Theory 2 Action Podcast
Theory 2 Action Podcast
LM#67--The Battle Cry of a Widow Echoes Across a Nation in Crisis
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Three devastating weeks of violence have left America reeling. From the senseless murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train to the horrific mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis to the shocking assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, our nation stands at a crossroads where political division, mental illness, and spiritual decay threaten to tear apart the fabric of society.
Iryna's story strikes at the heart of the American promise. Having fled war-torn Ukraine in 2022, she sought safety and opportunity on our shores, working multiple jobs while studying to become a veterinary assistant. Her random murder by a man with 14 previous criminal offenses and untreated mental illness reveals catastrophic failures in our systems. We're left asking painful questions: How could someone who escaped war die on an American train? Why was someone clearly dangerous allowed to remain in society?
As political discourse devolves into dehumanization, as faith communities become targets, and as mental illness goes untreated, we witness the devastating consequences of decades of cultural decay. The killer's alleged connections to radical groups like Antifa highlight how online radicalization can transform political disagreement into deadly violence.
Yet even in darkness, light emerges. Charlie Kirk's widow Erika delivered an astonishingly powerful message just days after losing her husband: "The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry." Her courage reminds us what's at stake and what's possible. Charlie's own words from his 2016 book "Turning Point" now read like prophecy, outlining a vision for America where traditional values, free markets, and individual liberty can flourish if properly messaged and embraced by younger generations.
The path forward requires honest conversations about mental health resources, responsible rhetoric, spiritual renewal, and recommitment to fundamental American values.
Key Points from the Episode:
• Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who fled the Russian invasion, was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack on Charlotte's light rail
• The perpetrator had 14 previous criminal offenses and was suffering from untreated paranoia and hearing voices
• A mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis killed two children and injured 17 others during a school mass
• Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University by a shooter who had been radicalized online
• Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, delivered a powerful message: "The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry"
• Charlie's 2016 book "Turning Point" offers a roadmap for engaging young people in conservative politics and rebuilding American values
• We must address liberal mental illness laws, confront political violence, and strengthen our spiritual foundation through Christian values
• The path forward requires courage, conversation, and commitment to the principles that have always led America through dark times
Let's continue to engage and talk with our neighbors. As Charlie often said, it's only when you stop talking that violence begins.
Let's keep living our best lives for those children in Minnesota, for Iryna, and for Charlie Kirk and his family so that we can make this a better nation.
Other resources:
MM#349--Kamalas War on the Free Market
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Those are the drums of liberty. The last three weeks of violence has the United States as a nation on edge. Let's talk about it on this Liberty Minute.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Theory to Action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time, to help you take action immediately and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now here's your host, David Kaiser.
Speaker 1:Hello, I am David and welcome back to this Liberty Minute. Unfortunately, today's show will be a tough show to get through. Our nation is on edge after three horrific weeks, brutal murders that have shaken communities across the country and shaken this country to its core. The first was the tragic stabbing of a young woman on a train in Charlotte, north Carolina. The second, a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. And the third is the shocking, shocking assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah just several days ago. All three events have sparked strong reactions, dominating headlines, fueling intense discussions about crime, violence, public safety, our country as a whole.
Speaker 1:Let's start by talking about the young woman in North Carolina. Her name Irina Zerushka, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee. She fled Kiev in 2022 with her mother, sister and brother to escape the Russian invasion. It's just devastating to think that someone who sought safety here in America could meet such a tragic end. Irina's story is a heartbreaking one. She was murdered on August 22, 2025. She was murdered on August 22nd 2025. She was tragically and fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack while riding light rail train in Charlotte, north Carolina. The suspect, who we will withhold the name, has a long criminal history and now faces both state and federal charges.
Speaker 1:Irina had such a bright future ahead of her. She was born in Kiev. She endured living in a bomb shelter during the war before moving to Charlotte with her family in search of safety and opportunity exactly what we would want people coming to the United States for. She was working hard towards her dream of becoming a veterinary assistant, studying at the local community college while juggling jobs at a pizzeria and at a senior center. Friends and family remember her as a talented artist, an animal lover and someone who always always had a smile on her face. She cared deeply for others, even helping neighbors with their pets, while striving to build an independent life in America. Recently, irina had moved in with her boyfriend and was working on learning how to drive. Until then, she was relying on the train to get around. Those, like we said, who knew her described her as kind, hardworking and optimistic. Her loss has left a massive void in the lives of the people who loved her. Her murder shocked many, not just because of her status here as a Ukrainian refugee, but also because of the chilling details of the crime.
