When Hatred Pulls the Trigger: A Call to Prayer and Hope
September 10, 2025
Well now, friends, I’m sitting here this evening with a heavy heart and a mind that just won’t quit spinning. Sweet tea’s gone warm in my glass, and the words I need to share feel as thick as Louisiana molasses trying to make their way onto this page.
Today I watched something that shook me to my core – a video of young Charlie Kirk being shot at an event out in Utah. Now, I don’t know about y’all, but when I see violence like this, especially against someone who’s dedicated his life to inspiring young folks toward faith and patriotism, it just about breaks this old Southern heart in two.
The Poison of Hatred
Lord have mercy, what must have been going through that shooter’s mind? What kind of darkness takes root in a person’s soul that makes them think violence is the answer to disagreement? That pulling a trigger somehow settles a political debate or silences an idea?
It reminds me of something my Cajun mamaw used to say: “Cher, hatred is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” That shooter thought he was striking a blow against what Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA represent, but all he’s done is poison his own soul and strengthen the very cause he tried to destroy.
You see, hatred doesn’t think straight. It doesn’t calculate consequences. It just burns and destroys, starting with the person who harbors it.
When Martyrdom Multiplies the Message
Here’s what that troubled soul didn’t understand – and what those who celebrate such violence fail to grasp: You can’t kill an idea with a bullet. You can’t silence truth with violence. All you do is create a martyr, and martyrs have a way of speaking louder in death than they ever did in life.
Charlie Kirk spent his days encouraging young Americans to love their country, to value their faith, and to stand up for principles that built this great nation. Now, because of one person’s hatred, that message is going to spread further and faster than it ever would have otherwise. Young people who never heard of Turning Point USA are going to seek it out. Students who might have rolled their eyes at conservative values are going to wonder what was so threatening about this young man that someone felt the need to silence him forever.
The shooter thought he was ending something. Instead, he’s just given it wings.
A Time for Prayer, Not Celebration
Now, I’ve seen some folks on social media already picking sides, already turning this tragedy into political ammunition. Some are using Charlie’s shooting to bash conservatives, others to attack liberals. Y’all, that’s exactly the wrong response, and it’s exactly what the enemy wants – more division, more hatred, more poison flowing through our communities.
What we need right now is prayer. Not just for Charlie and his family, though they surely need our prayers as they navigate this unimaginable tragedy. We need to pray for:
– The young people who looked up to Charlie as a mentor and leader
– The staff and volunteers at Turning Point USA who are grieving and probably scared
– The students across America who are wondering if it’s safe to stand up for their beliefs
– And yes, friends, we need to pray for those who hated Charlie Kirk and what he stood for
That last one might stick in your craw a bit, but hear me out.
Praying for Our Enemies
Jesus didn’t mince words when He told us to pray for our enemies. He didn’t say “pray for the people who are just a little bit annoying” or “pray for folks who disagree with you politely.” He said pray for those who persecute you, who hate you, who would do you harm.
The people who are celebrating Charlie’s shooting tonight – they need our prayers more than anyone. Their hearts are so hardened, their minds so poisoned by hatred, that they see the murder of a 31-year-old man as cause for celebration. That’s a level of spiritual darkness that should break our hearts, not inflame our anger.
We need to pray that God would soften those hardened hearts, that He would replace their hatred with His love, their darkness with His light. Because if we don’t, if we let hatred continue to fester and grow, there will be more shootings, more violence, more families destroyed by the poison of political rage.
Choosing Light in Dark Times
I know it’s tempting to respond to hatred with hatred, to match their anger with our own. But that’s not who we’re called to be, and it’s not going to heal our broken nation.
Instead, we choose to:
– Pray more fervently for our leaders, our communities, and yes, our enemies
– Love more boldly those around us, even when they disagree with us
– Stand more firmly for truth and righteousness, knowing that doing so might make us targets too
– Trust more deeply that God’s justice will prevail, even when human justice fails
Charlie Kirk believed in the power of young people to change America for the better. The best way to honor his memory isn’t to respond with the same hatred that killed him – it’s to double down on hope, to invest even more in the next generation, to prove that love really is stronger than hate.
A Challenge for Us All
So here’s my challenge for all of us, whether you agreed with Charlie Kirk’s politics or not: Don’t let the shooter win. Don’t let hatred have the last word.
If you supported Charlie’s work, support it even more now. Mentor a young person. Get involved in your community. Stand up for your values with courage and grace.
If you disagreed with Charlie’s politics, disagree better. Engage in civil debate. Find common ground. Show the world that Americans can have passionate disagreements without resorting to violence.
And all of us – every last one – need to get on our knees and pray. Pray for healing in our land. Pray for wisdom for our leaders. Pray for protection for those who stand up for what they believe. And pray for the kind of revival that can melt hatred from human hearts.
Hope in the Darkness
Y’all, I won’t lie to you – nights like this test my faith. They make me wonder if we’ve gone too far down this dark road to find our way back to the light. But then I remember that our God specializes in bringing beauty from ashes, in making all things work together for good for those who love Him.
Charlie Kirk’s life mattered. His message mattered. And his death, as senseless and tragic as it is, can matter too – if we let it drive us to our knees, to our Bibles, and to each other in love rather than in hatred.
The shooter thought he was writing the end of Charlie’s story. But God has a way of turning periods into commas, of making endings into new beginnings. Charlie’s real legacy isn’t in what was silenced today – it’s in what will be amplified tomorrow by everyone who refuses to let hatred have the last word.
So let’s pray, friends. Let’s love. Let’s hope. And let’s prove that in America, light still conquers darkness.
Until next time, keep your hearts open, your prayers flowing, and your faith strong.
Dean Burnette
Southern Fried Thoughts
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If you’re struggling with anger or hatred toward those who celebrated today’s tragedy, remember that praying for our enemies doesn’t mean excusing their actions – it means entrusting justice to God while we focus on healing our own hearts and our broken world.
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