The Way Forward? The Ballot Box And Dialogue

On the Death of Charlie Kirk:

My heart is truly saddened. Whether you agreed with Charlie Kirk or disagreed with him, his tragic death is a painful reminder that political violence is never okay. Bullets don’t change things—ballots do.

We cannot allow politics to destroy us or tear apart the communities we love. Democracy works best when we can hear one another, even when we disagree, and still walk away respecting the dignity of the other person. That is the foundation of our nation.

Let’s remember that political labels should never define us. What should define us is how we treat one another—with kindness, with empathy, and with humanity. None of us will ever agree on everything, but all of us can choose to reject hate and violence. Remember—you can’t fight hate with hate. You can only fight hate with hope.

My hope is that the way forward is not through anger or fear, but through compassion, dialogue, and the ballot box. If we truly believe in America, then we must believe in each other—even when it’s hard.

May Charlie’s family, friends, and loved ones find strength and comfort in this time of loss. And may we, as a people, honor his memory not with division, but by recommitting ourselves to a better path—one where we disagree without destroying, and where we see one another not as enemies, but as neighbors.

--Washington Township (NJ) Councilman Peter Del Borrello III