"Kirk became one of the most prominent voices in America, engaging in respectful, civil discourse across college campuses, media platforms, and national forums, always seeking to elevate truth, foster understanding, and strengthen the Republic,"
Shortly following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, many politicians and pundits were quick to highlight the importance of civil discourse. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called for an " off-ramp" to political hostilities, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement condemning political violence. He lauded Kirk's "commitment to debate," adding, "The best way to honor Charlie's memory is to continue his work: engage with each other, across ideology, through spirited discourse."
According to Feinberg, 2023, in Social, Psychological, and Personality Science: "Incivility is both attention-grabbing and morally distasteful, and in line with work showing the primacy of morality, the negative influence moral disapproval has on interest, outweighs any positive influence gained by being attention-grabbing."