It seems like he was a strong advocate for civil discussion. One does not have to agree with everything he said to appreciate his commitment to exchanging thoughts and ideas with others using logic and reason.

He was killed with a microphone in his hand—not a gun or a knife, but an instrument of communication. When we stop believing in the dignity of our fellow human beings, violence takes place.

It starts out as verbal abuse and eventually, if unchecked, some weak-minded individual is going to act upon words out of a misguided sense of “duty”. Sometimes we don’t realize that dog-whistle words like “Nazi” and “pedophile” might satisfy some anonymous keyboard warrior’s penchant for hate, but it can also lead to violence against fellow human beings.

Vigorous discussion around thoughts and ideas should never lead to verbal abuse or physical violence.

Charlie Kirk is a prime example.