There are visuals that will always be in my brain, and they are of violence.

in New York on 9/11
in Orem, Utah on 9/10

And all the violence in between in our country and around the world.. And the reactions, as well as the lack of help in situ in other situations, are mind-boggling. Evil is alive and well and living in this world.

I look in the mirror and see shadows in me. I see fingers, my fingers, pointing outward rather than in.
What do you see? in the mirror? in your family? in your town, city, state, country?

Charlie Kirk always reminded me of a cheerful version of my History Professor my first semester of college in 1969. Think of the caricature of “crusty professor” with the same tweed suit coat, unkempt hair and appearance, gravelly voice, and a penchant to call on those who didn’t know the answer or want to participate. It seemed that this was especially true for young ladies, and some of us were not used to direct, outspoken debate. I found that raising my hand confidently meant he was less likely to call on me (an active act of chicken).

And this professor, he always had the upper hand. He knew the subject backwards and forwards; he had not only done his homework, but assigned it. One day stands out in my mind. He said, “I am a communist. Convince me otherwise.” Half the class tried; we all failed. He had an answer, a reason, an argument to every talking point we could think of. Those of us who had read the assigned pages had a few more ideas, as we desperately looked through our notes and text to thwart his red fallacies of the day. But he knew the history better. He had thought, rethought, and argued this subject historically, in current events, and as future predictions countless time. He knew the subject backwards and forwards. We were trying to figure out what we thought was right, or fun, or outrageous as young people on our own for the first time in our lives.

Some fellow students hated him with a passion. Some would never look up from their desks or utter a word when he called on them (big mistake). Some wondered how we would ever pass this class. But he made us think and rethink our positions on so many things about life. Why? Since when? How does this apply to me? Does it apply to others as well? I thought about things more deeply in that class than I had before that semester. And I realized that my thoughts, words, and actions went into the melting pot of our culture.

Charlie Kirk invited discourse with a smile. He listened, in fact, encouraged, disagreement. He offered respect, a microphone, and a listening ear. But he didn’t waver from his convictions. Name calling happened, but substance was what was asked for and encouraged. He had done his homework. He had studied and, therefore, connected so many dots.

It’s 9/11 today. We are remembering violence and pain. Here, in our country. In our home country.
This time, in 2025, we are all responsible for the divisiveness we have entered into or put up with. It is our culture, in our country, in our states, in our cities, in our homes.

Let’s make some changes, starting by looking in the mirror. Fold your hands—no pointing fingers—and talk respectfully with and about each other. It makes a difference.