Montgomery County leaders partnered with event organizer Charlie Diggs, hosting a memorial service on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Sept. 30 in honor of activist Charlie Kirk who was assassinated Sept. 10.
“My message to the crowd was simple,” Diggs said in a Facebook post Oct. 1. “Teach your kids to know and love Jesus Christ. And teach them to love this country. Start when they’re young. Show them what it means to be patriotic. Show them what it means to stand tall and be proud to be an American.”
Rep. Steve Toth (R-Conroe) led the event in prayer followed by speeches from guest speakers such as, Texas Youth Summit Founder Christian Collins, Rep. Steve Toth (R-Conroe), country singer Payton Howie and Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough. Keough said he was a longtime supporter of Kirk’s debates.
“Charlie Kirk is Montgomery County,” Keough said. “And Montgomery county is Charlie Kirk.”
County police lined the stadium, enforcing a zero tolerance no-weapons policy. A readied ambulance parked directly behind the stage with first responders on stand by.
“The very reason we are gathering is a solemn one — a tragic event that reminds us of the importance of public safety,” Diggs wrote in a Facebook post the day of the event. “…These measures are not taken lightly; they are in place to ensure the safety of all attendees and to prevent any situation from escalating into chaos.”
Precinct 1 Judge Wayne Mack co-announced a crowdfunding push organized by Diggs to construct a Kirk statue in Montgomery. Mack said the assassination reasserts a need for Christian faith in youth, resting his speeches with moments of group prayer.
Haley Jo and her younger sister watched the service from back stage. Jo also performed the national anthem earlier that night.
“Since Kirk always spoke to our young generations,” Diggs said. “I only thought it was right to have them here on stage tonight.”
The service closed with a Kirk tribute video composed by digital creator Morgan Pounds as “How Dare They, for Charlie Kirk” by song artist Diesel played in sync. During the video, Mack encouraged members to enter the standing admission for worship.
Some viewers left the service crying.
“I stand firm in the belief that violence, especially political violence, has absolutely no place in our country,” Keough said in a county commissioners court resolution Sept. 21. “We are a nation defined by our diversity of viewpoints, and every voice, regardless of its ideology, deserves the chance to be heard, without fear of assault or assassination. The very essence of our republic rests upon the ability to speak freely.”
