I've been reading a lot lately about the life of Charlie Kirk. Of course I'd heard of the name, but the narrative was that this was yet another Richard Spencer, Nick Fuentes-type rabble-rouser out to "own the libs" for fun and profit. That's about all I "knew" about him until his assassination this past week. After hearing about what a loss this was to the country, I did some digging and was surprised at just how NUANCED he was on many subjects when speaking. You see, many conservatives are known for being loud and bombastic. Framing everything in black or white with no shades of gray at all. This is one of the reasons I tend to stay away from talking politics with those on the far right, as they tend to have closed minds, love to belittle people, and like to shout. Liberals and progressives on the other hand can engage in rich and rewarding conversations with both sides willing to listen and learn. In short, with a compelling argument and solid facts, you have a chance of convincing a liberal. A conservative? Not so much. Try speaking to a conservative. They are immune to facts, with minds zipped up so tight that no information can get in. Like a black hole where even light cannot escape. That's why it was so illuminating to watch videos of Charlie Kirk. I had no idea he had mics set up where people could speak to him directly and have an actual back-and-forth. You know, a real conversation. Imagine that. A conservative that actually listens. It's like searching the woods and finding a rare unicorn. 

"Burn the Witch!"

Yes I did see some of his more shocking opinions (where he was absolutely wrong BTW), but was heartened to learn that like me, he inhaled knowledge, and since he was so young when he started his journey, there was plenty of runway for him to learn and course-correct. That is until the events of this past week when his life was cut short at a way-too-young 31. I pray for his wife and kids as they deal with this loss. Let me be clear. No ne should be killed for their political beliefs. Thankfully, the killer has been found and arrested. Let's hope that justice is fair and swift. Let him have his day in court, and then let him receive what he richly deserves. I never had the chance to see him in person, but from what I'm hearing from my conservative friends, Charlie Kirk was a once-in-a-century kind of guy. Hopefully his movement will birth more bright minds like himself that are willing to listen and grow as a person. And that brings me to Hive... I think too often we engage in disastrous cycles of 'Burn the Witch' campaigns which are detrimental to our future growth. I've been away busy creating on other platforms for the last few months, and it looks like I've missed the latest version of the [Salem Witch Trials](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/) of which I have no intention of getting involved in. Jesus once said "[Let him who is without sin, cast the fist stone.](https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-jesus-meant-when-he-said-let-he-who-is-without-sin-cast-the-first-stone.html)" I won't be casting any stones at anybody. I think the important lesson we can learn from the life of Charlie Kirk is that you can't learn if you're not listening. I plan to listen more.