Charlie Kirk, assassinated activist, remembered with day-long vigil in hometown of Arlington Heights
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- The House and Senate voted to make Tuesday a National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.
In his hometown of Arlington Heights and throughout the suburbs and different parts of the country, people have been coming together to honor his memory.
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Kirk would have turned 32 years old on Tuesday if he had not been shot and killed by an assassin during a college rally in Utah last month.
At an outdoor church service in Arlington Heights, the town where Kirk grew up, he is remembered not for his politics, but mostly for his religious faith. The pastor there says whether or not one agreed with Kirk's positions, Kirk advocated for civilized discourse rather than the violence that ultimately claimed his life.
"We've got to turn the heat down a little bit and see the good in one another," said Lakewood Chapel Pastor John Ellison.
"Any time we can get together and pray for the nation and pray for the world is a great day," said Pastor Vanuatu Kanatayya.
SEE ALSO | US revokes visas for 6 foreigners over Charlie Kirk-related speech
Kirk was influential in building President Donald Trump's movement, especially among young conservatives. But some of his positions on gun violence, LGBTQ+ issues, race, and more were considered offensive and divisive by some and drew harsh criticism from liberals and others. A proposal to honor him after his death was hotly debated at his alma mater in Wheeling.
Near downtown Arlington Heights, a day-long vigil got underway, with many of the same signs and mementos placed there shortly after Kirk's assassination last month. Tom Hoskinson organized the event.
"Charlie, over his short lifespan, was reuniting a country that has never been more divided since the Civil War," Hoskinson said.
Friends and supporters of Kirk's say they are thrilled for him to be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on this day. They just wish he was still here.
"It would've been great if that medal of freedom could've been presented while Charlie was still with us," said Kirk's friend, Art Ellington.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Teachers Union hosted an event in response to the kirk day of remembrance.
Some speakers were upset by how quickly lawmakers moved to honor Kirk after his death, while other victims like 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, have not seen the same.
Alfayoumi was stabbed to death two years ago today.
Congresswoman Delia Ramirez re-introduced the "Wadee resolution" on Tuesday in his honor.
