Vigil Held for Slain Conservative Leader Charlie Kirk at University of Alaska
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A prayer vigil was held in remembrance of conservative political leader Charlie Kirk at the University of Alaska Anchorage, hosted by the university’s chapter of Turning Point USA. Kirk, known nationally for his conservative debates on college campuses, was shot and killed during a visit to Utah Valley University, with 22-year-old Tyler Robinson charged with aggravated murder. The vigil was attended by Alaska Republican leaders, young conservatives, and other residents, with the coverage of the event leading to controversies over free speech and how Kirk’s work should be discussed and remembered.
Alaska Young Conservatives Remember Charlie Kirk at Prayer Vigil
Anchorage’s Alaska Republican leaders, young conservatives, and other residents attended a prayer vigil in honor of Charlie Kirk at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) campus. The vigil, hosted by UAA’s Turning Point USA chapter, remembered the conservative political leader who was assassinated during his Utah Valley University visit.
Notably, Kirk was known for advocating for free speech and polarizing debates on race, immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and gun control. Anchorage resident John Norfleet admired Kirk for sharing his Christian beliefs, “Turning Point USA is so focused on dialogue and being able to talk with people, and I want to encourage that and stop all this bickering and focus on what we can do to live a life that would make Christ proud of us,” Norfleet said.
UAA’s Turning Point chapter organizer Eduardo Torres Cruz explained a venue change from the UAA Student Union to the Wendy Williamson Auditorium due to an unexpected increase in attendees. Republican gubernatorial candidates Treg Taylor, the former Alaska attorney general, and businesswoman Bernadette Wilson were among the notable attendees. Other attendees included former Alaska Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka, Alaska Republican Party Chair Carmela Warfield, and Matanuska-Susitna Borough School Board President Kathy McCollum.
Charlie Kirk’s impact on Turning Point USA UAA Chapter
Newly appointed Turning Point USA UAA Chapter President Jack Thompson shared on a podcast that he is committed to reviving the club and mobilizing it to support conservative politics in Alaska. He fondly remembers Kirk, “The fact that so many people here in Alaska on the top of the world have been impacted so thoroughly by this extraordinary man, it’s telling of how influential he was on our country.” Governor Mike Dunleavy declared Oct. 14 as Charlie Kirk Day in recognition of the first amendment.
Media Restrictions and Controversies
Media restrictions at the vigil stirred controversy. UAA Director of Marketing and Communications Katie Bender explained that “The Wendy Williamson Auditorium was rented by a student club group for the event in question. The University of Alaska Anchorage was not involved in setting access restrictions associated with said event.” The university has already spoken to the club advisory and student leadership about the ramifications of holding a public event.
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