College Conservative Group Faces Hostility, Stands Firm
PHOENIX – A college group that supports conservative ideas is standing strong after facing harassment and vandalism. The group, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) at Northern Arizona University (NAU), has experienced a series of troubling incidents following the death of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk.
Amy Rose Lombardo, who helps lead the TPUSA chapter at NAU, spoke about the challenges her group has faced. She said that since Kirk’s death, members have been met with increasing hostility.
One of the first incidents involved a woman who left a disturbing note at the TPUSA table. The note contained a drawing that seemed to show Kirk being attacked, along with hateful words. The drawing showed blood and a person holding a microphone.
In another instance, a woman was caught on camera taking items from the group’s table. She swept everything off the table and even took a foam board that had a picture of Ronald Reagan on it.
Lombardo described how the woman approached their table, smiled, and then quickly swiped everything off before walking away.
The TPUSA group reported these incidents to the Northern Arizona University Police Department. The woman who took items from the table was charged with theft and disorderly conduct. Lombardo praised the police and the university for how they handled the situation.
Despite the hostility, Lombardo and her fellow TPUSA members are not backing down.
“To me, Turning Point means truth, and fighting for what you believe in,” Lombardo said. “Because if we lose all hope, and we just give up on everything, then there’s no way that we’d be able to have a future in America.”
She also said that the actions of those who oppose Turning Point actually make her more determined. She prays for her opponents, saying she feels sorry for them.
“I hope they find their way out of the hatred that they let run their lives,” she said. “Because at the end of the day, even though I disagree with those people, and they may disagree with me, I believe they are just extremely misguided, and they have just been lied to.”
She encouraged others to stand up for their beliefs.
“To those people who are not quite sure if they want to step into the movement yet, to those people, I would say if you can’t do it, if you won’t do it, then who else will?”
Since Kirk’s death, there has been increased opposition to Turning Point, but interest in the organization has also grown. Other conservative groups have also experienced similar hostility.
Lombardo’s message is one of courage and conviction. She and her fellow students are committed to standing up for their beliefs, even in the face of opposition. They believe that it is important to have open and honest discussions about the issues facing the country, and they are determined to continue to be a voice for conservative ideas on their campus.
Northern Arizona University officials declined to comment on the specific incidents.
