TPUSA AT CSU CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

[00:15:35] Thank you so much for being here tonight [00:15:38] to honor. [00:15:42] If you would please remove your hat and [00:15:45] stand with me as we sing the national [00:15:47] anthem. [00:15:54] Oh, say [00:15:56] can you see [00:16:00] by the dawn's early light, [00:16:04] what so proudly we held [00:16:09] at the twilight [00:16:11] last gleaming, [00:16:14] whose broad stripes and bright stars [00:16:18] cars through the perilous [00:16:21] fight. [00:16:23] Or the rim parts we watch [00:16:28] were so gallentally [00:16:31] streaming. [00:16:33] And the rockets [00:16:36] red glare, [00:16:38] the bombs bursting [00:16:41] in [00:16:44] pro [00:16:48] that our flag was still there. [00:16:53] Oh, say does that star spangled [00:16:58] b [00:17:00] yet? [00:17:06] Or the land [00:17:08] of the free [00:17:15] and the home of the [00:17:21] brave. [00:17:24] [Applause] [00:17:28] God bless America, [00:17:32] [Music] [00:17:33] land that I love. [00:17:39] Stand beside her [00:17:42] and guide her through the night with a [00:17:47] light from above. [00:17:50] From the mountains [00:17:54] to the prairies [00:17:56] to the o [00:18:00] white with fo. [00:18:03] God bless America, [00:18:08] my home sweet [00:18:12] home. [00:18:15] God bless America. [00:18:21] our home. [00:18:24] Sweet [00:18:27] home. [00:18:30] [Applause] [00:18:41] USA. [00:18:45] [Applause] [00:18:50] >> Hallelujah. [00:18:52] It's [00:18:56] man, it's exciting to see how many [00:18:58] people showed up to honor an American [00:19:00] hero. Praise God. [00:19:06] I tell you, this is the worst thing the [00:19:08] other side could have done is to kill [00:19:09] this man. They didn't kill the message. [00:19:12] And I believe millions of people are [00:19:15] rising up to continue this voice. Praise [00:19:18] God. I'm Andrew Wamik. I'm from down in [00:19:21] Woodland Park, Colorado. And Charlie was [00:19:23] scheduled to speak at my place a week [00:19:25] ago tonight. Uh but he was killed the [00:19:28] day before. [00:19:30] But praise God, the message is [00:19:33] continuing on. Let's just pray real [00:19:36] quickly and dedicate this time to the [00:19:39] Lord. So, Father, we thank you for what [00:19:42] you've done in the life of Charlie Kirk. [00:19:45] >> And we thank you that he is still alive [00:19:47] and that his message is still alive and [00:19:49] it's going to resonate and grow and [00:19:52] become louder than it ever was. [00:19:55] We agree. We receive that. We dedicate [00:19:58] this time to you and the person that you [00:20:02] raised up. Father, we agree and we [00:20:04] receive that in the mighty name of [00:20:06] Jesus. Amen. [00:20:09] >> Praise God. [00:20:11] [Applause] [00:20:20] [Music] [00:20:36] Can y'all hear me? [00:20:38] >> All right. [00:20:41] Thank you everybody for coming. My name [00:20:43] is Gabe Saint. I'm the TPUSA chapter [00:20:46] president at the University of Wyoming. [00:20:49] And in front of me [00:20:55] And in front of me are the TUSA chapter [00:20:58] leaders here at CSU who were supposed to [00:21:00] host Charlie today. [00:21:07] [Applause] [00:21:11] Instead of hosting Charlie today, they [00:21:14] are here to mourn and yet honor [00:21:15] Charlie's legacy. Uh Charlie was taken [00:21:18] away from us by evil. pure evil. [00:21:22] But we are here today to remember him [00:21:25] and to continue his legacy. So, as we [00:21:27] get started today, if you could if we [00:21:28] could have a moment of silence, take out [00:21:31] your phones, turn on your flashlights, [00:21:34] and uh we'll light some candles up here, [00:21:36] and let's uh pray to God and remember [00:21:38] Charlie. [00:22:28] Thank you. [00:22:32] Charlie was more than just some guy or [00:22:34] the guy that got the president elected, [00:22:37] senators elected, congressmen elected. [00:22:40] He was our hero as students on college [00:22:42] campuses across the country. [00:22:45] He uh he inspired each and every one of [00:22:47] us. For so long, conservatives and [00:22:49] Christians on college campuses were told [00:22:52] to be quiet. But Charlie gave us our [00:22:55] voice to stand up for what we believe [00:22:56] in, to love America, and to love Jesus [00:22:59] Christ, our Lord and Savior, our King. [00:23:10] And we as students are even more [00:23:12] confident in our belief knowing that [00:23:15] Charlie is up with the Lord Jesus [00:23:16] watching us and protecting us. He [00:23:19] inspires us [00:23:21] uh sitting at the right hand right by [00:23:23] our Lord. [00:23:27] And you know, I've uh at the University [00:23:29] of Wyoming, I've had hundreds of [00:23:31] students reach out to me saying, "Gabe, [00:23:33] what do we do? Where do we go from here? [00:23:35] We feel so lost that Charlie who was he [00:23:39] was just at my campus last April, [00:23:42] biggest political event in Wyoming. Uh [00:23:47] and what do we do? He was on every [00:23:48] Instagram reel, every Tik Tok reel, just [00:23:50] telling us what we're supposed to do. [00:23:52] What do we do? And you know, I think [00:23:54] Erica Kirk said it best when she [00:23:56] addressed the nation. We already know [00:23:58] what to do. And that's to keep fighting [00:23:59] for freedom on every college campus [00:24:01] across the country. [00:24:06] [Applause] [00:24:10] Thank you all for your support. God [00:24:12] bless you all and God bless America. [00:24:31] [Applause] [00:24:40] Good evening everyone. Thank you so much [00:24:42] for being here. I first want to say [00:24:44] thank you to the amazing law enforcement [00:24:46] for protecting this event. Can we give [00:24:47] them a round of applause please? [00:24:50] Thank you. Thank you. [00:24:56] Thank you. [00:25:00] Thank you guys. Yes, please. Thank