Charlie Kirk was assassinated exactly one year ago today.
So in his honor, watch him do what he was warned could end his life: open debate on college campuses.
A college student walks up to Charlie, calls the Founding Fathers "elitist," and tries to lecture him on "democracy."
Charlie hands her a history lesson, explains what democracy actually means, and by the time he puts the ball back in her court, she's agreeing with him.
STUDENT: "Do you view democracy as an American value, something that's very important to the fabric of this country?"
KIRK: "No. Where is democracy in the U.S. Constitution?"
STUDENT: "Oh, okay. So are you —"
KIRK: "No, no, hold on. Where is the word democracy?"
STUDENT: "I don't think the word democracy is in the Constitution."
KIRK: "Yeah, it's not. So where is the word democracy in any of the Founding Fathers?"
STUDENT: "You know, a lot of the Founding Fathers had extremely elitist viewpoints around who should be —"
KIRK: "No, hold on. Hold on. You said the word democracy, so I want to get back to our roots."
STUDENT: "Yes."
KIRK: "Where is democracy mentioned? In the Federalist Papers, the Constitution, or the Declaration?"
STUDENT: "I think it's good that this country has moved away from things that were explicitly believed by the Founding Fathers."
KIRK: "So democracy is mentioned in the Federalist Papers, and it's mentioned negatively as a problem. So you ask me, is democracy a fundamental American value? I say no. Because I go back to our roots: Hamilton, Madison, and Jay."
STUDENT: "Oh, I know that Hamilton was anti-democracy. Like —"
KIRK: "Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. I want to be clear. I am pro-representative government. But I'm not pro-democracy. That's a big difference, and that distinction's important. But you asked very specifically about democracy, which is not an American value. It never has been and never should be. Because what is democracy? Democracy is majority rule no matter what. There are no provisions for checks and balances, no inalienable rights, no separation of powers. If the majority wants it, the majority gets it as quickly as possible."
STUDENT: "I don't advocate pure democracy. I do understand that we live in a representative — like, we live in a republic, and I understand that."
Over his 13-year career, Charlie debated thousands of college students across hundreds of campuses — and died doing exactly that.
His goal: to spark thought-provoking conversations, have open debate, and encourage young Americans to get politically involved and start doing something to make their country better.
You don’t have to agree with Charlie’s politics. But you’ve got to respect the hustle of a 31-year-old father and husband who built a political empire starting at just 18 years old.
He debated with class, relying on facts and data over name-calling and dunking on opponents for show.
And that’s what made him so likable, so persuasive — and therefore so dangerous. Higher things were calling him.
It’s a shame he was stolen from us one year ago today, and that we’ll never see a future with Charlie Kirk in it.
I still feel sick over his death. He was one of a kind, and there will never be another quite like him.
Rest in peace, brother. We miss you.
More unforgettable Charlie Kirk debate moments:
If Charlie Kirk were still alive today, he'd be putting champagne socialists like Hasan Piker in their place.
In 2018, he asked Hasan why he doesn't give away 95% of his salary and live on a commune.
Hasan got uncomfortable fast. And wait until you see how it ends.
KIRK: "Why don't you give 95% of your money away and go live on a commune?"
PIKER: "Do you really think that's how it works?"
KIRK: "Why not? Go live what you preach… I live what I practice. I am a free market capitalist. I employ people. I took a risk. I have my own startup business. Every single day, I practice what I preach… You have the freedom to go live as a socialist. Go do it, Hasan. What's stopping you?"
PIKER: "Here's why that conversation is absolutely preposterous. If I gave away the measly earnings that I had and gave away 95% of—"
KIRK: "How much do you make?"
PIKER: "That wouldn't necessarily even push the needle… I will be very honest. It's really embarrassing, especially because my boss is sitting right there. I make $60,000 a year, okay?"
That boss was Cenk Uygur (Hasan's uncle), who then started shouting at Kirk from the audience, demanding to know HIS salary.
Kirk shot out of his seat and said this:
"I live like a capitalist, okay? I live what I believe! What do I do? I give charity every single year! What's my salary? Less than his."
This is the energy and conviction we so desperately need right now.
6 days before Charlie Kirk was murdered, he asked a college student to define what a woman is.
The student made the mistake of actually answering. And once the words left his mouth, it was already over.
KIRK: "What is a woman?"
STUDENT: "Um, a woman, you know it, you know it when you see it… she looks like a woman… It's the way you express yourself."
KIRK: "So basically womanhood is a costume."
STUDENT: "I'm not saying that. No."
KIRK: "No, it is. Yeah. If you're able to wear the right stuff and just assume the identity, you can appropriate womanhood. Is that correct?"
STUDENT: "No."
KIRK: "Okay. Is Caitlyn Jenner a woman?"
STUDENT: "Yes."
KIRK: "What chromosomes does Caitlyn Jenner have?"
STUDENT: "Um… I don't… I think her chromosomes don't have to do with her gender."