Speaker 1:Irina Zeruska was on her way home, quietly commuting on Charlotte's light rail, when she was attacked in an unprovoked, senseless act of violence. There was no interaction between Irina and the suspect before the attack None Zero. According to surveillance footage and witness reports, the perpetrator just sat directly behind her, waited for several minutes, then suddenly started stabbing her while she was sitting quietly using her phone. Authorities and witnesses described the attack as completely random. The perpetrator's family and legal documents suggest he was experiencing a mental health crisis. He was experiencing a mental health crisis. His statement read that he believed Irina was reading his thoughts. The video from the train shows him fidgeting, nodding and appearing restless. Perpetrator's sister later revealed that he had been struggling with untreated paranoia in hearing voices. Reveal that he had been struggling with untreated paranoia in hearing voices.
Speaker 1:While mental illness clearly played a significant role, one thing is clear Irina did nothing, did nothing to provoke this attack. She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and it's just beyond heartbreaking for her and her family and her boyfriend and the whole community. We need to have a real conversation in this country about mental illness. There's too much crime happening because of very liberal mental illness laws and relaxed crime laws, especially in our big cities. Arena should still be with us today, pursuing our dreams with a life of liberty in the United States. This whole story is so sad. This senseless murder has just put a nation on edge. This senseless murder has just put a nation on edge.
Speaker 1:Like we said in the beginning, most of the reporting came from local outlets and a handful of national stories in the days immediately after the stabbing, but her story went unnoticed, almost forgotten, until president trump rightly gave a speech from the Oval Office and showed photos of her speaking on ways to rid the country of this violence and bringing her story to national media attention. And if that wasn't horrific enough, and if that wasn't horrific enough, there was just 19 days between Arena's murder and Charlie Kirk's murder, just three days ago. But what happened during that time? We actually had the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on the morning of August 27th 2025,. You'll remember, during a school mass, a shooter fired through windows, killing two children, just eight and 10 years old, and injuring at least 17 others, including 15 kids and three elderly parishioners. The shooter we're going to hold his name as well acted alone, used multiple firearms and took their own life at the scene. Authorities investigated the attack as both domestic terrorism and a hate crime, citing very anti-Catholic and hateful writings linked to the perpetrator. Just a devastating blow to the city's Catholic and school community, especially during that first week of the new school year.
Speaker 1:And then, like we said, just three days ago, charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative figure, was tragically shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. The incident is being called a political assassination and has raised serious concerns about the rise of political violence in the United States. The suspect, 22-year-old, whose name we're going to withhold doesn't deserve to be recognized, is now in custody and facing aggravated murder charges and hopefully, after a fair trial, the death penalty. Authorities have noted last name withheld again. This guy had shown no significant criminal history and no obvious political ties before this shocking event. But once you start digging further and you find these etchings on the bullets that were in the bolt action rifle, there's a major cause that he was radicalized online, especially with a group known as Antifa Antifa.
Speaker 1:We have covered this beyond radical group in the past. We'll put those episodes in the show notes. We covered the great young reporter Andy Ngo and his incredible book Unmasked, which is all about this utterly senseless group and their motives and origin and tactics. In fact we even have a Mojo Academy review on this book. So, members, please check that out too. Those of you that are not members, be sure to go become a member. But getting back to Charlie Kirk, almost all of you know what happened and who this suspect is and his motive is what we really want to get at, and who this suspect is and his motive is what we really want to get at.
Speaker 1:Early investigations suggest that the shooter had grown increasingly politically active and expressed a strong disdain for Kirk, reportedly calling him full of hate and spreading hate. Authorities have uncovered digital evidence, including a Discord series of messages, along with surveillance footage and prints on the rifle, which all point to the shooter acting alone. But the bigger picture here is that the hate of one side of the political spectrum is resulting in violence and no, nobody can endorse political violence or violence of any type. You know the radical left defend very liberal mental illness laws and they say people need not be in mental institutions. Well, I'm sorry. I'm going to push back on that because if they're a threat to civil society, then perhaps prison may not be the best place for them, but a mental institution should be. Random attacks on people in public is just horrific. We as a country can't allow mental illness cases to be out in public and in society where they can cause harm to themselves and others. And this person, this perpetrator, had 14 previous actions crimes before he killed Irina. That's just a complete failure of the whole system that this person was out in the free society allowed to do harm to others.
