HELENA — On Friday afternoon, several hundred people gathered in front of the Montana State Capitol in memory of Charlie Kirk, after the well-known conservative activist was assassinated earlier this week.
Many of the speakers at the event, organized by groups like the Young Republicans of Montana, called Kirk’s death a “turning point,” alluding to the name of his advocacy organization Turning Point USA.
“We’ve known we’re approaching a crossroad in our country,” said state Sen. Becky Beard, R-Elliston. “This crossroad, this turning point, is now.”
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Lawmakers and activists who spoke Friday called on those in attendance to redirect their grief and anger into action, and to continue Kirk’s advocacy for conservative values.
“If anyone thinks that this will stop us, they’re wrong – this will only embolden us,” said state Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, who knew Kirk personally and served as an ambassador for Turning Point USA.
Kaitlyn Wenzel attended a Turning Point USA conference while in high school, and she says that experience launched her interest in politics – which eventually led her to joining more advocacy organizations and to running for the Legislature.
“I credit so much of where I am currently in my life, my career, my faith, my husband and many of the people I know to having gotten involved with Turning Point USA,” she told MTN.
Wenzel met Kirk in person multiple times. She said he stood for open dialogue and debate, and she believed he would have willingly talked through his disagreements even with someone like the person who shot him.
“I would say that Charlie wouldn't want us to stop believing in the values that he stands firm for in this moment,” she said. “He would want us to be gathered here today. He would want us to continue the fight for freedom and liberty. And I think especially he would want young people to know that now is our generation's time to pick up that torch after him, and to continue boldly defending the truth.”
Wenzel said, the last time she met Kirk, she asked him for advice after her recent wedding.
“He told us to love each other deeply, and he told us to have lots of kids,” she said. “And that stuck with me because Charlie didn't just care about politics, he didn't just care about the next election a few months from then – he didn't just care about those things, he cared about building up the next generation, he cared about building strong families in America.”
Security was visibly present at the event. Organizers told the crowd that the Montana Highway Patrol had placed someone on the roof of the Capitol.
“If you see him up there after the events of this week, please don’t freak out – he’s supposed to be there, he’s looking out over us,” said organizer Brenton Craggs.
