Secretary of State Marco Rubio credited Charlie Kirk with inspiring a movement of young people – in particular men – who embraced marriage and raising children and who believe the United States was the greatest nation in the history of the world.
Speaking at Mr. Kirk’s memorial in Arizona, Mr. Rubio said the slain 31-year-old Christian conservative activist had “an uncanny amount of wisdom for a man as young as he was.”
“He was also bold,” Mr. Rubio said. “He actively sought out to engage, peacefully, respectfully, those whom he disagreed with.”
Mr. Rubio noted that CNN commentator Van Jones wrote about how he had received a direct message on social media from Mr. Kirk, a day before he was killed on the campus of Utah Valley University. In his message, according to Mr. Jones, the conservative activist invited him to talk personally over a dispute about Black crime and Mr. Kirk’s rhetoric.
“He did this on campuses, he did this on podcasts, he did this on radio shows, he did this on television shows,” he said. “Time and again, he sought to engage those he disagreed with because he understood we were not created to isolate each other from one another, but to engage.”
Mr. Rubio lamented that Mr. Kirk’s approach is exactly what the nation needs more of now, and said his influence has been felt worldwide.
“He made a difference, he mattered, and he will matter more now than he ever has before,’ he said.