Speaker 1:Tragic mass killing at the church where two kids died, many others injured, says to all of us that there is a real spiritual battle going on in the hearts and minds of all of us. The radical left in Antifa cannot coexist with God, just can't. That's evil. Only faith in God can help us in this spiritual battle.
Speaker 1:Getting back to charlie kirk man, what a horrific, horrific tragedy. You know. I was listening to cable news coverage of it last night and someone said for the younger folks, for the Generation Z folks, charlie Kirk was their Rush Limbaugh. He related to them, he understood them, he was their peer Think about that the Rush Limbaugh of their generation. And they publicly assassinated him Boy. That hits so close to home. And I should mention his absolutely incredibly strong, emotionally strong, physically strong wife, now widow, erica Kirk, going on national television to give a 20-minute speech just some 48 hours after it happened. The strength and courage of that woman is just beyond heroic and you know, erica says she's going to keep Charlie's mission alive. She's going to keep the Turning Point USA organization going and, in fact, one of the most inspirational things I have heard anyone say in the last decade came from her last night, when she said this you have no idea the fire you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry. Around the world. Like a battle cry, oh, yes, like a battle cry. And to further perpetuate that battle cry, we're going to grab some quotes from Charlie Kirk's 2016 book Turning Point to highlight how and why perhaps this could be a turning point in the moment of the country. This is where we go on offense. Like Erica said, it's a battle cry. Let's go to the book.
Speaker 1:One of the key things I did not want to do when I started this project he's talking about Turning Point USA is to make just another book and a message about how messed up America is and how the hour of you know, reader, please insert your favorite end of day prophecy source is upon us. Everyone knows that things are bad, and everyone is writing the book that tells us just how things how bad things are. I will spend some time on the current challenges we face and still a bit less on how we got here. Both are necessary in order to frame the situation and set our premises. Primarily, however, I want to create something that shows a vision of an America that I can see us being able to reach in my lifetime. And we're going to pause here because that's that's the tough part of this show. When you read a guy's book I think he was 22 at the time when he wrote it and he says writes a sentence like that. And he says writes a sentence like that. I want to create something that shows a vision of an America that I can see us being able to reach in my lifetime, and he wouldn't live another 10 years Cut down by an assassin's bullet.
Speaker 1:Let's go back to the book Now, referring back to the beginning of this chapter. I'm only in my early twenties and I'm assuming, perhaps naively, that I will actually live, that I will live an actuarially normal life, and I have more than 50 years remaining. This is going to be the long game. The challenges that America faces were not created just over the last several years under the Obama administration, although it certainly could seem that way. In addition to sharing the vision of what I see for America, I want to show people the path that will get us there. Now, reasonable people can differ over the path that could or should be taken, and I'm the first to agree that there may be more than one workable path. That said, having watched the impact that Turning Point has had on college campuses in the past three plus years with young people, the awareness we are creating and the conversions we are generating, the voters we are registering, I do believe that what I will offer you in these pages is viable. Oh, charlie, it's more than viable. It is the path you led, the path you paved, the path for all of us to follow in your footsteps. We're going to grab another quote that's extremely hard to read about his courage. So with that, let's go to the book.
Speaker 1:One of the most, if not the most, incredible stories of American courage and there are many that had made an impression on me is that of Operation Overlord and the June 6th. Operation Overlord and the June 6th 1944 invasion of Normandy by the Allies. First day casualty estimates came in around 10,000 soldiers. But what I can't ever quite imagine is that, before those doors opened on that landing craft, what was going through the minds of the soldiers up front? They had to know all of them. They were likely about to die. Their incredible bravery and sacrifice made so. Their incredible bravery and sacrifice made so that others could live. It's hard for someone like me to fully appreciate. I've lived a life largely in peace, certainly without threat to my own physical existence. When someone compliments me on the courage, my courage and starting turning point, I thank them graciously, but I think to myself courage, yes, charlie. Courage, because even though you didn't think that you were experiencing or displaying courage, you actually were. You had threats on your physical existence, but you knew that. Your bravery and going into those devil's dens of college campuses in the last decade and a half, that took real courage too. You were just like those in Operation Overlord who were staring down the guns of the Nazis on those embankments just so hard to believe you're gone.
Speaker 1:Let's go back to the book.
Speaker 1:First, I want to make you familiar with Turning Point USA, the 501 grassroots campus-based organization I started back in June of 2012.
