In an emotional appeal to young Americans, Cox spoke of the importance of respecting others who hold opposing views and warned that if there cannot safely be a “clash of ideas,” there can not be solutions to the nation’s problems.
“This is certainly about the tragic death, assassination, political assassination of Charlie Kirk, but it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual,” the governor said. “It is an attack on all of us, an attack on the American experiment, it is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been and who we could be in better times.”
Cox said that political violence is different from other forms of violence and called for “moral clarity.”
He said Robinson will be charged soon for the violence he allegedly perpetrated, and said there is only one person responsible for the act: the suspected shooter.
“Always forgive your enemies — nothing annoys them so much,” Cox said Kirk used to say.
Cox said Kirk encouraged vigorous debate, and Cox said the phrase “words are violence” isn’t true.
“Words are not violence. Violence is violence,” Cox said.
He also praised the public’s response to Kirk’s assassination, which he said was not met with looting, burning or other violence but instead with prayers and vigils.
“History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us,” Cox said.
The governor warned that political violence metastasizes, with one side pointing the finger at the other, and appealed to elected officials to resist assigning blame.