{"id":30143,"date":"2025-10-30T12:28:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T12:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/30143\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T12:28:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T12:28:12","slug":"erika-kirks-words-spotlight-forgiveness-in-a-divided-nation-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/30143\/","title":{"rendered":"Erika Kirk&#8217;s words spotlight forgiveness in a divided nation | National"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThat man, that young man \u2014 I forgive him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Erika Kirk softly spoke those words about the gunman accused of assassinating her husband, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">conservative activist Charlie Kirk<\/a>, as she struggled to hold back tears last month during his memorial service.<\/p>\n<p>kAmw6C AF3=:4 564=2C2E:@? :?DA:C65 2?@E96C] w@==JH@@5 24E@C %:&gt; p==6? D2:5 96 H2D D@ &gt;@G65 3J 96C H@C5D E92E 96 H2D 7@C8:G:?8 E96 5CF?&lt;6? 5C:G6C H9@ 42FD65 9:D 72E96C\u2019D 562E9 e_ J62CD 28@] q2C6=J EH@ H666&gt;36CD @7 2 |:49:82? 4@?8C682E:@? &gt;256 AF3=:4 E92E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^&gt;:49:82?\\&gt;@C&gt;@?\\49FC49\\D9@@E:?8\\e_hggdeb3`52c4df7h6`577dcbh_abe_QmE96J E@@ H6C6 7@C8:G:?8 2 8F?&gt;2?k^2m[ E96 @?6 H9@ 925 ;FDE 2EE24&lt;65 E96:C 49FC49[ &lt;:==:?8 7@FC A6@A=6 2?5 :?;FC:?8 6:89E @E96CD]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96:C 9:89\\AC@7:=6 24ED @7 7@C8:G6?6DD 2C6 2== E96 &gt;@C6 C6&gt;2C&lt;23=6 8:G6? E96 A@=:E:42==J 492C865 2?5 9:89=J A@=2C:K:?8 4=:&gt;2E6 8C:AA:?8 E96 &amp;]$] xE 92D AFD965 A6@A=6 @7 72:E9 E@ 4@?E6&gt;A=2E6 H92E 7@C8:G6?6DD &gt;62?D[ A2CE:4F=2C=J \ud83d\ude15 E96 7246 @7 G:@=6?46[ EC2F&gt;2 2?5 F?DA62&lt;23=6 8C:67[ 2?5 H96E96C :E 4@F=5 D9:7E AF3=:4 4@?D4:@FD?6DD E@H2C5 4@&gt;A2DD:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(9:=6 D@&gt;6 D66 2 8=:&gt;&gt;6C @7 9@A6 \ud83d\ude15 E9:D &gt;@&gt;6?E[ @E96CD 2C6 D&lt;6AE:42=] |:C@D=2G &#8216;@=7[ AC@76DD@C @7 E96@=@8J 2E *2=6 s:G:?:EJ $49@@=[ D2:5 96 G:6HD !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF&gt;A\u2019D C6DA@?D6 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^G:56@^492C=:6\\&lt;:C@C6 EJA:42= D6?E:&gt;6?E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQtC:&lt;2 z:C&lt;\u2019D 86DEFC6 \ud83d\ude00 E96 @FE=:6C[\u201d 96 D2:5] \u201cxE H2D 2? 