Patriotic Parade Honors Charlie Kirk's Legacy

Like so many others around the world, we were horrified to hear of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. And like so many others around the world, I kept praying that he would survive. We have been listening to Charlie Kirk for years and were truly amazed at how much knowledge he had and how he could discuss so many topics with so many people so professionally and competently. I also saw how compassionate he was. I was impressed at how he would put down his microphone to listen to others who spoke, whether he agreed with them or not. And he would ask those speaking just as many questions as they would ask him.

It was in recent years that I noticed how many people were speaking ill of him, calling him hateful names, and I couldn’t understand why. That is, until I started noticing that the media, be it mainstream television or social media, only played selective clips of his talks. His words were being taken out of context. The entire video wasn’t being shown, only snippets that would support their hateful narrative. Such an injustice.

When we learned there would be a patriotic parade on the day of Charlie Kirk’s birthday, we

planned to attend. We were just one of dozens of decorated vehicles that paraded through the streets of Dowagiac—with wonderful assistance from the police department—all peaceful. And then to see the park filled with people, dressed in freedom shirts and other patriotic clothing, come together to celebrate the life of Charlie Kirk—well, that was amazing.

The event was so well organized, thanks to Pamela Olivarez and her team. It started on time, ran smoothly through town, and included a few speakers whose talks were filled with

compassion, positive messages, and prayer. People also had a chance to enjoy popcorn and

sweet treats donated by local residents/businesses.

It was heartwarming to be surrounded by people who were filled with love, hope, faith,

and the desire to commemorate the life of a truly amazing young man.