proposition 211.”
Prop 211 is silencing free speech in Arizona!!!
At today’s press conference, Scot Mussi of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club explained how this vague and dangerous law forced us to curtail our speech last campaign cycle. Why? Because Prop 211 puts the privacy and safety of donors… pic.twitter.com/fgctJGt5K4
Arizona Free Enterprise Club President Scot Mussi added, “They’re afraid of the activist organizations out there. They’re afraid of politicians and others that want to exact retaliation because they simply support a position or belief that they disagree.”
Mussi characterized the law as “a dangerous threat to our right to free speech and association.”
“As drafted, the law can be used to unconstitutionally target and harass private citizens, including our organization and our supporters,” Mussi stated. “We are confident that the Supreme Court will recognize the danger this law poses and will rule in our favor.”
In a statement to AZ Free News in May, Mussi elaborated on the potential for political intimidation: “Both the U.S. Constitution and the Arizona Constitution guarantee citizens the right to speak freely, which includes the right to not be forced to speak. Prop 211 not only violates this right for donors by silencing them from supporting causes they believe in but impairs the speech of nonprofits like ours as well.”
Peter Gentala, President of the Center for Arizona Policy, stated in a press release that Proposition 211 “creates an atmosphere of fear among those who support nonprofits that engage in the most pressing issues in Arizona today.”
The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk is not only the loss of a cultural leader, but also a chilling reminder of what happens when we confuse speech with violence. Kirk was a tireless champion of free expression, and his death underscores the urgent need to examine how the suppression of dialogue can set the stage for real violence.
In his own words, Kirk once warned: “When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts… when you stop having a human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes a lot easier to want to commit violence against that group. What we as a culture have to get back to is being able to have reasonable disagreement where violence is not an option.” His words now read as both a prophecy and a plea for the culture of dialogue we so desperately need.
Suppressing Speech Is Not The Answer
Psychology teaches us that suppressing thoughts doesn’t eliminate them — it simply pushes them underground. Clinicians see this dynamic in individuals who repress emotions until they reemerge as passive aggression or even have destructive outbursts. The same pattern plays out in society: When people are told their perspectives are unspeakable, frustration grows, mistrust deepens, and the risk of acting out increases. Ironically, attempts to enforce “safe spaces” by silencing dissent often make communities more volatile. True safety comes from open dialogue, where conflict can be addressed directly rather than festering in silence.
The Danger Of “Social Justice Warrior” Rhetoric
When individuals adopt the mindset of “social justice warriors,” the very word “war” can take on a literal dimension. Combined with rhetoric that labels opponents as “Nazis,” “fascists,” or even as “threats to existence” for questioning prevailing ideologies, we create a psychological framework where violence feels like moral self-defense. Social psychologists call this groupthink — a process in which consensus becomes so rigid that dissenters can be irrationally cast as evil. Ingredients of groupthink include a belief in the moral superiority of the group, direct pressure on dissenters, strong outgroup stereotypes, and collective rationalization — all of which were present here. In such an atmosphere, attacking a speaker can feel like a righteous duty. Tragically, Kirk’s willingness to question aspects of trans ideology and other sacred cows of certain political groups placed him squarely in the crosshairs of this warped moral reasoning.
Words Are Not Violence
Words can sting, but they are not the same as physical harm. Equating speech with violence not only inflates anxiety but also undermines resilience. It conditions people to believe that discomfort is intolerable and that retaliation — even violent retaliation—is justified. By contrast, protecting free speech fosters self-efficacy — the belief in one’s ability to navigate challenges constructively. It strengthens authentic connection, reduces the loneliness that comes from self-censorship, and creates opportunities for genuine problem-solving.
Charlie Kirk’s assassination must be seen for what it is: a catastrophic failure to uphold the principle that dialogue is the antidote to violence, not its cause. As Kirk himself urged, the future of our culture depends on whether we can “have reasonable disagreement where violence is not an option.”
To honor his legacy, we must recommit to that vision — resisting the falsehood that words are violence — and embracing the truth that dialogue, even when difficult, is the path to peace. This is the very theme I explore in my book Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly, which offers psychological tools for protecting free speech and building the resilience that open dialogue requires. The book includes examples such as Andy Ngo and Riley Gaines, who have suffered violence for their speech — and tragically, Charlie Kirk is now added to that list in the worst possible way. I urge you to channel your grief into action — do not be silenced but use your voice and stand together. It’s exactly what Charlie would have wanted.
Dr. Chloe Carmichael is contributor to the Daily Caller News Foundation, a clinical psychologist, USA Today bestselling author of “Nervous Energy,” and a visiting fellow at Independent Women. Her upcoming book “Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly” (Skyhorse, Nov. 2025) explores the mental health benefits of open dialogue and the costs of self-censorship.