KIRK: "You are playing into this narrative that gender exists. We REJECT that paradigm completely... We must live in reality, not the delusions of people who want us to accommodate their fantasies."
Watch how Charlie Kirk engages with a college liberal who says life begins when a baby exits the mother’s womb.
He didn’t yell. He didn’t call her names.
Instead, he asked her a series of critical questions until her argument completely fell apart.
KIRK: “We know deep down it’s wrong to murder a baby.”
STUDENT: “You’re not murdering a baby. It’s not a baby.”
KIRK: “What is it then?”
STUDENT: “It is an embryo, which is not a baby.”
KIRK: “So at what point does it become a baby?”
STUDENT: “When it is born.”
[Crowd groans]
STUDENT: “I don’t agree with abortions up to full-term abortions.”
KIRK: “Hold on. But you said it becomes a baby when it’s born. Then why would you have abortion limits before it’s born? I thought it’s just an embryo. So embryo rights?”
STUDENT: “No, embryo rights aren’t a thing.”
KIRK: “But then where would you draw a line for abortion then? And why? And under what moral standard?”
STUDENT: “There are medical reasons.”
KIRK: “No, that’s not the question.”
STUDENT: “You just asked me why would I not have an abortion full term. For medical reasons.”
KIRK: “Okay, so at 29 weeks, the baby is nearly fully developed, can recognize the mother’s voice, has a heartbeat, has brainwaves. Is it okay to abort that baby?”
STUDENT: “It’s not okay… I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. It’s not okay to have an abortion ever? How about like three weeks in?”
KIRK: “Correct. No abortion. Correct.”
STUDENT: “Why?”
KIRK: “Well, because your life started at conception.”
STUDENT: “It did not, though.”
KIRK: “Well, hold on. So let’s play this out. So who are you as an individual? From your skin color to your eye color, to your likes, your dislikes, from your temperament to your everything.”
STUDENT: “I am not an embryo. I’m a person.”
KIRK: “Hold on a second. But it started with something called deoxyribonucleic acid. And your own individual DNA started at the point of egg and sperm meeting. That’s where your journey started. And so from that point in particular, life begins not at birth, not at first words, not at first steps, but when your DNA [developed], which is who you actually are… That doesn’t happen at eight weeks or 10 weeks. It happens at conception.”
STUDENT: “What happens if you need a medical abortion? If the mother will die if she does not get an abortion? What’s your stance on that?”
KIRK: “The only place where medical abortion is necessary is before 20 weeks, which is incredibly rare.”
STUDENT: “What if she will die? What if the mother will die?”
KIRK: “This is a very important question. Let’s say it’s 27 weeks, okay? And the mother will die… Why don’t we just have the baby delivered by cesarean section? You know what a cesarean section is, right?”
STUDENT: “A C-section.”
KIRK: “Why wouldn’t we just put the baby up by C-section instead of terminating it?”
STUDENT: “Because if the mother will die, it’s not safe to do that.”
KIRK: “But it’s actually safer than an abortion. So every time they say… ‘Oh, you need to have abortion for medical reasons.’ Respond, ‘then have a C-section.’”
STUDENT: “What if you’re not able to have a C-section? What if you are on your deathbed? You need to have an abortion right now?”
KIRK: “First and foremost, C-section is safer, C-section is quicker. And a C-section saves both lives.”
[Crowd cheers]
A college student confronts Kirk and says Americans are living on “stolen land” taken from the Mexicans.
Kirk asks who the Mexicans stole it from, then expertly turns his own words against him.
By the end, everyone is cheering for America. Watch how this one plays out.
STUDENT: “I want to acknowledge the fact that we are right now on stolen land and that we are on indigenous land and that we are on original Mexican land right now.”
KIRK: “I love this stolen land argument.”
STUDENT: “…I really make it a point to notice that I’m on stolen land at all times, especially when we think about things like Manifest Destiny.”
KIRK: “Who did the Mexicans steal the land from?”
STUDENT: “Actually, the Mexicans were there originally in Texas…”
KIRK: “Wrong. They stole it from lots of Indian tribes… Texas was not indigenously Mexican… there was the Cherokee. There were many different Native American tribes there. So Mexico was participating in Manifest Destiny at the behest of the Spanish crown.”
[Student acknowledges Kirk is right]
KIRK: “At some point, you have to believe in self-determination. If you can win the land, it’s yours. That is what built the West.”
STUDENT: “I can agree with that.”
KIRK: “So instead of a land acknowledgment… you should have a gratitude acknowledgment. ‘Praise God, I live in America! I’m glad!’ A gratitude acknowledgment would be nice.”
[Crowd erupts]
Excellent article and great videos of just how smart, intuitive and effective CK was in debate style. Thank you
After the president was shot at from a roof top. Why in gods name did his security knowingly allow the roof tops to be unsecured? His security people should feel responsible for his death along with the unhinged kid who shot him. Charley’s voice and intelligence is a terrible loss to America . He is not replaceable.