As details emerge of the apprehension of a suspect in the brutal assassination of Charlie Kirk after vigorous work by law enforcement, I continue to reflect on the state of political discourse in our county. I am both heartbroken and infuriated by the loss of Charlie Kirk. He was a son of Illinois whose impact reached far beyond our state, and so many are devastated. Please join me in praying for Charlie’s soul, his loved ones, and all who are grieving.
At a time like this, we must resist the urge to cast blame or score political points. We need leaders. That’s why I was horrified to see Governor Pritzker attack the President and blame him. In doing so, he appealed to the worst in people when we should be appealing to the best. We deserve grown-up leaders who want to build a better world, not partisan hacks who want to score cheap, ugly political points.
Violence can never be excused or justified. Instead, we must come together in our shared humanity, reject hatred in every form, and recommit ourselves to the principles of peaceful civic engagement that define America, and that Charlie Kirk represented so well in life and in death.