It’s not every day that history is written right on your college campus. It is even less often that the vice president of the United States of America speaks directly to a university’s students, not to secure votes, but to inspire youth action.
Wednesday’s Turning Point USA event, featuring TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk and Vice President JD Vance, reveals the political relevance and impact that the University of Mississippi has nationwide.
This rally also represents the diligent efforts the university and registered student organizations take to cultivate a campus that promotes and fosters discussions across the ideological spectrum.
Throughout the event there was a clear and consistent message: The best way to continue the mission of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, namely freedom of speech, conservative principles and limited government, is to get involved.
A clear pillar of this philosophy is that no matter how bad things are, we cannot stop fighting as a generation for the things we care about.
“If you care about this country, love it enough to get involved in the process of how we govern it,” Vance said Wednesday.
Regardless of one’s opinion, they should empower themselves to do something about it, no matter how daunting it may seem. While this concept is not novel, TPUSA’s commitment to empowering students to be politically active brings revival to this civic duty.
This was especially true in the role that students played in organizing the event from the Ole Miss TPUSA chapter advocating for a stop on the American Comeback Tour to the presence of dozens of student volunteers and the opportunity for students to ask questions of the vice president.
Throughout the question and answering period, students from all sides of the political aisle were able to ask direct questions to one of the most powerful people in the country.
Vulnerability is rarely something politicians subject themselves to. Vance’s willingness to provide candid and thoughtful answers as opposed to spewing talking points reflects the authenticity of TPUSA’s love for dialogue that is authentic and impactful.
Most profoundly, the event marked seven weeks since the assassination of Charlie Kirk. His death was a key undertone of both Vice President Vance and Erika Kirk’s speeches.
The impact of faith in their lives was reflected in the call to continue Charlie Kirk’s mission: Erika spoke about how every morning her husband lived through thinking about how he could serve God and how he could help other people.
Thus, this event displayed what makes Ole Miss such a special campus: our commitment to fostering a community built on civil discourse and empowering students.
Tyler Boecker is a sophomore economics major from Aurora, Ill.
