Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy proclaimed Oct. 14 as ‘Charlie Kirk Day’ in honour of the Conservative influencer and media personality who was killed last month.
The proclamation, dated Oct. 14, coincides with Kirk’s birthday. He would have been 32 on Tuesday.
Kirk was killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University.
“Charlie Kirk exemplified uncommon courage in pursuing dialogue where it was most difficult, showing that civil debate and principled discourse strengthen our republic and encourage and sustain the unity of the American people,” the proclamation reads.
“Charlie Kirk challenged people with grace to think critically about their beliefs, fought for the rights of those who disagreed with him to speak freely, and was a model example of how to live his faith as a Christian while fighting for the truth.”
It adds that Kirk “gave his life in defense of these freedoms.”
Kirk was a far-right political activist who regularly toured college campuses across the country, engaging college students in debates where he defended his views including criticism of the Civil Rights Act and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as opposition to gun control and affirmative action. It was during one of those tours he was shot dead.
Vigils have been happening around Alaska and the country since he was killed.
U.S. President Donald Trump also declared Oct. 14 as National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk and posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk’s wife, Erika. She is currently the CEO of Turning Point.
Dunleavy met with members of the University of Alaska Anchorage chapter of Turning Point on Tuesday.
