To: Editors, The Denver Clarion

On Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, the Founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on the campus of Utah Valley University. The shooting occurred while Charlie was at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event sharing his ideas, exercising his rights of free speech, and providing a space for everyone who disagreed with him to do so in a public forum. In fact, Charlie started every event by telling the crowd that any person who disagreed with him should “come to the front of the line.” This is much of what Turning Point USA does as the DU Chapter of TPUSA hosts events with speakers who have unpopular ideas and invites all those who disagree to attend. 

We also recognize that on that same day as the Kirk shooting, violence occurred at Evergreen High School resulting in one death and two injured students. Neither violence is ever acceptable. 

Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA with a few objectives, but the first and most important objective of the organization was to promote the free distribution of ideas. Fundamentally, the most important element of his organization was to promote free speech. Given that the shooting happened while Charlie was speaking for an organization whose primary objective was to promote free speech, there is only one possible conclusion: The alleged assassin wished to attack free speech itself. 

Since the assassination, several reactions to the shooting have circulated throughout the University of Denver and the Clarion. These reactions include shock, depression, enjoyment and outright celebration. The one reaction that the DU Community members have not seen so far from the University is condemnation. Yet such condemnations of violence have occurred in the past.

Charlie’s most underappreciated quote was the following: “When people stop talking, that’s when violence happens.” Charlie has already been the subject of the worst violence imaginable. 

Free speech is paramount to a healthy and successful learning environment, and it is impossible to preserve it without condemning those who use violence to silence it.

Thank you.

Andrew J. Sherbo, PhD, CFP^®, CSRIC^®

Faculty Advisor, Turning Point USA Chapter

University of Denver