"Hours before the sun rose over the Arizona desert, tens of thousands of mourners snaked through the Valley toward the State Farm stadium in Glendale where the conservative activist Charlie Kirk was lionized as a prophet for the streaming era and a defender of free speech, martyred in the line of duty. The memorial was part spiritual revival and part political rally, with a program that included Donald Trump and prominent members of the president's Make America Great Again (Maga) movement."
"Inside the domed stadium, emotions were already raw when Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, took the stage. She inhaled deeply and looked Heavenward then dabbed tears from her eyes and began her remarks before a rapt audience, Trump among them. She said her husband's work was devoted to saving the lost boys of the west who lack direction and meaning, including the 22-year-old suspect charged with his murder."
"That man, she said, her chest heaving. I forgive him. A tearful crowd rose to its feet in sustained applause as Kirk cast her eyes upward. A political widow in an instant, Kirk will succeed her husband as the chief executive of the political movement he founded. I will make you proud, she said. Her words marked the emotional crest of an hours-long service that began with Christian worship songs and ended with a live performance by Lee Greenwood of God Bless the USA"
Tens of thousands of mourners converged on State Farm Stadium in Glendale for a memorial that fused Christian worship with a partisan political rally honoring Charlie Kirk. The program featured Donald Trump, prominent MAGA figures, and Turning Point USA supporters clad in patriotic attire and MAGA hats. Erika Kirk forgave the 22-year-old suspect charged in her husband's murder and pledged to assume leadership of the movement. Vice-president JD Vance praised Kirk as a leading conservative voice. The service moved from worship songs to a Lee Greenwood performance and a presidential address, with later speeches sharpening into political calls to action.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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