Their Enemy Within

On September 16, 2025, the USA Senate by voice vote unanimously approved a resolution condemning the murder six days earlier of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. It was introduced by Republican senator Mike Lee of Utah, who

introduced the resolution shortly after Kirk’s death last week, calling on his colleagues to condemn his assassination “in the strongest possible terms” while also honoring his life and “commitment to the constitutional principles of civil discussion and debate between all people in the United States regardless of political affiliation.” The resolution passed in a unanimous voice vote when it was brought to the Senate floor for consideration.

“This is just a flag, planted on a hill,” Lee said of his resolution. “What matters is where we carry it next.”

The Senator was not just (warning: cliches ahead) blowing smoke or whistling Dixie. There was an array of speakers at the memorial service turned political rally. held in Glendale, Arizona five days later. Among the Trump Administration notables was presidential advisor Stephen Miller, whose remarks- accurately described here as "fiery"- included

They cannot conceive of the army that they have arisen in all of us because we stand for what is good, what is virtuous, what is noble. And to those trying to incite violence against us, those trying to foment hatred against us, what do you have? You have nothing. You are nothing. You are wickedness. You are jealousy. You are envy. You are hatred. You are nothing. You can build nothing. You can produce nothing. You can create nothing.

We are the ones who build. We are the ones who create. We are the ones who lift up humanity. You thought you could kill Charlie Kirk. You have made him immortal. You have immortalized Charlie Kirk. And now millions will carry on his legacy. And we will devote the rest of our lives to finishing the causes for which Charlie gave his last measure of devotion. You cannot defeat us. You cannot slow us. You cannot stop us. You cannot deter us.

We will carry Charlie and Erika in our heart every single day and fight that much harder because of what you did to us. You have no idea the dragon you have awakened. You have no idea how determined we will be to save the civilization, to save the West, to save this republic, because our children are strong and our grandchildren will be strong. And our children's children's children will be strong.

And what will you leave behind? Nothing. Nothing. To our enemies, you have nothing to give. You have nothing to offer. You have nothing to share but bitterness. We have beauty. We have light. We have goodness. We have determination. We have vision. We have strength. We built the world that we inhabit now, generation by generation.

When you saw or read of the speech, you probably were not surprised to learn that Miller did not specify the "they" because, of course, he didn't. 

And neither has Mike Lee:

I’m still furious that they killed Charlie Kirk

And then celebrated his murder, claiming it was morally justified

And then mocked him—along with his grieving widow

America needs Charlie Kirk and his unique gifts now more than ever

That’s why they killed him pic.twitter.com/a9RPfrdu13

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) November 6, 2025

The Utah senator didn't say who "they" str who killed Charlie Kirk. Neither does he say who "celebrated his murder" or "mocked him" or "his grieving widow." 

There was a time when conservatives mocked liberals for blaming crime on "society." No longer, because now it is an undefined, collective "they." Individual responsibility- or at least a claim to individual responsibility- is out, and fostering hate and division is in. "We're under invasion from within," President Trump declared two weeks ago. No different from a foreign enemy but more difficult in may ways because they don't wear uniforms. At least when they're wearing a uniform you can take them out" (or when they're in a boat).

And a lesson to this story. Democrats in September unanimously joined Republicans in condemning the murder of an individual whose ideological stance- opposition to the LGBTYQIA community,  abortion rights, gun safety legislation, black women-  was anathema to Democrats.  But for the sake of comity (or decency) they mourned the assassination of a right-wing Republican.

We have since seen the response of Mike Lee, members of the Trump Administration, and many other conservative Republicans to the Democratic effort to stand as one with Republicans over a matter of national concern, the murder of a conservative activist with millions of supporters.  It is to blame "they" and "them."   Democrats have been warned. They should take notice.

 

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