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This Is Our Moment Cox Calls For An Off Ramp After Charlie Kirk

Bonisiwe Shabane
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this is our moment cox calls for an off ramp after charlie kirk

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has been worried about politics for years. Throughout his time in office, he has offered frequent calls to "disagree better," to restore trust in institutions and see the humanity in political or ideological opponents. Speaking at the Atlantic Festival in Washington in September of 2023, Cox issued a stark, and ultimately prescient warning, about a political environment where leaders use fear to divide Americans. "I truly believe that we're living through kind of an 1850s experience in our country again," he said. "As you drain the trust from the system, as Jonathan Haidt said ...

the end result of that is not just us hating each other in a pluralistic society, but it ends with people shooting each other. "And that should scare all of us, and it should scare all of us into doing whatever we can to stop that, to reengage each other in positive ways." Just shy of two years later, Cox took the podium at Utah Valley University to announce the arrest of Tyler James Robinson, 22, suspected of shooting and killing conservative activist and Turning Point USA... After detailing the manhunt and investigation that led to Robinson's arrest, Cox again pleaded with Utahns and Americans to find a way to turn down the temperature. Gov. Spencer Cox, appeared weary, emotional, at times angry and on the verge of tears Friday.

While he had the country's attention, he used the moment to ask his fellow Americans to turn down the temperature. Cox, long an advocate for civility, said he didn't “want to get too preachy.” But he described the moment as one where the country's very ideals were on the line. He made an impassioned plea for Americans and young people in particular to use the horror of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination as an inflection point to turn the country away from political violence... “This is our moment: Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?” Cox told a news conference in Utah as he announced authorities had a suspect in Kirk's killing in custody. “It's a choice.” Throughout his political career, Cox, a two-term Republican governor, has issued pleas for bipartisan cooperation and at times drawn national attention for his empathetic remarks.

His speech on Friday was his most emotional and prominent example yet, as he urged an appeal to common ground and humanity to forge a better society. It was a marked departure from the bellicose rhetoric often employed in recent years by U.S. politicians, especially President Donald Trump, who is known for provocative language and has blamed Kirk's killing on “radical left” rhetoric. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he is "angry as I have ever been." After a suspect was arrested in the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, an emotional Utah Gov.

Spencer Cox said he is "as angry as I have ever been" and that this shooting marks a "moment" in the nation's history. "This is our moment. Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?" Cox told reporters during a press conference on Friday. Cox confirmed that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was allegedly the person who shot and killed Kirk on Wednesday while the conservative activist was speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, about... The governor said he could not confirm that the suspect was cooperating with law enforcement and does not believe there are any more suspects. (Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov.

Spencer Cox makes remarks during a news conference announcing an arrest of a suspect in the Wednesday shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. During a news conference Friday in which he announced a suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination had been taken into custody, Gov. Spencer Cox pleaded with Utahns and Americans to choose discourse over violence and to maintain hope. Police arrested a 22-year-old Washington County man, Tyler Robinson, in connection with the shooting on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. In his closing remarks, Cox — known for his “Disagree Better” slogan — urged people to choose a route other than violence.

Here is a lightly edited transcript of his comments: OREM, Utah — Amidst the relief that the suspect believed to have killed Charlie Kirk had been arrested, Gov. Spencer Cox shared an often emotional and impassioned plea to tone down the violent rhetoric heard around the country in recent weeks and months. In comments heard by a national audience, Cox spoke of rising above the current hate that has spread and pursuing the search for what he called moral clarity. "I think it's important that we, with eyes wide open, understand what's happening in our country today," the governor said. With his voice breaking, Cox shared how over the previous 48 hours, he was as angry and as sad as he had ever been, but thought of the young people in the country that...

Speaking directly to young Americans, Cox said they are inheriting a country where "politics feel like rage," but that there was a different path that could be taken. Bridger Beal-Cvetko is a reporter for KSL.com. He covers politics, Salt Lake County communities and breaking news. Bridger has worked for the Deseret News and graduated from Utah Valley University. SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has been worried about politics for years.

Throughout his time in office, he has offered frequent calls to "disagree better," to restore trust in institutions and see the humanity in political or ideological opponents. Speaking at the Atlantic Festival in Washington in September of 2023, Cox issued a stark, and ultimately prescient warning, about a political environment where leaders use fear to divide Americans."I truly believe that we're... "As you drain the trust from the system, as Jonathan Haidt said ... the end result of that is not just us hating each other in a pluralistic society, but it ends with people shooting each other."And that should scare all of us, and it should scare... After detailing the manhunt and investigation that led to Robinson's arrest, Cox again pleaded with Utahns and Americans to find a way to turn down the temperature.The governor on Wednesday declared Kirk's killing a... But it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual.

It is an attack on all of us," Cox said. "It is an attack on the American experiment. It is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been and who we could be in better times.""Political violence is different than any other type of violence for lots... "One, because in the very act that Charlie championed of expression, that freedom of expression that is enshrined in our founding documents, in having his life taken in that very act makes it more... Traffic Weather Sports Classifieds Cars Jobs Homes Television Radio Salt Lake Utah Local Politics Crime Opinion Local

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