The words we use matter. As the parents of a son who died because a gun owner was negligent, we and countless other parents who have lost a child to gun violence were hurt and offended by Charlie Kirk’s comment, “It’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment.” I can assure you, it’s not.
Logically, while I vehemently disagree with his comment, I understand the point he was trying to make. However, when the leading cause of death for kids and teens in America is guns, and we continue to see mass shootings in schools and elsewhere, this was a highly insensitive thing for him to say. Charlie’s words causing pain to me and so many other people who have lost loved ones to gun violence was not the intent of his statement, but that doesn’t lessen the ripple effect of pain those words caused to countless people.
We all say things at times that unintentionally hurt someone. We must be more aware. Words have meaning. How we talk about issues is important. Painting with broad brushes to make a political point can sow pain and division. We can solve problems without demonizing people. We are family, friends, and neighbors in the end, with the vast majority of us having more in common than the politicians, news channels, social feeds, and others want us to believe.
I continue to pray for Charlie Kirk and his family, as well as for a country that is greatly in need of a break from the vitriol that has taken over our public square. We can do better. We must do better.