you. [00:25:13] Thank you. Thank you guys. [00:25:18] I also would like to thank CSU for [00:25:20] helping put this on. [00:25:22] One more clap. Round of applause for [00:25:24] CSU. Thank you. [00:25:27] And of course to all the Turning Point [00:25:29] staff and volunteers. None of this would [00:25:31] be possible without them, without them. [00:25:34] You know, it's so in [00:25:41] all of this doesn't feel real, does it? [00:25:44] It feels like I shouldn't be here today. [00:25:46] I should be home in Florida on the [00:25:48] beach. And now I'm here with all of you. [00:25:50] And I wish we could have all met under [00:25:52] different circumstances, but to see all [00:25:54] of you here, so proud of your country, [00:25:56] so proud of Charlie, inspired by him, [00:25:58] inspired by Turning Point USA, it's it's [00:26:01] the most beautiful thing I I could ever [00:26:03] really see to see all of you so affected [00:26:06] by one man and what he did in all of [00:26:07] your lives. You know, I about 10 years [00:26:09] ago, I grew up in Colorado and I was a [00:26:12] student at CU Boulder. Go Buffs. Sorry, [00:26:16] guys. Sorry. I know. I know. I know. But [00:26:19] I wore the green for CSU, right? So you [00:26:22] got that, right? [00:26:24] And I was a student there and I was [00:26:26] remember sitting in my sociology class. [00:26:28] Useless class by the way. [00:26:31] And a girl comes up to me and she says, [00:26:33] "Oh, who are you voting for?" I said, [00:26:35] "Oh, I don't know. I never really [00:26:36] thought about it. I don't know you. Why [00:26:38] are you talking to me?" And she said, [00:26:40] "Oh, well, I'm voting for Trump." I [00:26:41] said, "Oh, cool. Why are you doing [00:26:43] that?" and we got into this big [00:26:44] conversation and she started talking to [00:26:46] me and I was like wow the world is way [00:26:48] different than I thought it actually was [00:26:51] and she said why don't you come to one [00:26:52] of our turning point USA chapter [00:26:54] meetings and we can discuss this and you [00:26:56] can find out more about it I was like [00:26:57] okay so at CU I went to one of the [00:26:59] turning point meetings and I was [00:27:02] inspired beyond belief it was one of the [00:27:05] greatest moments of my college career [00:27:07] the two years that it lasted [00:27:10] before I dropped out [00:27:13] and it was incredible to see so many [00:27:15] people fighting for the values that made [00:27:17] this country. And after I found out [00:27:19] about Turning Point USA, I got all [00:27:21] hooked up with them. I started skipping [00:27:22] all my classes and debating kids on the [00:27:25] with tableabling. It was fantastic. And [00:27:27] my professors would walk by and say, [00:27:29] "Why aren't you in class?" I'd say, [00:27:30] "What do you think about capitalism?" [00:27:33] And get them to talk to me. And [00:27:35] eventually I decided on my own to just [00:27:37] go and start Turning Point chapters all [00:27:39] across the state of Colorado. Working [00:27:41] around is Yeah, it was amazing. [00:27:47] And then Turning Point got in touch with [00:27:49] me and they're like, "Hey, we're [00:27:50] starting this new campus coordinator [00:27:51] initiative. We'd like you to come to [00:27:53] Chicago, learn from Charlie, and be one [00:27:56] of our first campus coordinators." I [00:27:57] said, "Wow, this is this is amazing. [00:27:59] Who's Charlie?" You know, [00:28:02] and I go to Chicago and we're in this [00:28:04] little room. It's maybe eight other [00:28:05] students with me and we get to hear from [00:28:08] Charlie. He starts talking to us about [00:28:09] the values, the ideas. He talks to about [00:28:12] how we're supposed to debate people, how [00:28:13] we're supposed to talk to people. I [00:28:15] mean, it was just the most incredible [00:28:16] experience. And I was had the chance at [00:28:18] that time, the first time I met Charlie [00:28:20] to talk to him and ask him questions. [00:28:22] And I said, Charlie, like, I've started [00:28:24] the Turning Point clubs and I've been [00:28:26] doing this and standing up for what I [00:28:27] believe in, but I don't have any friends [00:28:29] anymore. and all the all the people on [00:28:32] my campus hate me now for what I'm [00:28:34] doing. Like what what should I do about [00:28:36] this? And he said, "Well, if these [00:28:38] people hate you, if they're not going to [00:28:39] be your friends, they probably weren't [00:28:41] your friends in the first place." And [00:28:48] that was something that really stuck [00:28:49] with me because if any of you guys know [00:28:51] me, you know I've been in the political [00:28:52] media world for the last 10 years [00:28:54] working with Prageru and other things. [00:28:56] And [00:28:58] if you know anything about politics and [00:28:59] media, the number one thing is that [00:29:01] everyone's a liar and everyone's a fake, [00:29:04] right? [00:29:06] But not Charlie. Charlie was the one man [00:29:09] who I met in this world who I said, [00:29:12] "This is a genuine guy. Everything he [00:29:14] says, he believed in fervently. He never [00:29:17] told a lie. He always told the truth. [00:29:19] And even if you disagreed with him, you [00:29:21] couldn't help but see the passion that [00:29:22] he had and just see how infectious it [00:29:24] was. He was a man of faith, a man of [00:29:27] America, a man of family, someone that [00:29:29] inspired millions of people across this [00:29:32] country. He was an amazing friend. He's [00:29:35] going to be so missed, just so [00:29:36] incredibly missed. You know, my favorite [00:29:39] book is The Count of Monte Cristo. I [00:29:42] don't know if any of you have read it. [00:29:43] It's my favorite novel. And it tells the [00:29:46] story of this young man who is