6IEC2@C5:?2CJ 24E @7 4@FC286] qFE :E H2D 2=D@ E6==:?8 E92E W%CF&gt;A\u2019DX C6DA@?D6 8@E E96 3:886C C624E:@? 7C@&gt; E96 4C@H5 2E E96 &gt;6&gt;@C:2=] *@F 92G6 E@ H@?56C 23@FE E96D6 EH@ G6CJ 5:776C6?E C6DA@?D6D] w@H 5@ H6 7:?5 DA246 7@C 8C246 H96? H6 2C6 D@ 2E @55D E92E H6 42??@E C64@8?:K6 9F&gt;2?:EJ @? E96 @E96C D:56 @7 E96 5:G:56n\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amu@C8:G6?6DD[ 2 &gt;2?52E6 7@C r9C:DE:2?Dk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAmr2=:7@C?:2 A2DE@C y24&lt; w:33D[ H9@ =625D r2=G2CJ r92A6= r9:?@ w:==D 2?5 \ud83d\ude00 2 7C:6?5 @7 E96 z:C6DD286 @7 9@A6 7@C E96 D9@@E6C[ 2?5 \ud83d\ude15 &lt;66A:?8 H:E9 E96 72&gt;:=JVD 566A 4@&gt;&gt;:E&gt;6?E E@ E96 v@DA6=[ H9:49 4@&gt;&gt;2?5D r9C:DE:2?D E@ 7@C8:G6 6G6? E96:C 6?6&gt;:6D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%96 q:3=6 H2C?D FD E92E 3:EE6C?6DD[ H96? =67E 2=@?6[ 42? 8C@H FA \ud83d\ude15 2?5 56DEC@J J@FC 962CE[\u201d w:33D D2:5] \u201c$@ 7@C8:G6?6DD H2D 8:G6? E@ FD 3J v@5 E@ D6E FD 7C66 7C@&gt; H92E\u2019D 366? 5@?6 E@ FD]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 #6G] %9@&gt;2D q6C8[ G:D:E:?8 AC@76DD@C 2E E96 |4vC2E9 x?DE:EFE6 7@C r9FC49 {:76 2E E96 &amp;?:G6CD:EJ @7 }@EC6 s2&gt;6[ D2:5 96 9@A6D tC:&lt;2 z:C&lt;\u2019D 86DEFC6 \u201c:8?:E6D D@&gt;6 &lt;:?5 @7 &gt;62?:?87F= ?2E:@?2= 4@?G6CD2E:@? 23@FE 7@C8:G6?6DD]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmw6 D2:5 7@C8:G6?6DD \ud83d\ude00 ?@E 2 @?6\\E:&gt;6 6G6?E[ 3FE 2 AC@46DD E92E E2&lt;6D E:&gt;6 2?5 H@C&lt;] q6C8[ H9@ 4@F?D6=D G:4E:&gt;D @7 D6I 23FD6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 r2E9@=:4 r9FC49[ H2C?D E92E :E D9@F=5 ?6G6C 36 4@6C465 3FE 2FE96?E:42==J 8:G6? \u2014 2? 24E E92E 96 D2JD 92D E96 A@H6C E@ 962= E96 566A6DE H@F?5D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmw6 H@F=5 =:&lt;6 E@ D66 &gt;@C6 AF3=:4 6IAC6DD:@?D @7 7@C8:G6?6DD[ H9:49 4@F=5 D6CG6 2D 2 32=&gt; 7@C E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cx 9@A6 E9:D \ud83d\ude00 ?@E 2 A2DD:?8 &gt;@&gt;6?E[\u201d 96 D2:5] \u201c%96 5J?2&gt;:4 @7 7@C8:G6?6DD E9C@HD 2 HC6?49 :?E@ E96 5JD7F?4E:@? @7 @FC A2CE:D2? 5:G:56D 2?5 @FC :?23:=:EJ E@ 92G6 2 C62D@?23=6 6I492?86 @7 :562D]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAms2G6 qFE=6C[ 2 &gt;6&gt;36C @7 %96 r9FC49 @7 y6DFD r9C:DE @7 {2EE6C\\52J $2:?ED 2?5 D4:6?46 7:4E:@? HC:E6C 32D65 \ud83d\ude15 &amp;E29[ 36=:6G6D 7@C8:G6?6DD \ud83d\ude00 2 &gt;2?52E6 7@C 2== r9C:DE:2?D[ 2D 9:D 49FC49 E62496D] w6 DE2CE65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^&gt;:49:82?