Peaceful disagreement and civil discourse

by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D., President / CEO, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

In the wake of the recent murder of national political activist Charlie Kirk, there has been an outpouring of confusion, speculation and misinformation about why he was targeted. So much so that I chose to wait before speaking publicly.

But regardless of what is ultimately revealed about the killer’s motives, one truth has become clear: Kirk died while exercising one of the most sacred rights we hold as Americans — our right to free speech.

The issue is not whether one agreed or disagreed with what Kirk had to say, but that he had the right to say it, and that no one had the right to take that away from him.

Freedom of speech is essential to the pursuit of truth in the marketplace of ideas. It is also essential if we are to hold our governments accountable. It allows citizens, journalists and thinkers to challenge power, question authority and shine light into darkness. It is one of freedom’s greatest guardians.

Throughout history, free speech has been a powerful force for good. Without it, we would not have overcome many of our deepest social injustices, nor achieved the cultural, intellectual and technological advancements that have shaped the modern world.

The antithesis of free speech and civic discourse is violence. It puts an end to productive communication. Violence is the cheap and easy way to attempt to silence those with whom one disagrees.

With the killing of Kirk, we witnessed violence bring about the death of one man, but I am confident that we have not witnessed the death of civic discourse.

In the past week, I’ve seen many people struggle to voice their worries about what Kirk’s death means for the future of civil discussion and disagreement. What happens next is up to each of us.

Now is the time to reject violence as a path to power, to speak up for civil debate, and to embrace the hard and sometimes uncomfortable work of peaceful disagreement — what Hawaiians call kapu aloha.

Now is the time to show that the answer to a bad idea is not to silence it, but rather propose better ideas — as expressed through freedom of speech.

If there is hope to be found in these difficult times, it lies in the voices — regardless of their political views — of those who have spoken out in defense of civil discourse and free speech. It’s a sign that we might yet move from fear toward hope, strengthened by our shared commitment to liberty.

E hana kākou! (Let's work together!)