Rune Bjerkli, leader of Kvenlandsförbundet: No one becomes as popular as Charlie Kirk without putting into words what many (young people) longed to hear. The United States is not a nation of idiots. The country is built on Christian values, the nuclear family, freedom of speech, the right to self-defence, a warning against the power of bureaucracy, and resistance to radical ego- and gender ideology. These are the cornerstones that have carried the world’s most powerful nation for nearly 250 years.

Left-leaners, identity fanatics, and the media have branded Charlie Kirk as “controversial” and worse. Opinions are demonized without context. Kirk was subjected to mockery, murdered by someone swept away in ecstasy. Some cheered, others showed no respect. Yet no one becomes as popular as Kirk without striking chords people deep down know are true. Values that made the United States the most powerful nation in the world.

For more than a hundred years, the U.S. has been a beacon for the world. In April 2024, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared: “America’s leadership is indispensable.” President Barack Obama said in 2015 that America is strong enough to be self-critical, with each generation charged to remake the nation closer to its highest ideals.

Charlie Kirk held to the traditional values that are the foundation of U.S. authority. Before dinner with his young family, he folded his hands, bowed his head, and prayed: “Thank You, Lord, for today and for this food. Please bless our family and all families. Bless this meal to our bodies. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

America’s fundamental values

The U.S. was founded on the search for truth, hard work, the nuclear family, and a humble faith. Solutions are found in facts, progress is created through effort, independent families are the cornerstone, and guidance comes from a higher power. These values have carried the nation for nearly 250 years and built the world’s most powerful country.

The greatest resource is the people. In 1962, John F. Kennedy declared that America would go to the moon “not because it is easy, but because it is hard.” That spirit still drives the nation.

Kirk warned of eroding American values. Far too many embraced feelings over facts, excuses over work, self-centeredness over family, and the belief in being your own god.

Brutal political power games harm the people. Trump has harnessed this frustration. Biden’s first year as president exposed the irrationality of the left.

Kirk was subjected to mockery, murdered by someone swept away in ecstasy.

The far left promotes a victim culture—where hurt feelings grant the right to harm opponents. When it comes to gender, Republicans affirm biological facts, while Democrats claim identity follows feelings. Swing voters are moved by facts, not emotions.

To be heard and to lead, one must speak truth. For over 10 years, Charlie Kirk championed six American truths—deeply rooted and successful values that built the U.S. They apply today, and while some may disagree, they are far from controversial.

Six American Truths

1. Christianity as the nation’s moral framework
   Kirk’s message was that the U.S. is founded on Christian values, and that a return to the holy scriptures is vital for the nation’s future. He affirmed that America’s identity is tied to its Christian roots.
2. The nuclear family as a universal and essential institution
   Kirk referred to the joy of his daughter’s embraces when he came home from work as euphoric—more than meeting the president or anything else. He linked the decline of the nuclear family, such as no-fault divorce, to social problems. It leads to negative outcomes for children: Sons ending up in prison and daughters having poor relationships with men.
3. Freedom of speech as a prerequisite for progress and understanding
   Kirk emphasized the First Amendment. He argued that bad ideas can be exposed through open and thorough debate. He claimed intellectual growth comes from confronting and refuting false viewpoints with facts and logic.
4. The Second Amendment right to bear arms
   He defended the right of people to self-defense, and the people’s defense against a potentially tyrannical government. Norwegians have never understood that the main purpose of America’s first constitutional amendments is to safeguard the people against government abuse.
5. The danger of bureaucracy for the individual and a free society
   He said that government bureaucracy can not only become inefficient, but inherently hostile to the individual. He pointed out that bureaucracies become self-sustaining and can undermine personal freedom and societal well-being. This aligns with what the founder of bureaucracy theory, Max Weber (1864–1920), also emphasized.
6. The absurdity of radical ego- and gender ideology
   Kirk argued that the “woke” movement and its cancel culture are a dangerous attack on facts and people. He claimed radical gender claims defy biology and common sense. He opposed medical gender transition of children, and men competing in women’s sports. In a few years, the left will also have to take the same stance if they want to win elections.

Truth is the most dangerous opponent

Kirk also highlighted several other values and ideas. He was a value-driven, knowledgeable debater. Truth has the best odds of overturning prevailing perceptions. That is dangerous—and a threat to the status quo.

When the first human set foot on the moon in 1969, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong said: “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Charlie Kirk’s mission to restore America’s core values was about more than one nation—it was about keeping the U.S. on the right path so that the world can continue to take great leaps forward.