\\&gt;@C&gt;@?\\49FC49\\D9@@E:?8\\7F?5C2:D6C\\ee`gh`gh4fa277hgb6ge33_bd7eghh7aQm2 4C@H57F?5:?8 :?:E:2E:G6k^2m 7@C E96 72&gt;:=J @7 E96 |:49:82? D9@@E6C H9@ @A6?65 7:C6 @? E96 {2EE6C\\52J $2:?ED 4@?8C682E:@?[ H9:49 2D @7 E9:D H66&lt;[ 925 C2:D65 2 =:EE=6 @G6C Sbgg[___]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmqFE=6C D2:5 96 DE2CE65 :E 3642FD6 \u2014 \ud83d\ude15 255:E:@? E@ E96 8C:6G:?8 49FC49 &gt;6&gt;36CD H9@ 925 =@DE =@G65 @?6D \ud83d\ude15 E9:D &gt;2DD D9@@E:?8 \u2014 E96C6 H2D E96 72&gt;:=J @7 E96 8F?&gt;2? E92E H2D 2=D@ EC2F&gt;2E:K65]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%96J 2=D@ 5:5 ?@E 49@@D6 E9:D[\u201d 96 D2:5] \u201c}6G6CE96=6DD[ E96J 2C6 ?@H D9@CE 2 9FD32?5 2?5 2 72E96C] x7 H6\u2019C6 ?@E C62==J E9@F89E7F=[ H6 &gt;:89E 36 :?4=:?65 E@ D66 E96&gt; &gt;@C6 2D 2?E28@?:DED C2E96C E92? G:4E:&gt;D] |@C6 E92? `_[___ A6@A=6 92G6 4@?EC:3FE65 2?5 E96J F?56CDE2?5 H92E E96J\u2019C6 5@:?8 \ud83d\ude00 2? 24E @7 7@C8:G6?6DD]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amu@C8:G6?6DD 7C@&gt; E96 A6CDA64E:G6 @7 p?232AE:DEDk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp? @7E6?\\4:E65 &gt;@56C? 6I2&gt;A=6 @7 7@C8:G6?6DD \ud83d\ude00 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^g_bgfa572`aac2573_f73aadf32_236aQmC6DA@?D6 @7 E96 p&gt;:D9 4@&gt;&gt;F?:EJk^2m 2C@F?5 }:4&lt;6= |:?6D[ !6??DJ=G2?:2[ 27E6C 2 8F?&gt;2? &lt;:==65 7:G6 p&gt;:D9 D49@@=8:C=D 2?5 H@F?565 7:G6 &gt;@C6 \ud83d\ude15 a__e 367@C6 E2&lt;:?8 9:D @H? =:76] {@42= p&gt;:D9 :&gt;&gt;65:2E6=J 6IAC6DD65 7@C8:G6?6DD 7@C E96 &lt;:==6C 2?5 DFAA@CE65 9:D H:5@H]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp&gt;:D9 2C6 A2CE @7 E96 H:56C p?232AE:DE &gt;@G6&gt;6?E[ H9:49 AFED 962GJ 6&gt;A92D:D @? y6DFD\u2019 $6C&gt;@? @? E96 |@F?E[ 4@?E2:?:?8 D@&gt;6 @7 9:D &gt;@DE C25:42= 2?5 4@F?E6C\\4F=EFC2= D2J:?8D \u2014 E@ =@G6 6?6&gt;:6D[ =:G6 D:&gt;A=J[ 3=6DD A6CD64FE@CD[ EFC? E96 @E96C 4966&lt; 2?5 E@ 6?5FC6 DF776C:?8D ;@J7F==J] x? :E[ y6DFD D2JD v@5 H:== @?=J 7@C8:G6 E9@D6 H9@ 7@C8:G6 @E96CD]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(9:=6 &gt;2?J @FED:56 E96 p?232AE:DEDV H@C=5 92G6 6?5@CD65 E96:C 36=:67D 23@FE 7@C8:G6?6DD \u2014 H9:49 E96J 2=D@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^3FD:?6DD\\C6=:8:@?