By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice
Turning Point USA is bringing Charlie Kirk and the American Comeback Tour to Colorado State University (CSU) on Sept. 18. The chapter will host two events that day—a midday “Prove Me Wrong” debate session and an evening program at the Lory Student Center Ballrooms. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with priority seating for CSU students, though community members are also welcome. Registration is required and first come, first served.
Vega Stamatien, now a TPUSA College Rockies field representative after serving as chapter president at the University of Northern Colorado, said the event is about bringing students together for honest conversation. “It’s no secret that we need more civil discourse and open dialogue on campus, and that’s exactly what we strive to achieve as a TPUSA chapter. We are honored to introduce our student body to Charlie Kirk right here in our backyard at CSU.”
Lena Branch, Rockies Club America Field Representative, said she first connected with Turning Point in 2019 at the Mountain West Conference in Denver. “In that room I realized I had been lied to; there were others my age who held my same values. From there I promised myself that I would do what was necessary to have Turning Point in my life. I joined the chapter at the University of Iowa and became chapter president my last two years. Now I am motivated to give high school students the opportunity and exposure I didn’t have. It is my goal for every student in Colorado to find their community.”
Her efforts are already visible in Colorado, where she highlighted the launch of a student-led Club America 2.0 group at Valor Christian High School.
A festival-like atmosphere
For Jason Bias, a Colorado Mesa University (CMU) senior who revived TPUSA on his campus, the energy of these events is unlike anything else. “It’s indescribable. It’s so fun and magnificent. It’s like a concert or a festival really, but just for young conservatives. It’s all red, white, and blue, American-themed, really faith-based. And then you’ve got all these other organizations out there… It’s a chance to be with people who share the same values, but they might be there for 100 different reasons.”
Bias has attended three of TPUSA’s national gatherings, where the lineup has ranged from grassroots activists to celebrities. “At the last one, Russell Brand and Rob Schneider spoke. Their speeches were honestly some of the best. They came from a totally different point of view, not political but from Hollywood. You’d think their lives weren’t hindered much by government, but to hear their testimonies was surprising and educating.”
Lessons from the mic
Bias also said these events sharpen your thinking—even when you agree with the speaker. “Don’t walk to the mic. Because it can turn very bad for you very quickly. I’ve met Charlie Kirk a few times, and even when I try to say a conservative idea, he’ll flip it and bring out a liberal perspective. And I’ll go, ‘No, that’s not what I meant.’ But he makes a good point. Even when you think you’re right, you might be wrong. That’s the cool thing about politics… what’s right today could be wrong tomorrow, and what’s wrong today could be right in the future.”
One exchange stuck with him. “We were talking about how to encourage young people to have more babies. I said I thought the current administration was doing a good job with things like the child tax credit. Charlie turned to me and said, ‘Oh, so you think people should be paid to have children?’ And I said, ‘No, that’s not what I think.’ But he reframed my answer that way. He stumped me. I thought I gave a pretty good answer, but he made me see how someone else could interpret it differently. It challenged me to defend my thinking, even as a conservative.”
Why students should show up
Bias sees CSU’s upcoming event as a chance for students to break their silence. “Even if you have oppositional viewpoints, cool. Come debate them. Bring your ideas to the table and tell us why you’re right. We’ll tell you why you’re wrong,” he added with a laugh. “And if you’re conservative, you get to reinforce your ideas, maybe learn something new, and pick up tools in your back pocket for how to articulate arguments better. That’s all I ask—just come try it out.”
He added that the stakes are real for his generation. “It’s mostly important for us because we’re the ones the policies affect the most. We’re the ones who aren’t going to be able to buy a house in our 20s or 30s. We’re the ones paying the most taxes when we turn 18. If we’re the ones funding everything, shouldn’t we have a voice in what we’re funding?”
CSU’s track record and what to expect
When Kirk and Donald Trump Jr. came to CSU in 2019, the roughly 600-seat Student Arts Center was filled to capacity. An earlier 2018 appearance drew masked protesters chanting Nazi slogans, prompting police intervention. Nationally, TPUSA has reported $80.6 million in revenue in 2022 and claims a presence on 3,500 campuses with 350 paid organizers.
Its American Comeback Tour is built around the Prove Me Wrong debate format, which Kirk himself has described as an open invitation: “If you’re a progressive, you get to come to the front of the line and make your best argument.”
San Francisco State offered a preview of what CSU could see. More than 500 showed up, while over 200 protested outside. Some walked away saying the whole thing was staged for social media. Others said it was the kind of raw free speech that belongs on a campus.
How to get in
Bias called the Fort Collins stop a unique opportunity. “Charlie Kirk coming to CSU is a great opportunity… Even if you don’t agree, just see for yourself. Debate, learn, and challenge your own thinking.”
Registration remains open for both Sept. 18 sessions. The evening program begins at 6:30 p.m., with doors opening at 5, and is already waitlist-only for general admission while student seats remain available. The midday Prove Me Wrong debate starts at noon and currently has open seats. CSU students receive priority for both, and community members are welcome if space allows.
Students and community members can sign up for the noon Prove Me Wrong debate at this link: https://events2022.tpusa.com/events/the-american-comeback-tour-at-colorado-state-university-fort-collins-pmw
Registration for the evening program is available at this link: https://events2022.tpusa.com/events/the-american-comeback-tour-at-colorado-state-university-fort-collins-ee
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