Guest Opinion: Time to get off the fence

Look around. Be wise enough not to believe everything you hear.

 

Our children are being lied to. Our values are under attack. And our nation is being hollowed out — not with bombs or bullets, but with confusion, manipulation, and silence.

 

And still, too many good people are sitting on the fence, hoping it’ll all work itself out.

 

But I’m here to tell you — the time for passive concern is over.

 

This is not just politics anymore. This is survival. The truth is — our culture, our values, our future — they're all under siege. And Charlie Kirk saw that before most people did. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t fold. He stepped into the fire and said, “You were born for such a time as this.”

 

But here's something people often miss about Charlie: he wasn’t just a fighter — he was fair. He gave the microphone to people who disagreed with him. He let them speak. He listened.

 

And then — with clarity, confidence, and grace —he responded with the facts.

 

He didn’t silence others — he sharpened the debate. He didn’t fear the other side — he exposed the weakness in their ideas. He believed that truth wins in the open — not behind walls, not in echo chambers, but in the light.

 

That takes courage. That takes character. And that’s the kind of leadership we need more of — right now.

 

Because Charlie didn’t die for people to sit this one out. He didn’t speak truth to power so we could whisper behind closed doors. He didn’t take the arrows so we could keep our heads down and hope for the best.

 

He believed in you.

He believed in us.

He believed that ordinary people could do extraordinary things — if they had the courage to stand.

 

So I’m asking you right now: what are you waiting for?

 

Every day we stay silent, they rewrite our children's future. Every time we sit it out, they chip away at the country our grandparents bled to build.

 

And every time we say, “That’s someone else’s job,” we are handing the keys to people who hate everything we stand for.

 

Well I’ve had enough. I know you have too. Because caring isn’t enough anymore.

 

We have to act.

 

Act locally. Vote boldly. Speak up at school board meetings. Run for office. Call out the lies. Defend truth — even when it costs. Especially when it costs.

 

Because the cost of staying on the fence?

 

It’s too high. It’s our children’s future. It’s the soul of this nation.

 

It’s the legacy of people like Charlie Kirk, who gave everything to wake us up. So no more sidelines. No more silence.

 

This is our moment. This is our mission. Not just to remember Charlie — but to become the kind of people he believed in.

 

Let’s rise with resolve. Let’s fight with clarity. Let’s love our country enough to defend it.

 

And let’s carry this fight forward — with urgency, with unity, and with fire because we are not just spectators.

 

We are the front line. We are the remnant. We are Charlie Kirk.

 

Let’s go.

 

I’m proud to announce that Missouri State University–West Plains has officially submitted its application for a Turning Point USA charter. This is a major step forward for the movement and a clear sign that students are rising up to take ownership of their future. I’m also happy to share that Coy Crites will be leading those efforts on campus. Though he couldn’t be with us tonight, his dedication is already making a difference. 

 

Publisher’s Note: Crow gave this speech on October 14 at an event at People’s Park memorializing Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk. Approximately 300 people attended the memorial event.