Charlie Kirk’s death is America’s turning point

Something profoundly important may, one hopes, have happened to America’s understanding of itself when a sniper murdered Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10. This is despite our becoming sadly familiar with political violence, not least because of two assassination attempts against President Donald Trump last year.

Back then, Trump got up quickly from the ground after being hit, pumped his fist, and called on supporters to “fight.” So the attack in Butler, Pennsylvania, shocking though it was, did not have time to produce that sickening feeling of irremediable damage that comes with absolute loss. He and his movement grew stronger after the attack.

But after Kirk was felled, a different feeling of hollow dread settled heavily onto the national consciousness. This was partly due to the circumstances

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