Florida Parish News

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and other members of the House in Washington, D.C., to honor Charlie Kirk’s life and legacy at a prayer vigil.

Scalise spoke about Kirk’s influence, saying, “Charlie Kirk was taken from us way too soon. So young, but yet you think about the impact that this young man had on this great country. Frankly, if you look at the last few days, you can see the impact that Charlie Kirk had on the entire world. To see the outpouring, as the Speaker said, of love, and truly so much love for Charlie and what he represented, and for the beautiful family he left behind. Erika, the powerful words that Erika spoke the other night, hopefully continue to show America and the world that Charlie's legacy will live on and endure.

“What he stood for needs to endure because what brought Charlie to public life was really first a concern that the ability to go to college just to learn and to express your own ideas, maybe even ideas of disagreement with somebody else, with a professor, that those powerful ideas were being threatened on our campuses. That was eroding. That free speech, that ability to debate in a civil way, was being taken away. And he wasn't one of those people that just said he was going to complain about it. He actually vowed to do something about it. He didn't just start an organization called Turning Point USA. Charlie Kirk started a movement, a movement that's going to grow and thrive and represent those ideals that Charlie hopefully instilled in people that didn't even agree with him. He was asked what he wanted to be remembered for. Not something, frankly, that young people would be asked, but he was asked that. And what he said is, ‘I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life.’ And you could see it when you listened to him. It's what gravitated millions of people to Charlie Kirk. And it wasn't just young people on college campuses.”

Scalise also emphasized the importance of civil discourse: “People, seasoned veterans of political discourse, were drawn to that same message because it wasn't just about debating politics. It was about expressing your faith and why it's so important to be able to do that freely. And we can never live in fear. We can never let whatever people think drives them not to debate, but to try to resort to political violence. It can never be accepted as the norm in this great country. It goes against everything that our country was founded upon.

“In fact, the most powerful notion of America was not just that our rights are granted to us by God, but that you have the right to question your government. You have a right to question your leaders and then to do something about it. And the way you do something about it is you settle those differences at the ballot box. And Charlie truly believed that. He led movements to get young people engaged in the political process, and it truly has made a difference. And that will not end. In fact, just judging by the tens of thousands of people who reached out over the weekend and said they want to start their own Turning Point chapters in their colleges or in their high schools, shows you that this movement will only grow, and it needs to grow.”

Reflecting on faith during difficult times Scalise added: “At this time, it's also important that we lean on our faith because we can all question, ‘Why?’ Why was Charlie taken? Why are those two beautiful young kids going to grow up without their father? Let us vow that Erika is always going to have our prayers and our support, that she's able, and she will make sure those young kids know the power of their father. They will always remember Charlie.

“When we think about our faith I think about Isaiah 43... God bless you Charlie Kirk.”

Steve Scalise currently serves as U.S Representative for Louisiana’s 1st district since 2008 after succeeding Bobby Jindal https://scalise.house.gov/about. Prior roles include serving in both chambers of Louisiana’s state legislature before joining Congress https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/S001176. Born in New Orleans in 1965 Scalise resides in Jefferson https://www.nola.com/news/politics/steve-scalises-life-in-photos/article_14c9db7e-fd2b-11ee-b4fd-c3df3996bd06.html and holds a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University.