Remembering Courage A Call Against Silence
Uncle Bobby –
Dear Uncle Bobby, On this day, we remember 9/11 and its terrible cost. Now with the news of Charlie Kirk being assassinated while speaking publicly, I’m worried. How do we honor victims of terror, and still have courage to speak our minds when disagreement seems to lead to violence?
Reflective Rememberance
Now y'all know normally Uncle Bobby’s here to give you the worst advice you’ll ever hear, wrapped up in a smirk. But today ain’t normal. Today, truth matters more than the joke.
Today, of all days, we remember what cowardice looks like. On 9/11 we saw an attack born of fear and hatred – innocent lives stolen not because of who they were, but because others were afraid of their beliefs, their freedoms, their presence. We also saw moments of courage: people stepping forward, first responders rushing in, strangers helping strangers. They understood that letting fear win would be the greater loss.
Then there’s what happened recently: Charlie Kirk, killed on a rooftop sniper’s bullet while speaking publicly. Young. A father. Part of a tradition of debate, engagement – and now, silenced. Not by argument, not by persuasion, but by violence. That is cowardice at its worst. Hidden bullet. Aim from above. Silence imposed.
We are living in a time when disagreements are met with guns, not words. When speaking openly can mean risking your life. That is not the America I think many of us want. That is not a society built on free exchange or respectful debate; that is a society sliding toward fear, toward distrust, toward shutting down before we even speak.
But here’s what I believe – we remember so that courage doesn’t die. We honor the fallen by refusing to cloak our thoughts in silence. We can disagree loudly – civilly – without calling for death. We can demand that public discourse means more than choosing sides on social media. We must insist that the answer to hateful ideas is more speech, not fewer lives.
Yes, we mourn. We pray. We reflect. We also rise. Because terror, assassination, cowardice – they all depend on shutting you up. And every time you speak – even when your voice shakes – you defy them.
So today let’s remember. Let’s mourn. Let’s call out violence wherever it hides. And let’s vow, as Uncle Bobby’s advice: Speak your mind. Defend your beliefs. Listen to others. Demand safety for public speech, not privilege for those who choose fear.
Because cowardice wins when silence becomes the norm. And I, for one, would rather sound foolish speaking truth than sound safe staying quiet.
– Uncle Bobby