Tuesday, September 27th, I was able to fly to North Carolina and interact with the student body of University of North Carolina and the growing Turing Point USA chapter they have established on their campus! Like most chapters that are on campuses across America, aspects of UNC suppress the free speech of young conservative students.
Despite the threats of exclusion and isolation, there is a handful of students that have not only revived the chapter that was dwindling, but have established a presence on their campus. Now, everyone there knows what Turning Point USA is and what the organization stands for.
Led by their Field Representative, Coleman Theodore, and the chapter’s new President, a Junior by the name of Nate Kelkay, the chapter has new life and a fresh start that has taken the school by storm.
The lead-up to the event was what you would typically expect from a very liberal campus like UNC. TPUSA Ambassador Mat Simmons and I tabled with the chapter on campus for about three hours, during which we received our fair share of middle finger salutes, yelling, and photos being taken. All of this was done from a distance — which doesn’t surprise me, most liberals don’t want to approach and have a civil conversation. There were also a few students who would hurry along when an invitation was extended with a smile to the event.
Lots of masks and lots of irritation to opposing views are what flood the halls and walk ways of UNC, not to mention the multiple certified “safe spaces” that are located across the campus.
Despite this, event was nothing short of a success. Myself along with Mat Simmons, whose very successful private equity firm gained popularity after suing the Governor of Pennsylvania, joined me as we spoke on the value of free speech, individual thought, and liberty. We were sadly not joined by our 3rd panel speaker, Conservative Ant, a very popular content creator on TikTok and Instagram, who has been grounded in Florida due to Hurricane Ian.
These students, not just at UNC, but across the country, need us to be there with them, providing support and guidance as they navigate uncharted territory at their liberal colleges. I am more than willing to endure the name calling, the harassment, the misplaced aggression and anger if it means that I get to stand side by side with these fantastic young adults.
These are tough times, and all conservative leaders need to show these students how to stand firm in their beliefs. I believe that the future is bright for America because of the courage and persistence the next generation is exampling.