\\AC2J6C\\92:E:\\D6IF2=\\23FD6\\3J\\4=6C8J\\`5c36b6`7743bh7ehgf4e7bc4_`ac6cbQmG@:465 7@C w2:E:2? &lt;:5?2AA6CDk^2m @7 p?232AE:DE &gt;:DD:@?2C:6D \ud83d\ude15 a_a` \u2014 @E96CD D2J E96 A:4EFC6 \ud83d\ude00 &gt;@C6 4@&gt;A=6I] p5G@42E6D 7@C G:4E:&gt;D @7 D6IF2= 23FD6 \ud83d\ude15 p?232AE:DE 4@&gt;&gt;F?:E:6D D2J G:4E:&gt;D 2?5 E96:C 72&gt;:=:6D 2C6 @7E6? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^3FD:?6DD\\C6=:8:@?\\D6IF2=\\23FD6\\3J\\4=6C8J\\&gt;6??@?:E6\\b___72abbd`3c5ag3`6ch4cbh5__eb6hQm7@C465 E@ C64@?4:=6k^2m H:E9 23FD6CD 27E6C E96 =2EE6C &gt;2&lt;6 2 4@?76DD:@? 2?5 F?56C8@ 2 3C:67 A6C:@5 @7 5:D4:A=:?6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amp 4@&gt;A=:42E65 ;@FC?6J 7@C EC2F&gt;2 DFCG:G@CDk^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 y6H:D9 A6CDA64E:G6 @? 7@C8:G6?6DD \ud83d\ude00 5:776C6?E \ud83d\ude15 E92E :E C6BF:C6D E96 A6CA6EC2E@C E@ D66&lt; 7@C8:G6?6DD 7C@&gt; E96 A6CD@? H9@ 92D 366? HC@?865[ D2:5 #233: y677C6J |J6CD] w6 9625D %C66 @7 {:76 DJ?28@8F6 \ud83d\ude15 !:EED3FC89 H96C6 &#8220; A6@A=6 7C@&gt; E9C66 4@?8C682E:@?D H6C6 &lt;:==65 27E6C 2 8F?&gt;2? 2EE24&lt;65 :E 5FC:?8 $92332E D6CG:46D @? ~4E] af[ a_`g]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cu@C &gt;6[ :E\u2019D 4@&gt;A=:42E65 3642FD6 E96C6 2C6 &#8220; 5625 A6@A=6 H9@ 42??@E 36 D@F89E 7@C 7@C8:G6?6DD[\u201d |J6CD D2:5[ 255:?8 E92E 96 42??@E @776C 7@C8:G6?6DD 3642FD6 E96 A6CA6EC2E@C \u2014 H9@ 7246D 6I64FE:@? \u2014 5:5 ?@E D9@H C6&gt;@CD6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(9:=6 E96 A6CA6EC2E@C 92D C646:G65 2 &gt;62DFC6 @7 ;FDE:46 2D @FE=:?65 3J E96 ;F5:4:2= AC@46DD[ :E 5:5?\u2019E 8:G6 &gt;6 4=@DFC6 3642FD6 E9@D6 &#8220; A6@A=6 2C6 8@?6[Q |J6CD D2:5] Q%96C6 \ud83d\ude00 ?@E9:?8 E92E &gt;2&lt;6D E92E A2:? 8@ 2H2J]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(92E 8:G6D 9:&gt; D@&gt;6 4@&gt;7@CE \ud83d\ude00 36:?8 23=6 E@ 96=A @E96C 4@?8C682E:@?D E92E 2C6 8@:?8 E9C@F89 D:&gt;:=2C EC2F&gt;2] |J6CD D2:5 96 H2D 8C2E67F= E@ 92G6 C646:G65 E92E DFAA@CE 7C@&gt; E96 #6G] tC:4 |2??:?8[ A2DE@C @7 |@E96C t&gt;2?F6= p|t r9FC49 \ud83d\ude15 r92C=6DE@?[ $@FE9 r2C@=:?2[ 2 9:DE@C:42==J q=24&lt; 49FC49 H96C6 2 D6=7\\AC@4=2:&gt;65 H9:E6 DFAC6&gt;24:DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^86?6C2=\\?6HD\\bedee7323356c5e733_____hbde&#8220;ee5QmD9@E 2?5 &lt;:==65 ?:?6 4@?8C682?EDk^2m @? yF?6 `f[ a_`d \u2014 :?4=F5:?8 E96 49FC49\u2019D A2DE@C 2E E96 E:&gt;6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%@52J[ 2D D@&gt;6@?6 H9@ 36=@?8D E@ E92E 4=F3 ?