betrayed [00:29:48] by his friends and spends 14 years in [00:29:50] prison and then comes back and and acts [00:29:52] revenge on them. And some people might [00:29:55] disagree with this, but I think revenge [00:29:58] when done in the name of good is a noble [00:30:00] pursuit. And I think about this and how [00:30:03] do we best take our our vengeance [00:30:06] for these people who hate us, who want [00:30:09] to see us dead? We do it through the way [00:30:12] we live. We do it through faith. We do [00:30:14] it through courage. We do it through [00:30:16] hope, through strength. Every single [00:30:18] day, we wake up and say, "How can I live [00:30:21] a little bit more like Charlie?" [00:30:23] Living like Charlie is the best revenge [00:30:25] that we can take. [00:30:32] You know, I see all these people now [00:30:33] online after this has happened over the [00:30:35] last week and there's already these [00:30:37] discussions and I say, "Well, who's [00:30:39] going to be the next Charlie? Who's [00:30:40] going to who's going to come and fill [00:30:42] Charlie's shoes after this?" I say, [00:30:44] "This is a ridiculous endeavor that [00:30:46] we're even discussing this. No one can [00:30:48] fill Charlie's shoes. And how about [00:30:50] instead of us looking at some new person [00:30:52] to lead us, why don't we all look in the [00:30:54] mirror, look inside of ourselves and [00:30:56] say, "How can I be more like Charlie [00:30:58] myself?" [00:31:00] Right? [00:31:03] I mean, this man represented all of the [00:31:06] true, good, and beautiful things about [00:31:09] America, about the church, about family. [00:31:12] And if we all started acting more like [00:31:14] Charlie Kirk, this country would be [00:31:16] fixed in a day. There wouldn't be the [00:31:18] problems that we're having if we all [00:31:20] stood up and were as brave and strong [00:31:22] and faithful as Charlie Kirk. [00:31:26] You know, I've always said that America [00:31:28] is not going to fall from some foreign [00:31:31] enemy, some outside force. The way [00:31:33] America will fall is from within. And [00:31:36] it'll happen because of the weakness of [00:31:38] the American people. It'll happen [00:31:40] because the American people were not [00:31:42] strong enough to stand up for what this [00:31:45] country is truly about. what this [00:31:47] country means to fight for the things [00:31:49] that Charlie fought for. We are at a [00:31:53] crossroads and your resolve is about to [00:31:55] be tested more than ever. We can never [00:31:58] go back. I hope you all understand that. [00:32:01] The morning of Wednesday last week, that [00:32:03] America is gone and there is no going [00:32:06] back before that. But your resolve will [00:32:09] be tested. It will be incredibly easy to [00:32:12] wallow in fear, to sit around and do [00:32:14] nothing. It's also so easy to think how [00:32:18] can I commit evil acts to defeat evil. [00:32:21] Both of these are a fault. To attain [00:32:25] true justice with what we are trying to [00:32:27] do. How to fix America? You must love [00:32:30] and act according to goodness and hate [00:32:34] and try and destroy evil. That is how we [00:32:37] bring this country back. [00:32:39] Thank you. Thank you. [00:32:47] I hope that Charlie's passing doesn't [00:32:50] fade away in the news cycle and people [00:32:53] forget about it and go back to just [00:32:56] arguing on Facebook about nonsense and [00:32:59] not actually talking to each other. I [00:33:02] hope that we can look at the things that [00:33:03] Charlie did and say that's the way [00:33:06] America should be. And every single day [00:33:09] I know myself going forward without [00:33:11] Charlie affected me. How without him I [00:33:13] wouldn't be here today. I'm going to [00:33:15] live my life to honor his legacy and [00:33:18] everything he stood for. And I hope you [00:33:20] all will do the same. God bless you [00:33:22] guys. Thank you so much. Thank you. [00:33:25] Thank you. [00:33:38] [Applause] [00:33:43] All right, everybody. I am very proud [00:33:46] and honored to be here. I'm Heidi Ganal [00:33:49] and I am a CU Buff also. I'm sorry, [00:33:53] but you know, I used to tell President [00:33:55] Bruce Benson back when he was the [00:33:57] president at CU that I I invested way [00:33:59] more money over the years into the [00:34:01] amazing CSU Veterinary Center and the [00:34:04] Animal Cancer Center than I ever [00:34:06] invested at CU. So, you have an [00:34:08] incredible school here. [00:34:14] The Lord is my light and my salvation. [00:34:17] Whom shall I fear? Charlie roared this [00:34:20] truth. He was a lion of liberty, a [00:34:23] beacon for our youth and a blaze whose [00:34:26] vision for America burns eternal in [00:34:29] every heart here tonight. [00:34:32] We are Charlie Kirk and his fire lives [00:34:36] within us. Like Will said [00:34:45] now guys, back in 2016, a long time ago [00:34:48] for all of you, this is a young crowd. [00:34:51] Charlie and my dad Harvey stuck up a [00:34:53] friendship at a conference that soon [00:34:56] swept our whole family into his orbit. [00:34:59] As a new regent at the University of [00:35:01] Colorado, I found in Charlie a kindred [00:35:04] spirit. He was a warrior for free [00:35:06] speech, unshackled by censorship, for [00:35:09] small government, unbowed by a [00:35:12] bureaucracy, and for crushing the [00:35:14] creeping shadow of collectivism that [00:35:18] threatens the American dream today. [00:35:21] Together, we charged into the fray at CU [00:35:24] and CSU and other colleges across [00:35:26] Colorado, and we reclaimed classrooms [00:35:29] for open debate. We empowered young [00:35:32] conservatives to find their voice and [00:35:34] grew turning point chapters across [00:35:36] Colorado's campuses, especially in [00:35:39] Boulder, where myself and the student [00:35:41] body president Marcus launched the [00:35:43] freeto coalition to spark bold, healthy [00:35:46] debates that lit the student body up. [00:35:49] And that was inspired by Charlie. [00:35:55] Now, I was so captivated by this [00:35:58] movement that I joined the Turning Point [00:35:59] Advisory Board and I was seized by [00:36:02] Charlie's mission to awaken a [00:36:04] generation. Well, why? Because Charlie [00:36:07] wasn't just about ideas. He was about [00:36:10] action and giving young people the tools [00:36:13] to fight for their future. He once said, [00:36:16] "The future of America is in the hands [00:36:18] of the youth, and if we don't engage [00:36:20] them, we lose them." I don't think we've [00:36:23] lost anyone. And look at this crowd here [00:36:25] today. [00:36:29] That's what drove him and that's what [00:36:31] drives me now and hopefully all of you [00:36:34] to influence the youth of Colorado and [00:36:36] to get everybody engaged in this fight. [00:36:40] Charlie founded Turning Point in 2012, a [00:36:43] long time ago, is fueled by a teenager's [00:36:46] passion for America's promise, free [00:36:49] markets, free speech, and the freedom to [00:36:51] chart your own path. His mentor, Bill [00:36:55] Montgomery, saw a spark in young [00:36:57] Charlie, a high school kid with a voice [00:37:00] bigger than his years, and urged him to [00:37:02] skip college and ignite a movement. [00:37:05] Aren't you glad Charlie didn't go to [00:37:07] college? [00:37:12] Bill, I think, was about 50 or 60 years [00:37:14] old, and he knew that Charlie was [00:37:16] destined to shake the world. And I bet [00:37:19] when Charlie reached Heaven's Gates last [00:37:21] Wednesday, Bill was there shouting, [00:37:24] "Well done, Patriot Charlie." [00:37:27] That story isn't over. It's ours to [00:37:30] carry forward. We are all Charlie Kirk, [00:37:33] and we will keep his story alive. [00:37:41] Now, [00:37:43] what made Charlie a hero to college [00:37:45] kids? Well, he got it. He knew that [00:37:47] you're not just fighting for grades or a [00:37:50] degree. That you're fighting for a [00:37:52] future where your voice matters. Where [00:37:54] you can afford a home, start a business, [00:37:57] and live without the government [00:37:58] breathing down your neck. Hello, [00:38:00] Colorado. [00:38:04] He knew that you're sick of being told [00:38:06] what to think, what to say, or what to [00:38:08] post online. and he fought for your [00:38:10] right to speak freely, to debate [00:38:12] fiercely, and to stand tall against the [00:38:15] cultural tide that tries to drown out [00:38:18] our independent thought. Charlie wasn't [00:38:20] afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone, [00:38:23] professors, pundits, or protesters. And [00:38:27] not to win, and this is really [00:38:29] important, you guys, he didn't want to [00:38:31] win. He wanted to understand the other [00:38:34] side, to sharpen ideas, to be able to [00:38:38] win the battle of ideas bigger and [00:38:41] better, and to show young people that [00:38:43] truth can stand up to scrutiny. He took [00:38:46] that fight global, sparking turning [00:38:49] point chapters in the UK, Australia, and [00:38:51] beyond. And since September 10th, [00:38:54] there's village all there's vigils all [00:38:57] over the world from Spain to South Korea [00:39:00] to the UK. [00:39:02] [Applause] [00:39:06] And that's because Charlie's message [00:39:08] isn't just for America. It's for every [00:39:12] soul craving freedom across this planet. [00:39:15] He said freedom is not a gift. It's a [00:39:19] responsibility. [00:39:20] and he lived that every day, inspiring [00:39:24] students to take up that responsibility [00:39:26] on their campuses, in their group chats, [00:39:28] and in their lives. And that's what [00:39:30] we're asking you to do here, today, and [00:39:34] going forward. Charlie's fire also [00:39:37] touched my family, too. In 2017, my [00:39:40] daughter Tori blazed a trail at the [00:39:42] University of Oregon, one of the most [00:39:44] liberal campuses in the country and [00:39:46] Charlie's favorite football school, as [00:39:49] one of the first Turning Point kids or [00:39:51] student slates to run for student body [00:39:53] government nationwide. She didn't just [00:39:56] run, she shook things up, and she proved [00:39:58] that conservatives could lead with [00:40:00] courage. And that was because Charlie [00:40:02] was there for three months helping her [00:40:05] and her slate run that campaign. couch [00:40:08] surfing because they didn't have a lot [00:40:09] of money at Turning Point back then and [00:40:11] making sure that those kids that he had [00:40:14] their backs. He still has your backs. He [00:40:17] wants all of you to be brave and [00:40:19] courageous and he's up there rooting for [00:40:21] you to stand strong and keep fighting [00:40:23] this liberal craziness that we're up [00:40:26] against. [00:40:31] I was super excited, you guys, this week [00:40:34] when I went to the new Turning Point [00:40:35] chapter at Valor High School down in [00:40:37] Douglas County where my daughter, who's [00:40:40] 16, my other daughter's one of the [00:40:41] leaders. They had over a hundred kids [00:40:44] show up for the first meeting. [00:40:46] [Applause] [00:40:49] And I think we've gotten over 54,000 [00:40:52] students across the country saying they [00:40:54] want to own chapters or get involved all [00:40:57] over the place. [00:41:02] And then when I ran for governor in 2022 [00:41:05] after being a regent, Charlie was my [00:41:07] rock. His whole his whole um issue with [00:41:10] me was to teach me how to debate because [00:41:12] he knew I was going to go up against [00:41:14] Jared Bullis on the debate stage. So