BLACKSBURG — Gov. Glenn Youngkin and conservative commentator Megyn Kelly took up the microphone for Turning Point USA’s scheduled visit to Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.
An empty chair remained on stage inside Burruss Auditorium for the conservative political nonprofit’s former leader, Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on a college campus in Utah two weeks ago.
The movement that Kirk started won’t be silenced, said Youngkin, the Republican governor approaching the closing months of his term. Youngkin said he remembered two weeks ago wondering what would happen to this scheduled visit to Blacksburg.
“He challenged us to engage in thoughtful dialogue,” Youngkin said. “Don’t back down from your beliefs. Be prepared to debate them and discuss them.”
All of the tickets were claimed for Burruss Auditorium’s 2,939-seat capacity, according to organizers. Inside the auditorium, people filed into empty seats as Youngkin began speaking.
“It’s easy for moments to be flashes in a pan,” Youngkin said. “The hard part is to endure.”
Youngkin led the group in prayer, and said his family is donating $100,000 to Turning Point to support the creation of new chapters at college campuses across the state.
Kelly said she had decided months ago to visit Virginia Tech with Kirk. She took questions from a long line of people in the crowd.
“He was so looking forward to this,” Kelly said. “He so wanted to be here with you.”
The Turning Point tour continued this week, starting Monday at University of Minnesota, following Kirk’s killing on Sept. 10. People in the audience said they visited Blacksburg from out of state.
“They say half of life is showing up, and you did that. In this particular circumstance, showing up is dangerous, given what happened,” Kelly said. “We all came for the same reason. Obviously to hear me. But the real reason is to send a message, that we will not be silenced.”
Police were stationed all around Burruss Hall. Students and non-students were separated into separate security lines to get into the event.
Outside on the Drillfield, a gaggle of students under the banner “Our Campus, Our Voices,” chanted protests and delivered speeches into a megaphone. An email from a student said the demonstration was organized on short notice by the Young Democratic Socialists of America at Virginia Tech and the Black Coalition of Blacksburg.
“We condemn the violent rhetoric that is spread by the far-right, especially their thirst for vengeance against progressive movements in response the abhorrent killing of Charlie Kirk,” the student email said. “In spite of a lack of evidence tying Mr. Kirk’s accused killer to peaceful anti-fascist organizations across the country.”
A sea of red and white ball caps filled the lower rows of the auditorium. Pop country and classic rock hits, and “Smells like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, played over speakers as people shuffled to their seats.
A line queued up to ask Kelly questions, continuing past 8 p.m.
“Keep it to one question,” Kelly said. “The line is so long, we’ll never get through it, and I hate to leave people standing.”
Luke Weir (540) 566-8917
luke.weir@roanoke.com
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