Several University of Mississippi registered student organizations (RSOs) plan to host “Mississippi Rise Up Town Hall” at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union on Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 5-6:30 p.m. to show dissent against the Trump Administration during Turning Point USA’s “This is the Turning Point Tour,” which will be held at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion the same day and starting at the same time.
UM Professor of Sociology James Thomas will host a presentation, and Gloria Johnson — Tennessee state representative and former Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate — will provide remarks. Other local and state political candidates and officials will speak at the event, but, according to the event organizers, the complete guest list is uncertain due to the government shutdown.
UM College Democrats provided The Daily Mississippian with a press release on Friday detailing the event.
“This event intends to show that our campus and student body is not beholden to any singular ideology,” the press release said. “It will provide a space for students and community members during the vice president’s visit to show their dissent against the Trump Administration, as well as an opportunity to hear from and interact with dedicated public officials and community organizers.”
The other organizations involved in the event’s orchestration include: UM Environmental Coalition, UM Forward, Southern Progressives Alliance, Community Alliance Network, Lafayette County Democratic Party and United Campus Workers.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, UM College Democrats, UM Forward, UM Environmental Coalition, Community Alliance Network, Southern Progressive Alliance and the UM Pride Network released a separate joint statement on Vance’s visit to UM.
The statement alleges that the university’s Declaration of Independence Center is partnering with TPUSA to produce the Vance-speakered event. The Declaration of Independence Center’s logo is featured at the top of an official graphic posted by Ole Miss TPUSA, and the flyer is pinned at the top of the center’s Instagram feed.
“Amid ongoing attempts by the White House to exert its dominance over the programming of institutions of higher education across the country, we are deeply concerned by the University of Mississippi’s partnership with Turning Point USA, which is a blatant attempt to turn our campus into a political rally venue and provide academic legitimacy to the hatred, suppression of free speech and overt partisanship championed by the administration of President Trump and Vice President Vance,” the multi-organizational statement read.
However, the UM Director of News and Media Relations Jacob Batte told The Daily Mississippian on Saturday, Oct. 25 that the Declaration of Independence Center is not partnering with TPUSA and is rather providing guidance to make sure the event “runs smoothly.”
The joint organizations’ statement concluded with a promise of future events, like the town hall on Wednesday night.
“Our university has a long, complicated history, full of troublesome lapses in moral clarity, and this event brings just one more speaker whose legacy will not endure the test of time. We look forward to hosting a series of events to coincide with the vice president’s visit, in order to demonstrate that the University of Mississippi and its students are not beholden to any singular ideology,” the statement read.
