The murder of Charlie Kirk is a double tragedy. The first is a man’s life cut short, his friends and family bereft, his voice stilled. The second is that the costs of speaking up and speaking out have now risen dramatically. Not just democracy but civilization falters when people become afraid to express themselves or become the public face and voice of an idea. In a civilized society, speaking up and speaking out should not make you fear for your life. In that sense, this death is an act of terror. It makes every thoughtful public figure who writes and speaks worry that they might be next. That this happened to someone who loved to engage in calm debate makes the whole thing even sadder.