Community Comes Together to Honor Charlie Kirk

By Kami-Leigh Agard

Last Wednesday, September 17, the sky was heavy with not just gray clouds, but heavy hearts from the wave of people who came from all over to the boardwalk on Beach 126th Street for a memorial to commemorate the life of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA. The event was hosted by Councilwoman Joann Ariola’s Chief of Staff, Phyllis Inserillo. Significantly, September 17 also commemorated Constitution Day, marking the day when Congress signed the now 238-year-old U.S. Constitution. And like a mother and daughter from Howard Beach said, “This is not about politics, this is about a life.”

Though dwarfed in numbers compared to the thousands that attended the Kirk memorial held this past Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, the scores that flooded Rockaway’s boardwalk emoted the same passion. Holding up signs: “I Am Charlie Kirk,” We Love Charlie,” and wearing, “Make America Great Again,” baseball hats — though politics had a seat, it was not in the front row.

The boardwalk memorial kicked off with music played from American country singer Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.”: “Cause the flag still stands for freedom. And they can’t take that away. And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me…”

As Inserillo recited the Constitution’s Preamble, attendees rang bells.

“We remember our forefathers and their sacrifices in creating the land of the free and home of the brave, I ask you to join us in ringing the bells for one minute, much as the church bells of Philadelphia rang out when the U.S. Constitution was first signed at 4 p.m. on September 17th, 1787,” she said.

Also, people from all faiths, chimed in with singing of hymns and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

As attendees chanted, “Charlie-Charlie-Charlie!” a toddler scribbled with chalk, “I love Charlie.”

A 19-year-old from Howard Beach, who didn’t want to disclose her name, said, “As stated in the Bible, ‘We’re just called to love one another,’ and I think it’s disgusting that we’re so willing to take people apart for their beliefs, instead of just saying, ‘We’re human.’ And I think that people are losing that.”

Her mother added, “Charlie’s death was not about politics, race or religion. This was a targeted assassination of a young man with a wife and children.”

Another attendee, 30-year-old Kyle Wade, a member of the Rockaway Republican Club’s (RRC) Sandy Elephants, said, “I’m touched by this because Charlie was my age, just one-year older than me, voicing his beliefs and also giving others a platform to voice theirs. I loved his ‘Prove Me Wrong’ table. To get people my age involved, whatever their political belief, is hard. They don’t go to church or watch the news. They’re just glued to social media. Charlie was trying to change that. The news does suck as it’s mostly negative, but how else can we stay informed? This was Charlie’s mission—to keep us informed and have a platform to debate.”

Wade’s comrade, hailing from Roxbury, said, “Charlie didn’t even go to college. All he wanted were civil conversations. On college campuses, he would debate: ‘Why do you support Hamas?’ ‘What’s the definition of a fascist?’”

Also, this past Wednesday, the RRC’s September monthly meeting at Breezy Point Catholic Club honored Charlie Kirk with keynote speaker Michael Gianino, founder and president of Turing Point USA at Baruch College.

RRC’s Paul King shared, “We wanted to recognize Charlie Kirk, and thought it would be impactful to bring someone from Turning Point. What’s different about the RRC versus other political clubs, is we engage with everyone, regardless of political affiliation—Republican, Democrat, Independent, whatever. Just like Charlie, we want to give the next generation a chance to engage and be involved. Charlie’s memorial on the boardwalk really showed the good, amidst the poison that’s out there. Charlie’s light will continue to shine.”