@ @?6 D9@F=5 36=@?8 E@[ x G:6H :E 2D &gt;J D24C65 @3=:82E:@? E@ 96=A[\u201d |J6CD D2:5] \u201ctG6? :7 x 42? 96=A @?6 A6CD@?[ E92E\u2019D 8C2E:7J:?8[ E92E 766=D 962=:?8]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm!68 sFC249&lt;@[ H9@D6 9FD32?5 sC] #:492C5 v@EE7C:65[ 2 56?E:DE[ H2D @?6 @7 E96 G:4E:&gt;D \ud83d\ude15 E96 DJ?28@8F6 D9@@E:?8[ D2:5 E92E 2D 2 r2E9@=:4[ D96 =@@&lt;65 E@ !@A6 y@9? !2F= xx 7@C :?DA:C2E:@? 2D D96 C625 23@FE 9@H 96 G:D:E65 E96 :&gt;AC:D@?65 &gt;2? H9@ D9@E 9:&gt; 2?5 @776C65 7@C8:G6?6DD]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cx C64@8?:K6 WE96 8F?&gt;2?X 2D 2 49:=5 @7 v@5 H9@ &gt;256 325 49@:46D E@ =625 9:&gt; \ud83d\ude15 E92E 5:C64E:@?[\u201d D96 D2:5] \u201cx\u2019&gt; ?@E 9:D ;F586[ v@5 :D] x H2?E 9:&gt; E@ 92G6 6E6C?2= =:76] x 5@?\u2019E 92C3@C 92E6 @C :== H:D96D E@ 2?J@?6[ :?4=F5:?8 9:&gt;] x 5@?\u2019E H2?E E@ 42CCJ E9:D 3288286 @7 92E6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9C ^m<\/p>\n<p>kAmp! ;@FC?2=:DE !6E6C $&gt;:E9 \ud83d\ude15 !:EED3FC89 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9C ^m<\/p>\n<p>kAmpDD@4:2E65 !C6DD C6=:8:@? 4@G6C286 C646:G6D DFAA@CE E9C@F89 E96 p!\u2019D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3:E]=J^2A\\EH:CQm4@==23@C2E:@?k^2m H:E9 %96 r@?G6CD2E:@? &amp;$[ H:E9 7F?5:?8 7C@&gt; {:==J t?5@H&gt;6?E x?4] %96 p! \ud83d\ude00 D@=6=J C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E9:D 4@?E6?E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cThat man, that young man \u2014 I forgive him.\u201d Erika Kirk softly spoke those words about the gunman&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30144,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[22250,151,153,152,22249,18,971,6163,15774,17],"class_list":["post-30143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bakersfield","tag-assassination-of-charlie-kirk","tag-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield-headlines","tag-bakersfield-news","tag-erika-kirk-forgiveness-charlie-kirk-assassination-faith","tag-general-news","tag-lifestyle","tag-religion","tag-shootings","tag-u-s-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30143\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}