More than 9,500 people packed The Sandy and John Black Pavilion on the University of Mississippi campus Wednesday, cheering and chanting as Vice President JD Vance and Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk headlined TPUSA’s “This is the Turning Point Tour.”
Both exhorted students and community members to honor America by pursuing Christian civic values.
“This generation inside of America — remember who she (America) is, or she’ll forget,” Kirk said. “I believe with all my heart that God placed you here, now, not by accident, but by assignment. There is no mistake that you are here in this stadium.”
Vance referenced Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk’s late husband who was murdered on Sept. 10 at a Utah Valley University event, throughout his speech, and he messaged to students that they should invest in family.
“Charlie wanted you, more than anything, to invest in the things that were worth having, to build a life that was worth building,” Vance said. “The most important advice he ever gave you was: ‘Fall in love, get married and start a family.’”
During a question-and-answer session with students, Vance focused on political issues like immigration, U.S. involvement in Iran and Israel and deployment of military troops in American cities, while Kirk focused on the TPUSA’s goals for mobilizing youth leaders across the country and her family’s faith that has guided their mission.
Students braved the rain and cold temperatures on Wednesday morning to line up early for the event. A campus-wide statement from Provost Noel Wilkin on Monday, Oct. 27, said that the queue for the event would open at 11 a.m., but students could be seen lining up as early as 10:15 a.m.
Bella Barron, a senior integrated marketing communications major from Austin, Texas, waited in line for four hours before the pavilion doors opened at 3 p.m.
“We are going to camp out early just so we can be front row,” Barron said. “The first 500 people get signed hats and everything. I mean, I want to be super close and see it all, (and) be able to see everything.”
Before TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk was killed Sept. 10 during an appearance at Utah Valley University, he was scheduled to lead a TPUSA event at Ole Miss. In October, it was announced that Vance and Erika Kirk would speak at the scheduled Ole Miss event, their only appearance on the tour.
What Vance and Kirk said
Vance was welcomed to the stage with “USA” chants from the crowd, after which he led the audience of more than 9,500 in a “Hotty Toddy” chant.
Vance first spoke about Charlie Kirk’s political legacy, recalling the events and his feelings as the news of Charlie Kirk’s shooting rolled in. Vance praised Charlie Kirk’s ability to debate and called him one of the most effective personalities in politics.
After Vance’s remarks, the event segued into a question-and-answer format, echoing Charlie Kirk’s style. Topics addressed by Vance included immigration, abortion, Vance’s relationship with defense technology corporation Palantir, Christianity’s role in society, gun rights, the deployment of the National Guard to U.S. cities, the ongoing government shutdown and the United States’ relationship with Israel.
Vance concluded the event by harking on the importance of debate and participation in democracy.
“Despair is a sin. Don’t give into the sin of despair. Let’s keep fighting to save America,” Vance said in conclusion of the event.
Erika Kirk, who spoke before Vance, was emotional as she came onto the stage, which she attributed to the introductory video featuring clips of the Kirk family. She shared her experience following her husband’s murder and the absence she has felt as a result of his death.
She then pressed on the need to keep the TPUSA movement alive, calling Generation Z the “courageous generation.” Erika Kirk used spiritual themes to implore attendees to fight against the work of “the enemy.”
Junior public policy leadership major Lesley Lachman, president of Ole Miss TPUSA, opened the event by expressing gratitude for the communities that helped her become a leader and helped her plan this event — TPUSA, the UM Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom and Chancellor Glenn Boyce.
Audience reactions
Reese Rabe, a senior public policy leadership major from Sulphur Springs, Texas, said the event was an opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded people.
“I love seeing the support. The people are willing to go through the cold weather and the rain,” Rabe said. “You’re able to see so many like-minded people, so many different backgrounds, especially people our age. It gives a lot more hope for our generation and the future generations.”
Cincinnati native Maddie Boone, a senior finance major at UM, expressed her excitement for Vance’s arrival on campus, as well as her support for the gathering.
“JD Vance actually lives 15 minutes away from me, so I think it’s super cool to see him here in my college town,” Boone said. “The reason I’m going is because I really like the community coming together. It really makes me feel seen, and Charlie Kirk’s death really affected me. So seeing everyone come together in a positive way is really a good feeling, uplifting.”
Kaylee Nye, a senior integrated marketing communications major from Seattle, believes Vance’s appearance was an honor.
“I think it’s really important for both sides just because it’s a huge honor that out of all of the places that the vice president of the United States could have come, he decided to go to Ole Miss,” Nye said. “It’s such a small place and small town, and after this they’re done — they’re not going to any other colleges, like (they’re) not going to Auburn or anything, so I think it’s a huge honor that we were even considered to be a school that they thought of coming to.”
Counter event
As Vance and Kirk were speaking at the TPUSA event, the UM College Democrats, along with several other organizations, hosted the Mississippi “Rise Up Town Hall” at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union Ballroom.
The event featured appearances from Tennessee House Rep. Gloria Johnson and UM Associate Professor of Sociology James Thomas. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, and former U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., joined the event via video call.
Participants like Sophie Kahle, junior political science and psychology major from Ocean Springs, Miss., found the event an enjoyable space to share beliefs.
“I think it’s important to really be surrounded by a sense of community. Especially where we are in the South, it’s hard to find that sometimes,” Kahle said. “And with the political climate being what it is, I think it’s important to celebrate what we can, and I think tonight is a really good representation of that.”
Security and safety
The event attracted a heightened security presence — a collaborative effort between several local, state and federal police agencies, including the University Police Department, the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the Transportation Security Administration.
Canine units from the United States Secret Service Canine Explosives Detection Team were deployed to detect traces of weapons, and all attendees were required to go through TSA metal detectors prior to entering the building.
Roads and buildings close to the pavilion were closed leading up to the event, with portions of Hill Drive and All American Drive closed for logistical and safety reasons. Oxford-University Transit routes were also altered to avoid areas close to the event. The pavilion parking garage and lots around the Turner Center were also closed prior to and during the event, and are set to reopen Thursday morning.
This increased presence eased safety concerns.
“I feel really safe. I think they’ve got this place well guarded, and they know what to expect,” Boston McCrory, a sophomore accounting major from Mississippi State University, said. “The only thing I could complain about is the parking situation.”
Why Ole Miss?
Vance and Kirk’s stop at UM is the only one for either on the “This is the Turning Point Tour.”
Lachman said that she attended AmericaFest last year, an annual conference held by TPUSA. At the event, Charlie Kirk cited UM as an example of a university that aligns with the organization’s values.
From there, Lachman wanted the university to host Kirk and TPUSA events. She shared how bittersweet the night’s event was, due to the nature of Kirk’s death.
Talia Fields, a sophomore early childhood education major from Hershey, Pa., thought Kirk and Vance represented the UM community well.
“I think (Kirk and Vance) represent a lot of the traditional values here we have on campus, and I think it was really admirable when they could come, especially after this tragedy with Charlie Kirk, and carry on his legacy and allow us to be the first to really show and do the same thing.”
Chancellor Glenn Boyce attributed the visit to the university’s growth in national reputation.
“I just think that the trajectory of this university and the national visibility this university has gotten over the last five-to-six years in particular (is why Vance and Kirk spoke at UM). … I think as much as anything, we are now truly on a national map in many ways,” Boyce said. “This isn’t just our wonderful athletic program that has given us a lot of visibility — it’s the research we’re doing, it’s a tremendous faculty, who are taking students to a brand new level of academic achievement.”
Erika Dierke, Gabby Franklin, Clay Hale, Kenzie Hall, Madelyn Lass, Raegan Settle and Dylan Thomas contributed reporting.
