Cody Johnson Gets Emotional With Nebraska Crowd On The Heels Of Charlie Kirk’s Death: “I’m Sick & Tired Of Division”

Preaching to the masses.

Last week, many in the nation felt an unsettling heaviness in their heart after conservative media personality, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated while doing a speaking event at Utah Valley University. The senseless act of violence is truly gut-wrenching, especially when Kirk’s mission was to foster conversation between those with differing opinions. He famously shared that the entire goal of these conversations was to AVOID violence.

He argued that as long as we’re still talking, still debating, still standing face to face with people who disagree with us, we won’t lose our sense of humanity:

“When people stop talking, that’s when you get violence. That’s when civil war happens. Because you start to think the other side is so evil, and they lose their humanity.”

Since his death, many have spoken out about how gutted they are by this act, including many folks in the country music space. Artists like Aaron Watson, Jamey Johnson, Justin Moore, Treaty Oak Revival, Gavin Adcock, and more all spoke out at shows following his death, extending love to his wife and children, and dedicating heavy-hitting songs to the late figure.

Last week, a speech Cody Johnson delivered at the end of August while performing at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, also took off on social media. While the video was posted the day after the concert, it resurfaced on TikTok with many fans relating it to the senseless murder of conservative media personality Charlie Kirk.

Cody Johnson has never been afraid to use his platform to speak about faith, family, or to unite those at his concerts. Most nights that Johnson takes the stage, he feels called to take a few minutes out of his concerts to preach to his fans. These messages are meant to honor veterans and first responders while simultaneously making a plea for unity, given the divisive state of our nation.

While that past video went viral after Kirk’s death, Johnson still felt called to share words with an audience after the fact. During the first night of his two sold-out nights at Pinnacle Bank Arena, the “By Your Grace” singer got emotional, delivering a similar speech to the crowd. While many of the main focal points were identical to the viral Missouri speech, there were additions clearly noting that Charlie Kirk was heavily weighing on his heart.

“This is my microphone. I bought this microphone, and I have the right to say whatever I want to on it. I’m sick of division. I’m sick of it. I’ve been watching it for five years. Five years ago in 2020, social media and news and politics tried to divide us all on a lot of things. They tried to divide us over vaccines, over masks, over public, or what do you call it, social distancing. I never once did that, by the way. Never took a vaccine, never wore a mask. I just stayed at home. They tried to divide us on race, on gender, on how you voted. All those things are American rights.

And I want to tell you right now, I’m sick… You know, after the things that have happened this week. I’m not even going to go into it because that’s not why you came here. But I’m sick and tired of division. I’m sick and tired of living where people think it’s okay to hate somebody so much over something that they have to do something stupid.

I’ll say this, the week and the day, and the year, all that, that Dr. Martin Luther King got shot was one of the worst days in American history. And I think this week we’ve seen another day like that. I’m going to tell you right now, I’m not doing division anymore. I’ll always stand on this stage and say, I believe in Jesus. I’ll always stand on this stage and I’ll will say the only reason we’re free in this country is because men and women gave their life. Do you know why it’s okay to disagree with each other in this country? This is what they try to tell you. ‘You don’t agree with him. So now y’all got to hate each other, or you don’t agree with her. And now we have to hate each other.’ Let me tell you something: the reason it’s okay to disagree with someone in this country and still love them anyway, no matter the circumstances, is because before most of us were born, an American soldier died for our freedom to disagree with each other. 

Yes! Every one of our walks is different. Every one of our backgrounds is different. We all have different trials; we all have different things that bring us down. But there are three things that bind us together no matter what. No matter who’s an idiot, who wants to do something stupid. No matter who’s complaining. No matter who’s telling you that this country’s going down the tube. There are three things that still matter, and if you believe in ’em, they’re this simple: red, white, and blue. 

So tonight I want to do something out of unity. Gentlemen, if you’d remove your cover, we’re going to sing a song together out of unity and not division tonight.”

After delivering his speech, Johnson removes his hat and leads the crowd in an emotional performance of “God Bless America.” As soon as Johnson delivered the final note of the tune, the crowd broke out into a “USA” chant, and you can feel the unity in that room based on the video.

Cody Johnson is a powerful speaker, and there are many truths in his messages. The Texas native is a true patriot and views having differing opinions as an American right, not a means to ignite conflict.

God bless Cody Johsnon.

@laurenbro1 Cody Johnson gets emotional during his speech & sings God Bless America night 1 in Lincoln. #cojo #charliekirk #usa ♬ original sound – lauren

The post Cody Johnson Gets Emotional With Nebraska Crowd On The Heels Of Charlie Kirk’s Death: “I’m Sick & Tired Of Division” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.