On Sept. 17, Homer residents gathered together on a beautiful fall day to hold a memorial service for Charlie Kirk at Mariner Beach Park. State Rep. Sarah Vance facilitated the ceremony, and there were several things worth mentioning.
First, is the service itself. There were several speakers, including church leaders from the community, a couple of citizens, and Rep. Vance. The ceremony focused on Charlie’s life and accomplishments. Rep. Vance told a moving story about a local resident who is a student at the university where Charlie Kirk was shot. The individual was in the crowd listening to Charlie speak last Wednesday when he was killed. Fortunately, the woman was unharmed, but she certainly had a close call. It is amazing how world events have an impact on people living in a remote part of Alaska like Homer.
The message during the service was one of remembrance, and that we should not hold hate in our hearts for the individual who killed Charlie. The service ended with a very moving rendition of Amazing Grace, performed by noted Homer musician Silas Jones. The speakers gave Charlie a somber but very moving tribute. I can’t think of a better way for our community to pay our respects to Charlie Kirk than what was done yesterday. Everyone involved in setting up this memorial deserves our thanks for doing so.
Since Charlie Kirk’s life focused on politics from a Christian perspective, there were a couple of other items from yesterday’s event worth mentioning.
Those who attended Charlie Kirk’s memorial were from all walks of life and all ages. They believe in conservatism and were willing to stand on the beach for an hour to honor a fallen hero.
First, is the police presence. At the beginning of the service, the first speaker noted that in the event of trouble, participants should not get involved. They should remain in place and protect themselves, while letting the police handle the situation. The speaker also noted that there was a medic in attendance should they be needed. I don’t believe I have ever attended a remembrance service where that warning had to be given. What a terrible commentary about the state of our country when the local police need to protect attendees at a memorial service. Thankfully, no bad actors showed up yesterday, but you never know. I very much appreciated the police being there to keep us safe.
The second thing that struck me was the crowd’s composition and size. It was made up of people of all ages. Families were in attendance with young kids. There were young adults, and older adults; every age group was represented. This is in marked contrast to the crowd that attended a recent left-wing street protest in Homer on Labor Day. That crowd was primarily composed of individuals over 50 years of age, looking more like a group of committed boomers, rather than a representation of the community as a whole.
Crowd composition is important because it shows the involvement and commitment of people in our town. Those who attended Charlie Kirk’s memorial were from all walks of life and all ages. They believe in conservatism and were willing to stand on the beach for an hour to honor one of our fallen heroes. They were also willing to bring their children with them. That bodes well for the future of conservatism in Homer.
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The crowd size was also important. Before the ceremony started, I took the picture. The crowd at that time was about 250 people, according to my hasty counting. More people continued to arrive after the services started, and I estimate that more than 300 people were in attendance.
This is in contrast to the Labor Day street protest organized by liberal members of our community. One of the local liberal Facebook pages thanked the 146 people who turned out to support their efforts. The Kirk memorial more was more than twice the size. When you compare those who attended these two competing events, it dispels the notion that Homer is a liberal town. The left considers 146 people for a preplanned event a good turnout. Conservatives, given short notice, show up with double those numbers.
This memorial service was a fitting remembrance of Charlie Kirk and the contributions he made to our country. Thanks to Representative Sarah Vance and the others involved, who put it together on short notice. We should remember Charlie’s life and have hope for the ideals he supported.
The views expressed here are those of Greg Sarber. Read more Sarber posts at his Seward’s Folly substack.
14 Comments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNjFAgY1alk For Charlie Kirk…….composer is singing the song. Another grieving time is in this song with another composer.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNk_K6i3WDw
Songs have a way of following prayer when you can’t put words to your grief for the loss of such a wonderful person whose heart beat in rhythm of one’s own heart. Remember that God hears your heart and your prayer no matter the means.
“Remember that God hears your heart and your prayer no matter the means.”- unless you’re LGBT+.
And from Kirk: “There’s a direct connection to inflation and the trans issue. You say, Charlie, come on. They couldn’t be further apart. No, they’re exactly the same. They’re the same in this aspect—when you believe that men can become women, why wouldn’t you also believe that you could print wealth?” I like this quote from Kirk because he recognizes that if you believe something that (to him) is patently absurd and impossible, your judgement is suspect. Here I interject that the belief in talking snakes, ghosts, angels and demons is so demonstrably false that it is fair for the believer’s critical thinking skills be questioned.
Amen, nice beach service Homer
Manny I question your critical thinking skills.
Manny is speaking gibberish, do guys think he needs a doc? Im kinda worried about him.
Manny I question your critical thinking skills. Christian’s singing praise to the lord, for Charlie and this country. May you seek the Lord one day.
Seek your lord? No chance. I’m quite happy in my secluded forest reality. Don’t need warm fairy tales.
Have it your way !HOT LONELY HELL AWAITS YOU!
I love this! And in Homer no less!
On another note, amazing how certain people seem to have no life but to be a troll on this and other conservative sites. It’s like their mission I guess. I feel s little sorry for them.
Homer, not the hippy haven it used to be.
Dave Maxwell: I’ve done good all my life. Why would your loving god torture me? Why do you fear your god and why is he vengeful but also loving? If god knows my heart and hears a fallen sparrow, I would expect I’ll be easily vetted into your heaven. I’ve seen no proof of the existence of your god. If I make it to heaven, I’ll happily eat my words.
Lying constantly to yourself and others as a Demoncrat shill and supporting the murder of unborn babies is not “doing good.”
To be clear, you do not have an absence of religion that says incredible things. You have a much stronger faith in the Atheist religion that is far less reasonable. But I do wish you well in proving your negatives and illogical philosophies. I hope you get some personal satisfaction in your proselytizing and being your own tiny god. It’s good that you get to make up your own rules of morality because you are clearly not made of stern enough stuff to be a Christian like the great Charlie Kirk.
Well Manny, the answers to your questions can be found in the Bible. God loves you, and we love you. Accept Christ and save your soul. It is the way. You could also join Tuning Point USA.
Nice piece. Just a point of reality however, the speaker who advocated for people to cower while the police respond has it all wrong. We the People are our own first line of defense. Always. Police respond to crimes committed or in progress, unless they just happen to be in the right place can’t get right time. Warren vs District of Columbia, police have no obligation to protect an individual unless they just happen police are specifically assigned to provide security for that person. Period. Live free and live alert. Thanks to the LEO’s there that day doing their best.