'Hostile and unsafe': NAACP chapter calls FSU out ahead of Charlie Kirk's campus visit
Hard-right commentator Charlie Kirk's scheduled presence on Florida State University's campus is already stirring up controversy and backlash from students.
The FSU Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) released a statement Tuesday ahead of the MAGA star's "American Comeback Tour" visit at noon Friday on Landis Green, where it calls FSU out for having a history of "elevating controversial speakers while cracking down on progressive student activism.'
'Kirk's history of racist, homophobic and transphobic rhetoric stands in direct opposition to FSU's stated values of diversity, equity and inclusion,' NAACP's FSU Chapter President Alysha Dorcely said in the statement. 'His presence at FSU creates a hostile and unsafe environment for Black students, LGBTQ+ students and all marginalized communities.'
In response to the statement, Republican Party of Florida chair Evan Power released one of his own, where he says the NAACP is 'trying to suppress freedom of speech through fear mongering.'
'FSU must continue to embrace diverse thought on campus and not allow the Left to fear monger, with NAACP demanding they do not enforce school protesting policies,' Power said in the Wednesday statement.
Kirk is the founder of Turning Point USA, which promotes conservative values and aims to energize younger voters, especially on college campuses. His speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention helped introduce him to a national audience.
Related news: Who is Charlie Kirk? Conservative firebrand coming to these Florida universities
According to the group's website, he will "debate conventional narratives promoted by leftist academia,' and "in the spirit of open inquiry, debate and free speech, the tour will provide students of all viewpoints the opportunity to discuss important subjects ...."
Kirk travels to campuses and records debates with various students who challenge him at an open mic, where his last visit to FSU was in May 2023 as part of his "Live Free" Tour.
"As a public institution and member of the State University System, Florida State University has an open campus, and speakers can come to campus to share their messages," FSU said in a statement sent to the Tallahassee Democrat Thursday. "A speaker's viewpoint is protected by the First Amendment. The university welcomes the exchange of views as part of the educational process but does not endorse specific speakers or viewpoints."
Kirk's stop on FSU's campus Friday will follow his visit to the University of Florida's campus Thursday.
The FSU NAACP chapter's opposition comes during a time where DEI is a critical concern in Florida as activities related to it have been dismantled from colleges and universities across the state, which led to several protests on the campuses.
What has long been a particular target for Gov. Ron DeSantis is now also one of the main components of President Donald Trump's recent executive orders, which include 'Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.'
In the NAACP statement, the FSU chapter also expressed how the university has provided financial support to individuals like Kirk and Ben Shapiro, another staunchly conservative commentator, in the past.
But because the Kirk event is being coordinated by the student organization Turning Point USA, no university funding or activity and service fees were used to bring him to campus, according to a university spokesperson.
"This event is yet another instance where FSU has failed to take a stand against bigotry and instead enabled the normalization of hate speech under the guise of 'free speech,'" the NAACP's Dorcely said in the statement. 'FSU cannot claim to be a university that values diversity while continuing to welcome individuals who actively work against civil rights, gender equality, and racial justice."
Tarah Jean is a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can reached at tjean@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @tarahjean_.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU chapter of NAACP releases statement ahead of Charlie Kirk's visit
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