Free Speech, Good-Faith Debate, and Communications After Political Violence
- Ellie K
- Sep 16, 2025
- 4 min read
Typically, I send this newsletter at the end of the month, but given Charlie Kirk’s murder last week and the subsequent celebrations on TikTok, I wanted to check in with my friends and colleagues in policy and politics in D.C. and around the world.
For many of us, our business is making America a better place for all Americans. And last week’s events have made clear that is, indeed, an important mission. And whether or not one agrees with Charlie Kirk, he had a role in this.
Charlie Kirk did what many are unwilling to do—challenge progressivism in the most progressive places— college campuses. Sure, some of the debates were not terribly intellectual. But, Kirk put new and different ideas in the public square. And, most importantly, his organization, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) is big-tent conservatism— a home for every weirdo on a campus, including free-market conservatives, TradCaths, based Jews, pro-lifers, gay conservatives, former Democrats, and anyone who dare ask the tough questions.
To be sure, Charlie said some things I didn’t agree with. But who do we agree with all of the time? Plus, he did it in the public square. Not behind a keyboard, not as a Twitter anon. Not ranting at a TV set. Live. In person. The man in the arena.
The past 10 years have been peak cancel culture. I have experienced it. Many of you reading this have experienced a friend or family member slowly not responding to texts, or the date who texted back, “Our values are not aligned.” (They certainly are not…) Or the sense at the Shabbat table, church pew, or after-work softball game that you can’t say certain things. Certain things that, by the way, 50% or more of Americans think.
Charlie put ideas out there and made open debate more accessible for all of us.
But last week, someone tried to stop that—with violence. And the response, sadly but not shockingly, was praise for violence in some dark corners of the internet. Thanks to the vibe shift of the last few years, those in positions of public trust (teachers, doctors, nurses, government employees) are being held accountable.
What’d they expect? Vibes? Papers? Essays?
I write this newsletter for those of us engaged in the battle of ideas. I hope that what I share here, in some small way, makes our work more fun, more honest, and more effective.
Some of the best communications responses I’ve seen following Charlie’s murder:
America’s Future: They put Charlie at the center, not themselves. When communicating about something like this, your organization is neither the hero nor the victim. You show support. Full statement here.
Ted Frank brought humor into the situation.
Erika Kirk: In a moment of profound grief, she delivered a moving speech that included, “You have no idea what you unleashed….You have no idea what you have ignited in this wife…To everyone listening this night across America, the movement my husband built will not die.”
Friends and colleagues—unleash it. In Charlie’s memory, continue living out the values of free speech, respectful debate, and exchange of ideas in the American public square.
❓What does this mean, practically, for think tanks and advocacy groups?
1.) Don’t engage in witch hunts, purity rituals, or scapegoating. Politics is about addition, not subtraction. We will persuade people with our words and ideas.
2.) Stand up for the thousands of other men in the arena- brave teachers leaving their unions because the antisemitic rot has become intolerable, parents running for school board to fight bad policies, and your friend at synagogue who has the courage to ask the rabbi why, exactly, Trump is a fascist.
3.) Stay mission-focused. Many of us work on specific policies including: taxes, ballot access, worker freedoms, and more. It feels heavy right now, but it is okay, even wise, to stay focused on your mission. Sit out this disturbing news cycle if you can.
❤️After a sad week, here are a few things to give us hope for America.
🕍The Gevura Fund has resources for individuals who’ve experienced antisemitism in their unions
❎Unite NY is a non-partisan movement seeking to build a stronger democracy in New York through more voices and more choices.
✡️Wisdom Without Walls is an online Jewish learning community. They host deep conversations and ask thought-provoking questions about the biggest Jewish issues today.
📖Interested in the intellectual foundations of a free and ordered society? Consider applying to The Philadelphia Society’s Founders Fellowship
Honorable Mention
Although we are feeling a bit sad right now, I want to share that I had the joy of attending State Policy Network’s annual conference in New Orleans, or as my husband calls it, “Nouvelle Or-lay-ahn.” It was a delightful opportunity to connect with old and new friends alike, and SPN did a wonderful job. They created an inclusive, welcoming, and professional conference atmosphere. If there is any group of people who value free speech, liberty, and individual rights, it is these folks. 🗽
Do you work in marketing and communications?
✅If you work in marketing or communications and care about credibility, persuasion, and good-faith debate, I host a small peer group for practitioners doing this work.