he [00:41:17] taught me all the tactics and helped me [00:41:19] slice and dice Jared pretty darn well if [00:41:22] the liberal media would have covered it. [00:41:29] All right, but now the torch passes to [00:41:31] all of us. We are Charlie Kirk and it's [00:41:34] our time to be a rock for Erica, his [00:41:37] incredible wife, and the new CEO for [00:41:40] Turning Point and chair of the board as [00:41:42] of today. [00:41:44] [Applause] [00:41:47] And for the rest of the Turning Point [00:41:49] team, Tyler, Justin, Andrew, your [00:41:52] chapter leaders here. We're so proud of [00:41:54] you and we're gonna have their back, [00:41:56] aren't we? [00:41:58] >> That's right. [00:42:00] Ashley, Nicole, Lena, and Vega, they are [00:42:03] your leaders in Colorado. They're going [00:42:05] to need your help because what are we [00:42:07] going to do? There's over 714 high [00:42:10] schools in Colorado and 94 colleges and [00:42:13] universities. And do you think we can [00:42:15] open a turning point on every single one [00:42:18] of those campuses? [00:42:24] All right, guys. So, you're at the heart [00:42:26] of this. You care about a future where [00:42:29] you can afford to live, where your ideas [00:42:31] aren't canceled, where you can start a [00:42:32] business or a family without red tape [00:42:34] strangling your American dreams. You [00:42:36] love Charlie because he saw you not as [00:42:38] kids, but as warriors for a better [00:42:41] America. So, what do we do? We fight [00:42:45] together for the issues that keep you up [00:42:47] at night. Whether it's free speech, [00:42:49] economic freedom, cultural influence, [00:42:52] Charlie showed you how to fight, how to [00:42:54] debate, and how to build bridges, not [00:42:57] burn them. So, I want everybody to go on [00:43:00] the Turning Point website tonight. Crash [00:43:03] the website to get involved and sign up. [00:43:07] Whether you're a parent, a grandparent, [00:43:09] a student, there's tons of ways to [00:43:11] engage. We're going to need an army of [00:43:13] people to open 714 high school chapters [00:43:17] and 94 college chapters across Colorado. [00:43:20] Are you with me? [00:43:21] >> All right. [00:43:26] And God speed. There is no time to [00:43:28] waste. Colorado is in a bad place. We've [00:43:30] got to turn this ship around pretty [00:43:32] quickly. [00:43:33] That's right. [00:43:37] All right. Well, the Lord is our light [00:43:40] and our salvation. Whom shall we fear? [00:43:44] >> No one. I'm gonna say that again. Whom [00:43:47] shall we fear? [00:43:50] >> No one. God bless Charlie, Erica, the [00:43:53] Turning Point team. God bless Colorado, [00:43:56] America, and all of you. We are Charlie [00:44:00] Kirk and we will carry that torch. Thank [00:44:03] you. [00:44:10] Thank you. [00:44:12] Come on up. [00:44:22] Hey Siri. [00:44:25] And now I have the great honor to [00:44:28] introduce a dear friend of mine and [00:44:29] you're an alumni of CSU. Finally, you [00:44:33] got a ram up here. [00:44:35] The beautiful Isabelle Brown. Thank you, [00:44:38] Heidi. Thank you. Oh, that's mine. I [00:44:41] need that. [00:44:42] [Applause] [00:44:46] Wow. Rams, what a beautiful, beautiful [00:44:49] evening here in Canvas Stadium. And I [00:44:52] have to say, after spending every [00:44:54] Saturday here running with Cam the Ram [00:44:56] right over there, I never expected to [00:44:58] see so many red hats here in Fort [00:45:01] Collins, Colorado. [00:45:03] [Applause] [00:45:09] I know we've applauded them many times [00:45:11] this evening, but I think it should go [00:45:12] without saying we need it again. Thank [00:45:14] you to our courageous members of law [00:45:16] enforcement here this evening to keep us [00:45:18] safe. [00:45:45] I know many of you personally, and I [00:45:47] know I put you through the ringer when I [00:45:49] was a student here at CSU, bringing [00:45:51] speakers like Charlie Kirk to our [00:45:53] beautiful campus. Thank you to the CSU [00:45:56] administration for offering Canvas [00:45:58] Stadium as our venue this evening, [00:45:59] knowing nowhere else could hold this [00:46:01] many people who knew and loved Charlie. [00:46:04] And thank you to all of our courageous [00:46:06] students on campuses across the West. If [00:46:09] you're a student here tonight, would you [00:46:11] mind standing up in the crowd right now? [00:46:16] Wow. [00:46:28] I wish those of you watching live could [00:46:30] see this crowd of 10,000 people where [00:46:33] over half the crowd just stood up. [00:46:36] My name is Isabelle Brown. I am a CSU [00:46:39] alum, a former Turning Point USA student [00:46:42] activist, former TPUSA contributor, and [00:46:45] the host of the Isabelle Brown Show with [00:46:48] the Daily Wire. [00:46:52] 10 years ago this fall, I set foot on [00:46:55] campus here at Colorado State University [00:46:59] as a wideeyed biomed sciences student [00:47:02] hungry for the pursuit of objective [00:47:05] truth. Very very quickly though, I [00:47:08] discovered that college across the [00:47:10] country and even here in Fort Collins [00:47:12] had abandoned largely the noble pursuit [00:47:15] of truth and challenging academic rigor, [00:47:19] replacing it instead with politicized [00:47:22] propaganda and fear tactics to scare you [00:47:25] into submission of left-wing ideology. [00:47:28] That even in the sciences, truth was [00:47:31] malleable. It could change day by day or [00:47:34] varied person to person. Abortion, I was [00:47:37] taught, was not the end of a unique [00:47:41] human life. Gender, I was forced to [00:47:44] learn, had nothing to do with XX or XY [00:47:47] chromosomes. I even had to lose points [00:47:50] on an exam in a biology course as a [00:47:53] student on this campus by choosing the [00:47:55] wrong answer choice that