A Call for Civility in Front Royal: A Local Encounter Prompts Reflection on How We Talk Across Differences

As we all watch and try to process the recent events surrounding the heinous murder of Charlie Kirk, a young 31-year-old man (married and the father of two children), we ask ourselves what kind of hatred and what kind of vitriol coming from our political leaders on the left can inspire someone to take the life of another human being.

It has to be a deep-seated disrespect for another human being’s right to express their beliefs … beliefs that we may adamantly disagree with.

However, our nation was built and, until recently, thrived on the exchange of different viewpoints that were strenuously debated but rarely, if ever, ended in the murder of another human being.

That deep-seated hatred and vitriol that fueled the murder of Charlie Kirk is alive and well in Front Royal and was on full display this past weekend at such an unlikely venue as a local food truck.

While waiting in line to order, I struck up a conversation with the father of a family of three (husband, wife, and one younger person). Food was discussed, and such topics as where we each lived (turned out to be that both our families resided in the “Happy Creek” district).

Because my wife and I were out and about that day seeking locations to plant a yard sign for Col. Joseph Stahl (running for a position on the school board), I asked the father if he would like to have a yard sign. The father responded yes, but before the words were out of his mouth, his wife repelled as if someone had shot her, and she shouted out “no, we won’t” … if looks could kill, I would have been dead on the spot.

After the initial shock of such an immediate and hateful response, I started to explain who Col. Stahl was and what he stood for. The effort was useless, and in fact, the words were never spoken. The wife again stepped backwards as if hit by the fist of another person’s opinion that she didn’t want to hear or waste time listening to.

I should mention that the entire time of this short interaction, the husband and child had to remain silent and observe this display of pure hatred spewed out against someone she knew nothing about, except, as she blurted out, “he’s a Republican”.

The lesson she taught her child and the embarrassment she caused her husband were unfortunate, but are all too typical today as we watch the rank and file follow their leaders on the left shout and oppose any thought or idea that they did not offer or support. Their increasing use of the “F” word, their instantaneous virulent response, and the look of utter disgust do nothing to improve our society or resolve an issue. It sets a terrible precedent for those who are influenceable, it embarrasses those who are sincere in their beliefs, and it casts an unenviable shadow on their own appearance and their family legacy.

The lesson here is that our kids today are witnessing the ugly truth that when someone or some political faction cannot support their radical beliefs (i.e. a man can become pregnant etc.) with any facts or any sense of reasonableness, they feel and act as if they are justified in silencing anyone that would attempt to engage them in a conversation that did not suit their prejudices and/or fantasies.

Charlie Kirk died as proof of this sad state of affairs. Further proof was on public display during my recent, brief encounter with this outspoken mother when I attempted to tell her and her family about Colonel Josepf Stahl, a retired Combat veteran with 12 kids who is running for a seat on the school board in the Happy Creek district.

Note: For a better look at the candidate that was to be the topic of my conversation, you can get a good idea of who this man is at: Col. Joseph Stahl for Happy Creek School Board – Military Veteran Ready to Help WCPS Succeed.

In closing, I can only hope that the people in this country (including this county) who fit this description can look in the mirror and see that their ingrained hostility to anyone other than those that share their own left-wing ideology is self-defeating, embarrassing to those that know and/or love them, and does not produce any positive result.

One can only hope.

Dale Carpenter
Shenandoah Christian Alliance

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