We Need Law, Civil Discourse, and Normal Politics More Than Ever

The assassination of Charlie Kirk comes in a time when social trust is already badly frayed. And it strikes at a particularly vulnerable part of our system: the free and open exchange of ideas, especially on college campuses. Consider the four most spectacular political murders of 2025 in the United States.

First, we had the Boulder, Colo., Molotov cocktail attack on Jewish marchers who were remembering the October 7 attacks and calling for freeing the hostages. An attack on a citizen political demonstration is a blow to free speech, and a particular blow to the public participation of American Jews.

About the Author

Dan McLaughlin

Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute.

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The assassination of Charlie Kirk comes in a time when social trust is already badly frayed. And it strikes at a particularly vulnerable part of our system: the free and open exchange of ideas, especially on college campuses. Consider the four most spectacular political murders of 2025 in the United States.

First, we had the Boulder, Colo., Molotov cocktail attack on Jewish marchers who were remembering the October 7 attacks and calling for freeing the hostages. An attack on a citizen political demonstration is a blow to free speech, and a particular blow to the public participation of American Jews.