On September 10, 2025, America was shaken by the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Kirk was a nationally known conservative commentator, founder of Turning Point USA, and a prominent voice in political debates. Whether people agreed or disagreed with his views, his sudden death is a loss to public discourse and a reminder of a painful truth: violence has never persuaded anyone, it accentuates division and often removes an essential voice in discourse which can no longerย be heard.
For more than a century, attempts to kill political leaders have scarred nations across the world. These acts silence voices, but they never change minds. The only path forward for democracy is peaceful discussion, not violence.
A Century of Violence and Its Futility
United States
Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981 and nearly lost his life, but the attack did not advance the shooterโs cause. Instead, it strengthened national unity and eventually contributed to stronger gun control laws.
In 2024, former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania. One supporter was killed, but the incident resulted in widespread condemnation and sympathy for Trump, not persuasion for the attackerโs beliefs.
On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, an emerging, persuasive voice of conservatism and moral values, fell to an assassin’s bullet only to spark an outpouring of support for open, non violent discourse between opposing views to enlighten the ignorant of a better approach in addressing issues and the vow of a grief stricken widow to continue the struggle to expand Charlie’s legacy.
India:
In 1948, Mahatma Gandhi, a man whoย epitomized aย peacefullย aproachย to change, was assassinated but his deathย did not end his influence.
In 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her bodyguards. Her death set off days of riots and bloodshed but did not settle the political conflicts of the time.
Her son, Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated in 1991 in a suicide bombing. Rather than advancing the bomberโs cause, the attack hardened Indiaโs resistance to terrorism.
Israel
In 1995, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated after leading peace negotiations with the Palestinians. His murder polarized the country and changed the course of Israeli politics, but it did not convince the people to adopt the assassinโs views.
Japan
In 2022, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot with a homemade gun in one of the safest countries in the world. The attack shocked Japan and the world. The aftermath was grief, outrage, and debates about security, not sympathy for the killerโs motives.
The Common Thread
From India to Israel, from Japan to the United States, the lesson is the same.
- Violence always backfires. It sparks outrage, grief, and resistance, not persuasion.
- Security expands, but freedoms shrink. Leaders become less accessible, and citizens lose opportunities for open dialogue.
- Only peaceful discussion works. Societies grow stronger when disagreements are resolved with words, not weapons.
The Way Forward with iVoteMyVote
iVoteMyVote was created to give democracy a safer home. Here, voters and candidates can meet on a digital stage without the threat of violence.
For voters, this is your platform to see who is running, understand what they stand for, and make informed choices.
For candidates, this is your chance to share your vision and connect directly with people locally and across the nation.
The goal is simple: a political culture built on trust, transparency, and persuasion, not on greed, fear or repression.
Closing Thought
Charlie Kirkโs death on September 10, 2025, is a tragedy that joins a long list of political violence in history. His life and work should be remembered not through the act that ended it, but through the debates and conversations he inspired and are promised to continue through his martyrdom.
Violence may silence a single voice, but it never convinces a nation. The only way to honor those lost is to recommit to peaceful dialogue where every voice matters and every vote counts.
At iVoteMyVote, that is the future we are building together.
Join iVoteMyVote today. Be part of a movement where voices are louder than violence, and democracy is strengthened through dialogue. Sign up free for a limited time atย www.ivotemyvote.com