In August 2024, we penned an article titled “Evil Does Not Sleep” in which we quoted the fictional character Galadriel (played by Morfydd Clark) from the Prime Video series “The Rings of Power”.
“You have not seen what I have seen. Evil does not sleep; it waits, and in the moment of our complacency, it bloods us.”
In that article, we also stated that: “Unfortunately, what was true in that fictional Elvan world is just as accurate today in the real world. This statement from Galadriel is a stark reminder that evil is not a one-time adversary but a persistent force that requires our constant vigilance and awareness.”
As events have unfolded since August of last year, this admonition from Galadriel has taken on new meaning as we have seen world events unfolding since then. We live in perilous times, where some among us sow seeds of doubt and resort to violence to achieve their goals. Evil is not a concept; it is a reality that we face each day.
The Charlie Kirk Effect
I have not forgotten that article, because every day when I turn on the news, this quote seems to be at the forefront of the news. But it came back front and center in my mind when I heard the anchors on FOX NEWS repeat the quote in the context of describing Charlie Kirk’s assassination. It resonated with them as a clear and concise description of the battle raging around the world.
More than once, I mentioned to my wife that I had a great deal of admiration for Charlie Kirk. It took tremendous energy and courage to go on college campuses week after week to discuss and debate ideas. I watched more than one video on YouTube of him taking on verbal abuse and rebutting arguments with logic and common sense. From free speech to transgender issues to Bible or faith issues to Constitutional issues, he discussed them all. The premise of his plan was to get young people on college campuses who disagreed with his position to debate their positions openly. He won over many with his logical arguments, calm demeanor, and convictions.
His skills became honed over time, and he also engaged in debates at Cambridge, participated in television interviews, and appeared in a host of other venues where he discussed issues respectfully with anyone who wanted to join the conversation. One of his excellent skills was maintaining his calm demeanor, which only highlighted the insanity of the other debater’s position. I find it difficult to believe that he did not think his death was a possibility, maybe even a probability. Yet he pressed on in his quest to influence the next generation of Americans.
Kirk’s influence was so broad that he became an advisor to many powerful and influential people. So much so that we now have a new phenomenon known as the “Charlie Kirk effect.”
Those on the left want to describe him as incendiary. If a willingness to discuss and debate ideas and positions in an open society is incendiary, then I need a refresher in political debate.
Many want to characterize him as an incendiary figure, but no more so than other martyrs. For Kirk to the labeled as incendiary, you would need to lump him in with Martin Luther King, Robert F. Kennedy, and John Kennedy. Time will tell us if his legacy is that large. But his intelligence was unmistakable.
“He always loved the challenge of changing the hearts and minds of the youth. He saw them as the future, the turning point to move the needle of conservative policies and principles. He took the battle right to the campuses with both his words and his debating style. His impact in this realm cannot be overstated.”
As with the death of others, his passing has galvanized his supporters and encouraged others to take up his causes. It is not rare for there to be a surge in enthusiasm following his death, but I believe this will be an actual “turning point” for many.
Antifa and a Lack of Logic
The very antithesis of the Charlie Kirk and Turning Point movement is played out in Portland, Seattle, Denver, and other locations by Antifa. Violent, rude, disrespectful, and destructive to property and lives are the hallmarks of this group. You can call yourself anything in America, but calling yourself “anti-fascist” while looking and acting like fascists is so antithetical to common sense that everyone sees through the veil of political theatre.
The clear distinctions between Turning Point and Antifa come in violence and a willingness to have an open dialogue on issues. Whereas Charlie Kirk was willing to discuss and debate ideas in a non-violent manner, Antifa can only yell, scream, and destroy.
A big distinction between Antifa and Turning Point is leadership. Turning Point clearly had a founder and leader and a clear mission. It is claimed that Antifa is some amorphous, leaderless organization with a common purpose. These concepts seem antithetical since a formless and leaderless organization cannot coordinate and fund itself. In my opinion, Antifa is an extremist organization born out of the dissatisfaction and failure of the 1960s movements.
“The lack of a centralised organisation means that Antifa cells tend to form organically, both online and offline, and its activists include anarchists, communists and hardline socialists who broadly share anti-government, anti-capitalist, pro-LGBTQ and pro-immigration views.”
Unless I have missed something, this sounds like the very heart of the Woke Movement of the past few years. We know from history that such groups cannot be eradicated, but with some work, they can be relegated to their anachronistic place in time and history.
Antifa involves organization, transportation, legal funds, living expenses, food, and shelter. This does not happen amorphously. Whether it is top-down or bottom-up, there is organization.
In some strange quirk of logic, many “news” organizations work to prove that Antifa is spontaneous, non-violent, and is just protesting President Trump and his policies. But their existence pre-dates President Trump, and you only believe that they are non-violent if you have no access to video news. We would need to avoid all media sources, put on our hippie beads, and sit around the fireside singing Kumbaya while smoking some well-aged 1960s weed to buy into that narrative.
What Comes Next?
For Turning Point USA, the future depends on leadership, continued enthusiasm, and grassroots funding. In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, enthusiasm is high, and many are working to start high school and college chapters. The initial enthusiasm will moderate, but I believe there is enough interest for it to make a change in our colleges and to influence young voters for decades. Funding for Turning Point USA was already significant, and Kirk’s death will create a surge that will help them gain momentum.
Logically, some of the funding for Antifa comes from a central source, and we have the technology and resources within Homeland Security, the FBI, and the IRS to identify it. For many, including me, the issue will not be whether we find the sources, but whether we have the courage and determination to expose and pursue them. Taking away the tax-exempt status of organizations is often enough to dry them up, and this would seem like a logical step. Taxpayers do not need to fund organizations working to destroy our way of life.
A Historical Struggle
Turning Point USA is on the right side of history, and by advocating for the rights of those who believe or oppose their mission, they position themselves correctly. It is in our American DNA to have the right to protest. But outside of extremes, the right to violently protest and intentionally violate the rights of others is not in the fabric of the nation.
“It darkens the heart to call dark deeds ’good.’ It gives a place for evil to thrive inside us.”
You cannot say you are fighting fascism while creating acts that are fascist in nature. Rooting out evil is an epic fight and takes vigilance. Charlie Kirk knew this, and he was in the struggle when the forces of evil arose again.
Resources and Further Reading
‘The Charlie Kirk Effect’: Young Americans Flood Churches After Kirk’s Assassination, by J. Galt, The Dallas Express, dallasexpress.com, October 5, 2025.
Explainer-What is antifa and why is Trump targeting it?, by James Oliphant, Reuters, reuters.com, ~October 7, 2025.
Multiple organizations dig into dark money sources; who’s funding Antifa?, by Geoff Harris, 6NEWS: The National News Desk, cbs6albany.com, October 13, 2025.
Shadow Funds: Uncovering the Economics of Antifa, by Erin Cruz, Public Dispatch, publicdispatch.org, October 7, 2025.
The ‘Charlie Kirk effect’ is real. Thousands are coming to faith in Jesus, by Chip Kendall, Christianity, premierchristianity.com, September 24, 2025.
The Killing of Charlie Kirk and the Political Violence Haunting America, by Eric Cortellessa, Time, time.com, September 10, 2025.
Turning Point USA Sees Record Growth: 32,000+ Sign Up to Start New Chapters, by Patriot Pivot, patriotpivot.com, September 16, 2025.
What is Antifa and why is Donald Trump targeting it?, by Shayan Sardarizadeh and Kayleen Devlin, BBC, bbc.com, October 9, 2025.
