Charlie Kirk fought for free speech; is that not a Canadian value?
By Lethbridge Herald on October 1, 2025.
Editor,
I am compelled to offer my comments after once again seeing Charlie Kirk described as a fascist in a Sept. 26 letter to the editor headlined “Charlie Kirk’s values didn’t represent those of Canadians”.
Charlie Kirk was undeniably a man of strong Christian convictions, and Christian principles stand in opposition to the ideas of fascism. A prime example of that was offered by Dietrich Bonhoeffer during the Second World War.
Much of the vitriol aimed at Charlie is because of his support of Donald Trump, but I think it’s unfair to characterize Charlie based on one’s dislike of Trump. As a Christian voter, Charlie had to choose between a candidate who would work to uphold his conservative values and one who clearly would not.
The letter writer says Charlie “advocated for hatred and violent protest on many occasions…” In the absence of any actual evidence of such from the writer, I must rely upon my own impressions from the videos I have seen of Charlie speaking, most often to university students.Â
What I see is a man who encouraged open debate as an alternative to angry conflict or violence. Even left-wing commenter Bill Maher, in the Sept. 15 episode of his Club Random podcast (https://clubrandom.com/pages/episodes from about the five-minute mark to the eight-minute mark), praised Charlie for his willingness to talk to people he disagreed with.
There’s no question Charlie’s views often clashed with those on the left, such as his strong anti-abortion stance mentioned by the writer. Does that make him a despicable person because he would choose to love an unborn child who, through no fault of its own, was a product of rape?
Charlie Kirk was a proponent of free speech, open dialogue, and marriage and family. Am I wrong in thinking that many Canadians share those values? Judging from the sizable memorials held in Canadian cities in the wake of Charlie’s death, I’m led to believe many do.
I fully expect to be attacked for these views I have offered, and that’s fine. That’s what this page, Readers’ Forum, is all about – to foster an open exchange of viewpoints. I just urge those who disagree with me, rather than resorting to put-downs and name-calling, to instead respond with respectful, reasoned arguments and facts – as I expect Charlie Kirk would have done.
Dave Sulz
Coaldale
12-11
Hate speech is not free speech.
A ‘debate’ does not involve a sage on the stage engaging with a person in an audience. A debate involve two or more people prepared to debate. Hunting is not shooting fish in a barrel.
Kirk compared to Bonhoeffer? Good one! You can call yourself a Christian and be a fascist. In the United States (and obviously here) it is a real thing: https://philarchive.org/archive/FOEASH
You poor little soul! Get a life!
So when the Berlin Wall came down which way did the people run. To communism/socialism or capitalism.
they left fascism and an oligarchical, totalitarian dictatorship for democracy and an economic model that included significant investment in social values, such as collective education and health.
one is either ignorant as to what communism and socialism are in truth, or addicted to soundbites and brainwashing when referencing the likes of ussr/east block and china totalitarian oligarchies as being communist or socialist.
for more on socialism, consider the mixed economies that make the likes of canada and western and northern europe the most decent places to live (not perfect, but that is because they are too beholden to crony capitalism as a par of ther mixed economy). why is canada a healthier and safer place to live than the usa? why is the usa debt about 35-40x higher than canada’s debt, even though we have a far more in the way of social programs?
for more on how true communism works well, one need only reference the pre-european contact eras of the likes of inuit and many other indigenous peoples around the planet. again, not perfect people or societies, but hardly the decrepit types that value greed and self service and fame as markers of success. they had respect for the living planet, and for their future generations, quite unlike the crony cap types that persist in the lie that calls the likes of china and the ussr/east block communist.
You nailed it, biff. One only needs to look south of the border for a sample of what greedy unbridled capitalism can to a country.
Well said Dave Sulz! He hit nerve with the LGTBQ+ crowd who are full of hate and as we saw in Seattle during a Christian revival event, committed sexual acts in full view of children and threw balloons full of urine at Christians while screaming profanities.
While Christians preach love this is what they do! They believe they can do whatever they want while others are not allowed to do anything to contradict their lifestyle! It is best not to debate them and let God deal with them!
These, of course, are lies repeated at every clash between far-right Christians and the victims of their hate. Probably related to Trump’s golden shower fetish.
Share one reputable news outlet (no, not Fox or the christian news echo chamber) that validates this. Find one police charge related to these fabrications. If you cannot, then reflect on your responsibility to be truthful. And what sort of person continues to spead lies in the absence of fact. Finally, reflect on what our society will become under the sway of fascism.
Well, then quit commenting and let God deal with them!
Charlie Kirk said that Michelle Obama and three other successful black women were not as smart as white women. Tell me he was not racist.
Thank you Mr. Sulz!
Charlie Kirk did not break any human rights or hate speech laws, and this is just another attempt by people that know only evil and not love, to target Christians and their faith.
False accusations made against Charlie Kirk constitute hate speech in and of itself if Kirk is advocating hatred while expressing biblical values. Quit manipulating the English language to fit your own misguided beliefs! Quit trying to repeat part of what someone has said or written without describing the situation in which it was said!
He didn’t INCITE people to hate an identifiable group, in fact he prayed for them! Many have tried to associated him falsely with racist groups which repeatedly were disproved. He was a friend to Israel, for one example and had spoken the leadership just weeks prior to his assassination, and was invited back there with open arms. Not a racist!
People believe everything they read online as absolute truth, without verifying it!
Educate yourselves on what is hate speech, but first for the media:
Broadcasting Act: “This act prevents broadcasters from distributing programming that includes abusive comments about groups or individuals.”
Hate speech in Canada include publicly advocating for genocide, promoting hatred against an identifiable group through public incitement, or wilfully promoting hatred against a group by denying, condoning, or downplaying the Holocaust.
Specific behaviors that exemplify hate speech can include a teacher spreading anti-Semitic ideas, a pastor distributing pamphlets with hateful anti-Muslim sentiments, and a person posting hate speech online targeting various racial, ethnic, religious, or sexual groups. The concept also covers actions like displaying hate symbols such as a swastika or KKK symbol, which can incite anger and resentment, or using racial slurs and epithets.
Common Examples of Hate Speech
Dehumanization: Comparing group members to animals, insects, or diseases.
Conspiracy theories: Suggesting a group is secretly plotting to harm society.
Denial of atrocities: Minimizing or celebrating past genocides or tragedies.
Criminal accusations: Labeling group members as criminals or child abusers without evidence.
Public promotion of violence: Advocating for the extermination of a specific group or inciting hatred in public spaces that could lead to a breach of peace.
Online hate speech: Posting hate speech on the internet, such as making offensive jokes about someone’s skin color or sexual orientation, or intimidating someone based on their religion.
Criminal Code:
Section 318: Prohibits advocating genocide against an identifiable group.
Section 319(1): Outlaws publicly inciting hatred against an identifiable group in a way that is likely to lead to a breach of the peace.
Section 319(2): Makes it a crime to wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group through public statements (other than in private conversation).
Section 319(2.1): Specifically addresses the wilful promotion of antisemitism by condoning, denying, or downplaying the Holocaust.
If you accuse Charlie Kirk of hate speech then you all need to look in the mirror!
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,”
End of times prophecies! We are at the end! May God have mercy on all of those who know not what they are doing!
So there you have it. No “if’s ands or buts”, simply waiting for the Apocalypse which has been proclaimed for millennia. Your “ god” is not the god of Jesus or indeed my God.
Yet another word from the pulpit of self righteous zealotry. Of course he was invited back to Israel, his very words betray an antiquated view of Islam and no doubt wishes even more expansion into the West Bank…