On October 13, CORE Butte aims to launch its own Turning Point USA Club chapter. The launch is set to occur from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. This club will be centered around American values, democratic practices, and the cultures that shaped our country.
This idea was sparked up by a few students after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the recently deceased CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA. Outraged by this act of violence, Steiger Jacobsen, a junior attending our school, looked into what it would take to start our own Turning Point club chapter and whether there would be any interest in it. After word got around, two other students stepped up to fill roles in the club: Devon Stewart to be vice president, and Luke McComb as the treasurer.
After an interview with these three, it is clear they have a strong passion and high hopes for this club. After seeing the clear divide in our nation, these students knew it was time to act. “I just didn’t want to sit by, I wanted to do something,” said Steiger. His hope for the club is to provide a safe and open space for peaceful debates. “It encourages open dialogue instead of, ‘I’ll go get the rifle.’”
“What we are aiming for is encouragement to be the change,” said Devon, “And I think especially for the generation before us, [it] will inspire them to step up as well.”
When asked about the audience they hope to have join the club, they unanimously said “Everybody.” Outreach is one of their top priorities as a group, and they do not want anyone to believe they are unfit for the Turning Point club; it is truly an open house for anyone wanting a conversation. The officers of this new club would love for people of any community to bring challenging ideas or possibly opposing views to them. They also aim to spread the gospel, which had been one of Kirk’s main goals, and will be a cornerstone for the meetings ahead.
The plan they have set for the club activities initially focuses on reviewing and analyzing past Charlie Kirk debates. After a few weeks, they will start doing “tabling”, the viral form of debates that Kirk had been famous for. They plan on setting their tables up on school property and possibly even around Chico to help promote debates and free conversation. You can also expect to find the club organizing or joining protests on topics that members agree on or care about to bring awareness to issues they find important.
The Turning Point USA club aims to host its first meeting on Oct. 13, starting at 11 a.m.. All students are welcome and encouraged to attend.