A Turning Point for American Discourse

(Charlie Kirk speaks in Lee Chapel during a 2019 program.)

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Charlie Kirk, a steadfast champion of conservatism and a guiding voice for college students everywhere. It is hard to gauge the full impression he left on Washington and Lee University, where he spoke in both 2019 and 2024.

Not everyone on campus agreed with him. Quite the contrary, Kirk openly sought opposition to his views and reinforced an often-neglected principle of American discourse: that personal opinion is subject to critique, and that no ideology is free from debate.

Kirk’s no-nonsense rhetoric resonated exceptionally well with the rising generation of young adults who have grown tired of aggressive progressive doctrines. From COVID-19 shutdowns to Critical Race Theory and transgender ideology, Kirk challenged them all and inspired his listeners to do the same.

But, like so many activists before him, Kirk’s work is left unfinished. His logical method of debate, though in no way harmful to his opponents, has been silenced through his assassination.

The barbarity of this action is sickening, and we all are praying that the perpetrator(s) are brought to swift justice. But is there more we can do?

As tragic as Kirk’s death is, yesterday was a turning point in American discourse.

In the last decade, we have seen political violence surge and intolerance become the norm.

Despite many initiatives developed by The Generals Redoubt and like-minded organizations, even Washington and Lee’s own campus has been riddled with threats and dishonorable behavior. From law students marching out of Lee Chapel during a reconciliatory talk about Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee, to threatening posts from undergraduates to hang conservative media personalities, W&L is not a stranger to divisive and threatening actions and rhetoric.

Just this week, a representative from College Democrats refused (for the first time in five years) to participate in a bipartisan September 11th flag memorial if TGR or Young America’s Foundation (YAF) were involved.

This type of behavior should concern everyone, regardless of their political persuasion. And we owe it to Charlie Kirk to put this hate behind us. Moving forward, we must recognize that the real danger is not in scary speeches that offend us, but in isolating ourselves from that dialogue.

George Washington remarked in a 1795 letter to Governor Robert Brooke of Virginia “that a serious danger is encountered” if “prejudice would be entertained in one part of the Union against another.” Or, in other words, that partisanship would destroy his fledgling nation.

But our first president offered what he called an “efficatious remedy” – that you could “assemble the youth of every part under such circumstances, as will, by the freedom of intercourse and collision of sentiment, give to their minds the direction of truth, philanthropy and mutual conciliation.”

President Washington was calling for the establishment of new educational institutions, where students could gather from around the country not just to learn, but to have a “collision of sentiment.” He wanted Americans to enter an environment where their knowledge and opinions would be challenged, yet they’d walk away with a spirit of “mutual conciliation” and respect.

President Washington personally contributed towards this dream a year later by endowing Liberty Hall Academy, the predecessor of our alma mater, with a generous gift of stock.

While Kirk’s role at W&L was limited, his work with colleges around the nation was a modern testament to Washington’s vision. And regretfully, his assassination indicates our union’s fragility, even 250 years after its founding.

So those of us with The Generals Redoubt have two pleas:

First, we ask everyone to align themselves with the ambition of our founders: that we maintain “mutual conciliation,” or as we like to say, civil discourse, in all conversations. Find a friend, classmate, or colleague whom you disagree with and invite him or her to a “collision of sentiment.” Remember that we are a united people, and that our ideological differences are fewer than our shared heritage as Americans.

Secondly, we call on President William Dudley to condemn the assassination of Charlie Kirk and express to the W&L community that political violence is never the solution. Kirk’s death on a seemingly safe campus has left a chilling impression on countless students, parents, and alumni who never could have imagined something so dreadful occurring in their lifetimes.

While this day is dark, we are hopeful that civility will take hold in the hearts of our nation.

Thank you, and sincerely,

Kamron M. Spivey, ‘24
Executive Director
The Generals Redoubt