When conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed at a campus event in Utah in September, the first call Gov. Spencer Cox received was from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Most college students disagreed with Charlie Kirk
A whopping 94% of American college students had heard of Charlie Kirk before the time of his death, but only 30% of students said they agreed with his views. As the founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk portrayed himself as…
The unholy alliance that’s OK with bringing back slavery
A chilling and terrifying convergence is under way on the American religious right. On one side comes raw, unfiltered and vitriolic bigotry straight from the gutter. The most recent display of this came in the form of leaked Telegram chats…
MAGA is making America dizzy again
In 2015, a military training exercise called Jade Helm became the basis for a right-wing conspiracy theory which claimed that under President Barack Obama, the federal government planned to impose martial law. Conservatives went crackers over an unfounded prospect that…
Why Lt. Gov. Henderson thinks ‘meeting contempt with love’ is the best form of protest
Utah recommitted itself as the hub of national depolarization efforts following the assassination of conservative organizer Charlie Kirk in September.
What Charlie Kirk’s Medal of Freedom says about the honor
On Oct. 14 — what would have been Charlie Kirk’s 32nd birthday — the president of the United States posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk was fatally shot last month while…
Why don’t white evangelicals listen to Black Christians?
As a Black Christian man, I have engaged white evangelicals in numerous discussions about the existence of racism within America and Christianity. These conversations have continued throughout my entire adult life. I have observed that many white evangelicals only listen…
House Democrats draw flak for supporting Charlie Kirk day
Congressional resolutions declaring Oct. 14 a day of remembrance for slain right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk have fueled squabbling among House Democrats and confirm the continuing rise of Christian nationalism in conservative American politics, observers say. The U.S. House of Representatives…
How evangelicalism’s theology of victory erases lament
When Erika Kirk stood before thousands at her husband’s funeral and declared forgiveness for his killer, the crowd rose in thunderous applause. Even those vehemently ideologically opposed to Charlie Kirk and his ilk called it “an incredible act of grace.”…
Cancel church for ice and snow, not ICE and shootings
Mass shootings will outnumber snowstorms this year. That sentence hurts to write; may it haunt us. The decision to cancel church for inclement weather involves the complex interaction of values — safety vs. commitment; feelings — fear of injury vs….
What is ‘the church’ and what is ‘Communion’?
Much ink has been spilled over the last decade revealing the ways white evangelical Republicans have descended into the abyss of authoritarianism. But while they claim to be the most committed to Christ and the church, their empathy-starved embrace of…
Charlie Kirk: Apostle of 1953 America
Charlie Kirk was what historians call a “controversialist.” Prior to his tragic death, Kirk flourished by picking a side in the culture war and telling his people exactly what they wanted to hear. Many in the MAGA movement credit Kirk…