God created the [00:47:59] universe. [00:48:01] As many of you have likely felt [00:48:03] throughout the past 10 years, I was [00:48:06] alone. I was isolated and I was [00:48:09] desperate for an outlet to connect with [00:48:11] others who shared my Christian [00:48:13] conservative worldview. [00:48:15] In the spring of 2017, that outlet [00:48:18] arrived, I believe completely by God, [00:48:21] while I was a sophomore here at CSU and [00:48:24] received a targeted Facebook ad for a [00:48:27] conference called the Young Women's [00:48:29] Leadership Summit hosted by an [00:48:31] organization I had never heard of [00:48:32] before, Turning Point USA, and led by an [00:48:36] awkward gangly kid not much older than I [00:48:39] named Charlie Kirk. [00:48:43] From the first moment of that first [00:48:45] conference, I knew that I would never be [00:48:48] alone in my values again. [00:48:52] There was an army, a movement, a [00:48:55] generation by the thousands of students [00:48:57] like me who had found a compass and a [00:48:59] resolve to fight as hard as we could to [00:49:02] give truth, a voice on our college [00:49:05] campuses and beyond. But even if we [00:49:08] didn't know each other personally, we [00:49:10] all knew a guy wearing the classic dad [00:49:14] New Balance sneakers and very baggy, [00:49:17] ill-fitting suits who would cheer us on [00:49:19] by name. Charlie Kirk and I immediately [00:49:22] became friends. And more importantly, he [00:49:24] immediately became my mentor, inspiring [00:49:27] me to follow what clearly was a vocation [00:49:29] from God to join him in speaking the [00:49:32] truth to the world instead of pursuing a [00:49:35] career in medicine. He inspired [00:49:37] thousands of you in this community less [00:49:39] than a year later coming here to [00:49:41] Colorado State University in 2018 to [00:49:45] speak about the importance of free [00:49:47] speech where eight years ago outside of [00:49:51] our venue at the student center. The [00:49:53] threat of violent protests raged on [00:49:56] while spirited calm academic debate [00:49:59] where you if you disagreed, you were [00:50:01] always invited to come to the front of [00:50:03] the line took place inside. Ironic, [00:50:07] isn't it, that a 23-year-old who never [00:50:10] went to college taught us more than an [00:50:12] entire university's administration [00:50:15] could. [00:50:16] [Applause] [00:50:22] Charlie later gave me my first real job [00:50:25] out of grad school. He humbly asked me [00:50:27] to sit alongside him co-hosting the [00:50:29] Charlie Kirk show for about a month in [00:50:31] 2020 when he lost his voice and [00:50:33] desperately needed to cough into a muted [00:50:35] microphone and spent weeks live [00:50:38] streaming with me all night during the [00:50:40] 2020 election. But Charlie was so much [00:50:42] more than that to those of us who knew [00:50:44] him personally. He was the young man who [00:50:47] lived for a Chicago Cubs game and he [00:50:50] watched them in green rooms right before [00:50:52] his speech all over the country late to [00:50:54] go out on stage so that he could catch [00:50:55] the end of the game. He was the person [00:50:58] who recorded silly videos with my [00:51:00] siblings at the endless political [00:51:02] conferences we attended over the years. [00:51:04] He was the guy who would spar with me [00:51:06] about the necessity of Tik Tok to save [00:51:08] the country as I begged him to finally [00:51:11] make an account. And thank God he did. [00:51:14] He was the friend who personally wrote [00:51:16] my recommendation letter on my job [00:51:18] application for my first job at the [00:51:20] White House. The husband who inspired me [00:51:24] to get serious about the man that I [00:51:26] wanted to marry. He was the father who'd [00:51:29] sing with his beautiful wife and [00:51:30] children over FaceTime while he was [00:51:33] speaking all over the country, promising [00:51:35] that daddy would be home very soon. [00:51:38] He was the enthusiastic big brother [00:51:41] figure who spent an hour ignoring all of [00:51:43] his fans wanting to take pictures at [00:51:45] Mara Lago so that he could rattle off [00:51:47] parenting advice to my husband and I [00:51:49] when we joyfully shared the news of our [00:51:51] pregnancy last winter. Charlie was the [00:51:54] servant leader who sought wisdom from [00:51:56] God above all else. And he deeply [00:51:58] yearned for the closest relationship to [00:52:00] Jesus Christ that he could foster. [00:52:03] I and so many others [00:52:11] are so incredibly lucky to have known [00:52:13] him in such a special way. But the truth [00:52:16] is, the Charlie that you saw handing out [00:52:18] all of your hats, speaking on campuses, [00:52:20] hosting his radio show, and tirelessly [00:52:23] working on campaigns to save the country [00:52:25] was the exact same man off the screen, [00:52:28] too. We are all gathered tonight to [00:52:30] mourn this loss together because we [00:52:33] didn't just lose someone that we [00:52:35] admired. We lost the intellectual and [00:52:38] moral leader of an entire generation. [00:52:42] Charlie once said that his family had [00:52:45] members who served in every major world [00:52:48] war dating back to the Revolutionary [00:52:50] War. Most people don't know this, but [00:52:52] his dream as a high schooler was to [00:52:54] attend the United States Military [00:52:56] Academy at West Point. Clearly, God had [00:52:59] other plans, but Charlie was ready to [00:53:02] give his life for his country and what [00:53:05] this country stands for. [00:53:07] Funnily enough, eventually, Charlie did. [00:53:12] He may never have served in a uniform, [00:53:14] but Charlie was the general in perhaps [00:53:17] the most important war in our nation's [00:53:19] history, the culture war, the battle of [00:53:22] ideas, the final stand between liberty [00:53:26] and death. the war that in the last few [00:53:29] days especially has been revealed to be [00:53:31] perhaps our last stand in the battle [00:53:34] between good and evil. [00:53:37] And oh man, I know better than most [00:53:39] spending so much time online has this [00:53:41] week proven that to be true. Evil took [00:53:45] on incarnate form in the killer that [00:53:47] decided to violently take Charlie from [00:53:49] this world. Evil is manifesting in the [00:53:52] media's response to Charlie's [00:53:54] assassination with many trying to [00:53:56] justify this act of horror or make [00:53:58] excuses for it. Evil is in our [00:54:01] classrooms, even here at CSU, where [00:54:04] members of the faculty are gleefully [00:54:07] celebrating murder in school classrooms [00:54:09] all over the country. [00:54:11] Evil is here tonight on this very campus [00:54:15] where an event a few buildings away, [00:54:17] paid for by your student fees, is [00:54:20] featuring a speaker who is going viral [00:54:22] on social media this week for saying [00:54:25] conservatives need to be afraid of being [00:54:28] killed every time they go to events. [00:54:32] Events just like this one. [00:54:38] But although evil is rearing its ugly [00:54:40] head and the demons in this spiritual [00:54:43] war are getting very very angry, good is [00:54:47] still prevailing. [00:54:55] Charlie's beautiful wife and my [00:54:57] inspiring friend Erica Kirk said it best [00:55:00] in a hauntingly beautiful Instagram [00:55:02] caption this week. The world is evil, [00:55:06] but our savior, our lord, our god, he is [00:55:12] so, so good. [00:55:34] By far the most powerful thing we have [00:55:37] witnessed this week has been an entire [00:55:39] generation's hunger for God roaring to [00:55:42] life. Across the entire world, we have [00:55:45] seen young people gather by the millions [00:55:47] at events just like this one to honor [00:55:50] the life and legacy of Charlie. but more [00:55:53] importantly inspired by Charlie to honor [00:55:56] God as the source of all truth and [00:55:58] liberty. [00:56:03] I alone, let alone all of the other [00:56:05] people with big social media accounts in [00:56:08] the conservative movement, have at least [00:56:10] 5 to 10,000 comments, DMs, emails, [00:56:14] messages from all of you to say, "This [00:56:16] week, you prayed for the first time. You [00:56:19] bought your first Bible, you went to [00:56:21] church for the first time last Sunday, [00:56:24] and it was all because of Charlie Kirk. [00:56:35] I am thanking God every second of every [00:56:38] day this week because I had the off [00:56:40] chance after not seeing each other for [00:56:42] several months of sharing the stage with [00:56:45] Charlie two weeks ago at one of his last [00:56:47] speaking engagements on this earth in [00:56:50] Fresno, California area. We spoke at a [00:56:53] big beautiful church of a [00:56:54] multi-denominational crowd related to [00:56:56] the pro-life movement. And Charlie, [00:56:59] being the goofy friend he is, quickly [00:57:01] waved me over to hang out with him in [00:57:02] the green room for about two hours [00:57:04] before he spoke. Normally, we would [00:57:06] catch up on what's trending on the [00:57:08] internet or what's happening in [00:57:09] Washington DC, how everything's going at [00:57:12] the White House, but instead [00:57:15] all Charlie wanted to talk about was his [00:57:17] faith. We spent about two hours [00:57:20] discussing the ins and outs of [00:57:22] complicated theology, the beauty of our [00:57:25] relationship to God, and most [00:57:27] importantly, heaven, which was the [00:57:30] message that Charlie brought with him on [00:57:31] stage to share to a crowd of about 3,000 [00:57:34] people. His message was clear. We the [00:57:38] church, we people of faith and we people [00:57:41] seeking what is good and true and [00:57:43] beautiful can no longer afford to sit on [00:57:46] the sidelines if we want to impact [00:57:48] culture for the better. He said this [00:57:51] specifically that when people start to [00:57:53] drink from the streams of liberty, [00:57:56] they're going to want to find its [00:57:58] source. Liberty is not man's idea. It's [00:58:02] God's idea. [00:58:04] [Applause] [00:58:09] Charlie loved politics and our country. [00:58:13] Charlie really loved his family more [00:58:15] than any other people on earth. But [00:58:18] above all else, Charlie loved God. Every [00:58:22] day, he made a choice to wake up and [00:58:24] say, "Here I am, Lord. Send me." [00:58:29] There are infinite examples throughout [00:58:31] the history of our faith of young people [00:58:33] laying down their life for their beliefs [00:58:35] and more importantly for their steadfast [00:58:38] faith in God. Make no mistake about it, [00:58:40] no matter what you're hearing on the [00:58:42] media, that's exactly what happened to [00:58:44] Charlie Kirk last week when just seconds [00:58:47] after answering a question about his [00:58:49] faith and proclaiming Jesus Christ as [00:58:51] king, he was shot and killed instantly. [00:58:56] Charlie [00:58:57] was a martyr for truth. But truth has a [00:59:01] name and that name is Jesus Christ. [00:59:05] [Applause] [00:59:26] Be it Joonavar, St. Cecilia, St. Steven, [00:59:29] the apostles, or even Charlie Kirk, [00:59:32] people rooted in the Holy Spirit have [00:59:34] exhibited a fearlessness beyond our [00:59:36] understanding for thousands of years in [00:59:39] laying down their life for their faith. [00:59:41] And it's something I've been thinking a [00:59:43] lot about this week, especially because [00:59:45] if we're being completely vulnerable, [00:59:47] all of us who do this for a