"In the hours after Charlie Kirk's assassination last month, RaeAnna Morales was overcome with disbelief, anger and sadness. "I saw a video of him being shot and I was absolutely horrified. That's not something you can ever completely get out of your head," Morales, a political science major and media director for the College Republicans at Vanderbilt University, told Inside Higher Ed."
""He was out there speaking to both political parties. No one should get shot for expressing a political viewpoint." She canceled her plans for the rest of the day and reflected on how she could channel her grief. "I realized what I can do is bring Turning Point to Vanderbilt's campus," she said."
"Morales's request was one of 62,000 that Turning Point USA-the group Kirk founded in 2012 "to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government"-received from students interested in starting a new chapter or getting involved with one in the eight days after his death, the group posted on X."
""It's not just a movement anymore, it's a nationwide awakening," one commenter replied. "They tried to silence him. Instead, they lit the fuse.""
Charlie Kirk's assassination triggered a strong conservative response on college campuses and beyond. RaeAnna Morales, a Vanderbilt student, reacted to graphic footage by launching a Turning Point chapter. Turning Point USA received about 62,000 requests to start or join chapters within eight days of his death. Supporters framed Kirk as a symbol of Christian values and civic debate, while donors increased funding and the organization adopted "We are Charlie Kirk" as a mantra. Republican leaders called for punitive measures against critics. Campus conservative momentum and organizing efforts intensified, even as cultural flashpoints, like Bad Bunny's Super Bowl booking, further inflamed partisan sentiment.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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