TSU Students Unpack the Legacy of Charlie Kirk

By KTSU2 Reporter Erin Slaughter

Photo by Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has unleashed a wave of passionate dialogue and intense debate among students at Texas Southern University (TSU).

Kirk was fatally shot on September 10, during a public debate at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The event addressed gun rights and mass shootings, topics that have sparked significant public debate.

“While I do not support violence of any kind, Charlie Kirk once described gun deaths as a ‘prudent price’ for the Second Amendment,” said Shaneece Flax.

Shaneece Flax, TSU journalism major. 

“I don’t think he ever thought he would be the one to pay that price. His political ideology ultimately contributed to his untimely demise.”

While Kirk faced widespread criticism for his stance on gun laws and for making racially charged, anti-LBGTQ, and misogynistic remarks, some students said that violence is never justified, regardless of one’s views.

Amber Land, a recent TSU graduate, said his political views did not warrant such a public display of violence.

“It’s an unfortunate situation, and I pray for his family. No matter our political views, it’s heartbreaking that we live in a time where a difference of opinion can cost someone their life,” she said.

Tim Peters, another TSU student, shared similar feelings about free speech and the dangers of violence.

“No one should be shot because of their opinions or beliefs. Whether we agree or not, we’re all here to express them,” he said.

Tim Peters, TSU student

For some students, the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s death carried a deeper, ironic meaning.

During Kirk’s event, an audience member asked, “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” Kirk replied, “Counting or not counting gang violence?” Moments later, he was fatally shot.

“Charlie Kirk’s death was poetic, not only because of how it happened, but also the location, his final words, and the manner in which he died,” said Kedric McKnight, a junior at TSU. 

“His last words referenced gang violence. And when he was shot, his body leaned to the left. His political views were so far right, yet he died leaning left. That, to me, that is poetic.”

Kedric Mcknight, TSU Student

Others focused less on Kirk himself and more on the innocent people affected by the shooting.

“It’s hard to feel bad for him, and I hate to say that because I don’t want to lose empathy for someone because of their political views. In the end, I still feel bad for his family and children because they were innocent,” said Donovan Roy, a sophomore at TSU.

Some TSU students also highlighted contradictions between Kirk’s rhetoric and the reality of his death.

Dayja Saures, a recent graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law, said Kirk often expressed skepticism and negative views about Black people but the shooter was not black. 

“He talked about Black pilots and criticized Black people and their contributions to America after slavery, often criminalizing them. But the wildest part is, his shooter was a white man. I guess we’re cleared of some allegations,” she said.

Dayja Saures, Recent TSU Graduate

Regardless of opinions on Kirk’s politics, he was a conservative activist and commentator, a father and husband, and remained well-liked by his supporters, including President Donald Trump, who posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Kirk’s death highlights the fragility of free speech. The varying opinions among TSU students reflect broader societal divisions, especially political ones, as they balance personal feelings with attempts at understanding and compassion in an increasingly polarized world.

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