Turning Point USA is organizing the Freedom Built to Last Memorial at Utah Valley University on September 10 to mark the first anniversary of founder Charlie Kirk's death. While the university is closing its campus for a day of healing, the student group Students for a Democratic Society plans to protest the event.
The UCCU Center and the total campus shutdown on September 10
The Freedom Built to Last Memorial will take place at the UCCU Center,the site where Charlie Kirk was killed one year prior. According to the source, Turning Point USA intends for the gathering to be a call for supporters to continue the work of the late founder, whom the organization describes as a defender of free speech and a devoted father and husband.
In a move that has sparked significant debate, Utah Valley University announced last month that it would cancel all classes and close the entire campus on September 10.. University officials stated that this closure is intended to provide a designated day for "healing, service and connection" following the tragedy that occurred on their grounds.
The SDS open letter accusing President Jon Anderson of political alignment
The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a student organization at Utah Valley University, has voiced strong opposition to the memorial. As reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, the SDS group issued an open letter to the administration condemning the decision to allow Turning Point USA to occupy the campus on the anniversary of Kirk's death.
The SDS letter explicitly claims that UVU President Jon Anderson has aligned himself with the interests of an "openly racist and antagonistic organization ." The students argue that Turning Point USA is utilizing a "narrative of victimhood" to push divisive and chauvinistic ideas within the university environment , suggesting that the campus closure further validates the political goals of the organization.
From Georgetown look-alike contests to $50 Portland tattoos
The anniversary of Charlie Kirk's assassination has triggered a polarized national response that extends far beyond the borders of Utah. As Fox News Digital reported, some students at Georgetown University and the University of South Carolina planned look-alike contests to mark the date, while a tattoo artist in Portland advertised "Kirkiversary" neck tattoos for $50 .
These reactions highlight a broader trend of extreme political polarization surrounding the legacy of Charlie Kirk. While Turning Point USA frames the anniversary as a solemn occasion for remembrance, other groups have treated the event with irony or open hostility, reflecting the deep ideological divide that Kirk himself often navigated during his career.
President Jon Anderson's claim of an apolitical university stance
President Jon Anderson has defended the university's decision to permit the memorial, asserting that Utah Valley University must remain apolitical and avoid jumping "in the fray." He maintained that the UCCU Center is a space available to any entity and that the school is simply providing security for the event without officially sponsoring it.
However, several critical questions remain unanswered. It is unclear why the university felt it necessary to close the entire campus and cancel all classes if the event is limited to the UCCU Center and is not university-sponsored. Furthermore, the source does not specify who is funding the security provided by Utah Valley University, nor does it clarify if the "day of healing" was a pre-planned institutional response or a direct result of the pressure to accommodate Turning Point USA.
Comments 0