living have [00:59:49] had to ask the tough question, is the [00:59:52] world ever going to be the same again? [00:59:54] Are we ever going to be able to have [00:59:55] outdoor events like this again? Are we [00:59:58] going to be safe going to the grocery [01:00:00] store or posting our family on social [01:00:03] media? But I've come to realize that [01:00:06] courage is not the absence of fear. [01:00:09] Courage is choosing to get up even when [01:00:12] you are shaking in fear. It's choosing [01:00:15] to speak even when others will do [01:00:17] anything, including take your life, to [01:00:20] silence you. It is putting your life on [01:00:23] the line for truth, even in a world that [01:00:25] is rejecting truth. And better yet, [01:00:28] courage is contagious. [01:00:31] Charlie Kirk gave me my first real [01:00:33] microphone. and he did the same for [01:00:36] dozens of other leaders in the [01:00:37] conservative movement from the halls of [01:00:39] Congress to podcast hosts and everything [01:00:41] in between. Naturally, the world is [01:00:44] asking, and I completely understand why [01:00:46] in the wake of such a massive loss, who [01:00:48] picks up the microphone next? But the [01:00:51] answer isn't as flashy as the media [01:00:54] wants to paint it to be because we know [01:00:56] who picks up the microphone next. You [01:01:00] do. Over the last few days, we've [01:01:03] witnessed an organic grassroots response [01:01:05] to Charlie's assassination. Not planned [01:01:07] by a media firm or any particular [01:01:09] organization, but all of you [01:01:12] courageously saying, "We are Charlie [01:01:15] Kirk." I've seen this on TikTok with [01:01:18] students and young adults starting new [01:01:20] accounts to speak the truth in honor of [01:01:21] Charlie. I'm seeing this on campuses [01:01:24] across the country with handdrawn and [01:01:25] scribbled posters saying, "You can't [01:01:28] kill free speech." [01:01:30] And I'm even seeing this here at CSU [01:01:32] with photos going viral of you, the Ram [01:01:35] student body, taking to the stump on the [01:01:37] plaza with posters saying, "Charlie Kirk [01:01:39] died a hero. Prove me wrong." [01:01:55] Charlie always had a deep and profound [01:01:57] belief that anyone from anywhere had the [01:02:00] capacity to change the world for the [01:02:02] better if they just had the courage to [01:02:04] embrace it. Today, right here, right [01:02:07] now, this is your opportunity. No one [01:02:11] will ever [01:02:14] be able to replace the giant shoes of [01:02:16] Charlie Kirk as the leader of the [01:02:18] conservative movement literally because [01:02:20] he did have actually giant shoes. But we [01:02:24] are all Charlie Kirk and those desperate [01:02:27] to silence his message and movement are [01:02:30] in for a rude awakening. [01:02:33] Think about [01:02:36] think about how loud one brave young [01:02:39] man's voice was. Now multiply it by the [01:02:42] millions. [01:02:44] Charlie Kirk lit the spark that must now [01:02:46] become the wildfire as our generation [01:02:49] decisively saves Western civilization [01:02:52] one conversation at a time. Because when [01:02:55] people stop talking, that's when bad [01:02:57] things start happening. It's up to us, [01:03:00] to our generation, to keep running this [01:03:02] race. And if this week is any [01:03:04] indication, I feel more hopeful than [01:03:07] ever for the future of the movement. So, [01:03:10] join us. If you've never been to a TPUSA [01:03:12] chapter meeting as a student here at [01:03:14] CSU, join us. If you've never been to a [01:03:17] TPUSA conference, join us. If you're a [01:03:20] student at a school that doesn't have a [01:03:22] TPUSA chapter, join us and the 54,000 [01:03:27] other students who have signed up to [01:03:29] just this week. If you've never listened [01:03:32] to the Charlie Kirk show, join us [01:03:35] because this movement is just getting [01:03:37] started. Keep fighting forward for God, [01:03:41] for truth, for America, and for Charlie. [01:03:44] And to end our session together this [01:03:46] evening, I would love to close us out in [01:03:48] prayer. So, please join me in the name [01:03:50] of the Father and the Son and the Holy [01:03:52] Spirit. Amen. Holy Spirit, [01:03:56] please continue to fill the hearts and [01:03:58] souls of this generation Charlie [01:04:01] inspired to courageously fight forward [01:04:04] in the face of evil. protect us in this [01:04:08] spiritual warfare to have the bravery to [01:04:11] tell the truth to a world that is [01:04:12] rejecting it and to be willing to lay [01:04:16] everything down, even our life in the [01:04:19] pursuit of sharing the source of liberty [01:04:21] with the world. You, St. Michael the [01:04:24] Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our [01:04:27] protection against the wickedness and [01:04:29] snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, [01:04:32] we humbly pray. And do thou, O prince of [01:04:34] the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, [01:04:37] cast into hell Satan and all the evil [01:04:40] spirits who prowl about the world [01:04:42] seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. [01:04:46] Never let them ruin your soul. Never let [01:04:49] them silence the truth and never let [01:04:52] them take away your faith. Be strong and [01:04:55] courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be [01:04:58] discouraged. For the Lord your God will [01:05:00] be with you wherever you go. God bless [01:05:03] you all. Thank you for your courage. [01:05:33] Good job. [01:05:37] [Applause] [01:05:51] >> Here we are. [01:05:57] Thank you all for coming tonight. [01:05:59] Remember, now's the time to get engaged. [01:06:01] So, get it done. You're all dismissed. [01:06:03] Thank you.