Republicans and conservatives are campaigning to erect statues and rename roads in memory of slain rightwing activist Charlie Kirk, with critics accusing them of exploiting his death to fuel the culture wars. Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated at a college event in Utah on 10 September.
Political leaders in Florida, Michigan and Oklahoma have called for memorials and, in some cases, threatened to penalise universities that refuse to honour Kirk, whose views were widely condemned as racist and sexist. The campaign follows Donald Trump's moves to restore Confederate monuments, which critics see as part of a broader effort to impose rightwing ideology.
Professor Matthew Boedy of the University of North Georgia said: 'The way in which you keep the culture war going – or the way that you win it – is to have religious icons like Charlie and use their face and their name and their likeness to further your cause.'
Just a week after Kirk's death, Ohio state senators introduced legislation requiring all public universities to build a 'Charlie Kirk memorial plaza' with a statue. In Florida, a bill would compel universities to rename roads after Kirk, with funding withheld if they fail to comply. Oklahoma's bill would impose fines. Kirk was critical of higher education, authoring a book titled The College Scam.
Art historian Erika Doss noted the irony: 'I find it really ironic that the state of Oklahoma is demanding that every public university have a Charlie Kirk memorial plaza.' At least one Florida county has already installed a sign for a 'Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway' despite public opposition. New College of Florida, under conservative leadership, posted an AI-generated image of a bronze statue of Kirk.
