Kirk's death offers us an opportunity to reflect on his message

When other people died at the hands of demented shooters, Kirk didn't let their tragic deaths trouble him

He said their pain and suffering, and the pain and suffering of their surviving families, was unfortunate but totally worth it

His admirers applauded this rather heartless view when he expounded it

Now, in an ironic twist, his bereaved flock want everyone to think of their loss and of his widowed wife and fatherless children

An empathetic world would, of course, be a better world

But that's not the world Kirk and his followers were trying to create

Anyone who really wants to preserve Kirk's legacy will just say: That's tough, but his death is totally worth it

Meanwhile, saner people will keep working to reduce our epidemic of deaths at the hands of demented shooters