A couple of hundred mourners showed up to remember Charlie Kirk on the campus of Columbus State University today. The memorial was held simultaneously with Kirk’s funeral and other vigils around the nation. Kirk, a conservative political activist was murdered on a Utah college campus eleven days ago. One of today’s attendees, Michael Ippolito of Columbus said the incident “shocked a lot of people and I think it’s good to see that even after he’s gone his movement is still going forward.”
Today’s event was heavily guarded by security on campus. The memorial’s organizer Regina Liparoto said it was important to host the event at CSU because “Charlie Kirk’s mission and his holy spirit that lived within him drove him to campuses and that’s where he felt like he needed to save our youth…our campuses are becoming a hate zone and talking people out of Christ. It’s almost like it’s the antichrist, you know calling names, hate speech, derogatory remarks about death and other things that are just so scary, but I thought the only really appropriate place to be is where Charlie was, we need to get on campus.”
Tracy Kurtz was also there for the vigil. Kurtz said, “they could have had it pretty much anywhere but since he was all about debate and free speech, I think it’s a great place to have it.” A handful of protestors appeared across the lawn also near the clocktower. They disagreed with the idea to host the memorial on campus.
CSU student Chora Lockett standing with about two dozen protestors said she started a petition to have it removed from campus. “I think everybody understands a man lost his life you know a wife doesn’t have a husband and children don’t have their father but the most important thing I want people to understand that Charlie Kirk over ten plus years has put out hatred for immigrants, people of color, things of that nature…with such a diverse population on campus and to have a person who preached hatred for so so so long, to be almost celebrated on a campus I feel like it’s almost disrespectful to students.”
Mourner Ippolito said the country is more divisive now that ever. “The younger generation will eventually be in charge of this country and with social media now I don’t believe they see much unity. It’s more division than anything else. I think young people need to understand that we have the ability to do this freely and be genuine to each other…it’s our right that many people fought for and we’re born with it, and we should take full advantage of it.” Liparoto said of today’s turnout “if it was 10 or 200, I would be happy.”
