I interviewed Charlie multiple times. I often pressed him on his statements and views. He was always willing to engage, and always cordial even after tough back-and-forth.
Having witnessed what political violence looks like first hand in Butler, PA last summer, all I can do is feel the breaking of my heart for the state of our nation.
I was born in Ukraine not long after the breakup of the USSR. Among the greatest promises of coming to America was the right to free expression. That is not a promise most nations can keep. I hope the United States can. But that hope is fragile right now.