Speaker 1:While this isn't a book about Turning Point per se. It is a book entirely about Turning Point, as there isn't anything I envision for getting America from where it is to where it needs to be that doesn't require the people and the apparatus it provides. Then, in this book, we will look at together an America that I can see approximately 25 years from now. To experience it, we will look through the eyes of Julio, a fictionalized character, offered in a stark libertarian contrast to Julia she is of whitehousegov origin who taught us how to go through the day, taking advantage of every possible government entitlement program in order to survive but never thrive. So Charlie was looking at the next approximately 25 years and how we were going to navigate our way to success. So now we will have to take up that battle cry, that battle cry of a widow, erica Kirk and her fallen husband, and her fallen husband, but someone who built over a thousand turning points, college campus organizations on a thousand campuses across this country.
Speaker 1:We will build it stronger, we will build it better, we will build it deeper, we will build it longer. We will keep going. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with Erica. Conservative values, traditional values, started this country. It's always led this country out of the depravity that has occurred throughout our country's history, and it's the virtues, and especially the virtues of Christianity, that are going to help us to win the spiritual battle while here on earth.
Speaker 1:Let's go back to the book for one last quote, and for those who think we need to focus on just winning elections but otherwise we can't make a difference, let me assure you that Team Left keeps winning and losing elections without ever taking their eye off the target, which is making a permanent structural difference. To prove this, think about how many issues are debated today where the center position is the only one that a decade or two ago, would have been considered to be far left position. While many team right members get excited about the midterm sweep or a majority of Republican governors in 50 states, the other side has studied physics. They know the incredible force that is inertia. Like they say in football, when we get in the end zone. We need to act like we've been there before. Can't get caught up in the ephemeral celebration that we lose focus on how long again this really is. And here's where Charlie gives us hope, this final quote. So get ready to challenge yourself. What follows in this book is the path to doing something that our side hasn't tried before in the modern era, maybe in any era. We're going to show you what can happen when the principles of individual liberty and free markets are messaged properly to the right audiences and then delivered through comprehensive machinery and infrastructure that takes those principles and splices them into every American's intellectual and spiritual DNA. Hoo-yah, amen. Charlie, you may be gone, but you are still here in spirit and we will carry on your fight like never before. Like I said before, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with your wife Erica, those kids as they grow up, and we will just keep fighting. This is a fight that will go on for a decade or longer as we dig ourselves out of this absolute pit that we have put ourselves in over the last 50 to 60 years of cultural rot and decay. So I would encourage everybody to get this book.
Speaker 1:It's tough to read because you know Charlie has passed on, but boy, he really lays out a plan in this book to get young people involved, especially in conservative politics. He talks a lot about battling what he sees the radical liberal ideas on college campuses, and he dives into how he built Turning Point USA from nothing about after 2012 election and then he focused on things like money, smarts and free markets and small government, and he also mixes in those cultural topics you know there's topics that sometimes we get a little queasy on our side of talking about and most especially, he splices in the Christian values that we perpetuate at this microphone each and every time we speak, and I just found that super compelling. In fact, in this book he shares all the secrets for getting people on board, raising money and using social media to really get that conservative message out there. And you know, it's just not a book, it's a complete movement. Turning Point USA has over 1,000 chapters. In colleges they put on huge events for young folks and they were a huge deal in the 2024 election. They got young voters excited about Donald Trump and Republican causes. So Turning Point just isn't a book that we're going to share today. Charlie has built it into a guide and a mission statement for getting young people fired up in the conservative movement and in fact that's going to be our battle cry now.
Speaker 1:Today is a turning point. We conservatives, and christians and Catholics, we go on offense. Now I'm down for this struggle. This whole thing really showed me that Charlie Kirk had a big vision for changing American politics and I believe in that cause. So in today's Liberty Minute, let's continue to engage and talk with our neighbors.
Speaker 1:Like Charlie often said, it's only when you stop talking that violence begins. Let's take up that battle cry of the aggrieved widow Erica. Let's talk about mental illness. Let's get those people some health. We cannot keep losing people like Irina in senseless killings. Let's continue to keep praying and asking our Lord to show us the way, for he is the way, the truth and the life. Let us keep fighting the good fight. Let us keep living our best lives for those children in Minnesota who are martyrs. Let's keep living our best lives for arena, who came here to live out the American dream but was struck down. Let's keep living our best lives for Charlie Kirk and his family so that we can make this nation, like Lincoln asked, a better nation, a nation of better angels. Let's keep living the virtuous life by being the example to our neighbors. And let's, most especially in these darkest of times, always, always, keep fighting the good fight. God bless you all.
Speaker 2:Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this Theory to Action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at teammojoacademycom, where we have everything we discussed in this podcast, as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on.