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Anna Petley
NZDSOS
It is with considerable alarm and deep sadness that we learn of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a prominent activist and founder of Turning Point USA. His life and untimely death reflect the increasingly volatile social climate that we have experienced in the last five years and has brought into stark reality the human species’ unique and troubling ability to turn on itself.
Facing this reality is not easy but in this moment, we have been called to do so. Are we on an inevitable trajectory toward the extinction of Homo sapiens – wise humans – and the rise of a trans-humanist species? Are we drifting blindly into a digital prison, finely tuned to keep us compliant, unquestioning and divided? In this moment of mourning, we must also confront a deeper truth – that of being strong enough to admit the failings that come with our supposedly advanced human intellects and capacity to reason. Can we engage, courageously and respectfully, in a manner that promotes all humanity, including and possibly most importantly, with those whose arguments we loathe?
Charlie Kirk’s murder, likely rooted in ideological differences, is a stark reminder that humanity stands at a crossroads. If humanity is to emerge free and thriving, we must reject the division. We must aim to speak and debate openly and with a genuine desire to understand and serve our fellow man. We must choose strength, togetherness, and growth over hatred and division.
NZDSOS is appalled by the public displays of celebration surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death. Such reactions are not only inhumane and degrading to those who utter them, but also fuel the divisions that will lead us into dystopian lives of numbing compliance – lives that will not be worthy of being called such. Therefore, we should be equally appalled by celebrations of any death, whether in the name of religion, ideology or belief. A close second is the ignoring of preventable deaths from a global health disaster.
Respect for life and the unity of humanity must remain paramount above political, financial or philosophical ideologies. The consequences of allowing the murder of a husband and father for engaging in debate, to be but a small blip on our news radar, is that of the degradation of humanity.
Let this tragedy not be in vain. Let it be the impetus for a better way forward. Let us honor Charlie Kirk not only by mourning his death but by committing ourselves to the principles of open dialogue, mutual respect and the preservation of our shared humanity.
With respect and love to Charlie’s family and all those who mourn him.
This article was originally published by New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out With Science.
