Kyle Rittenhouse is sparking outrage after he was announced as an upcoming speaker at the University of Memphis on March 20.
Rittenhouse, who is from Illinois, made national headlines in Aug. 2020 when he killed two protesters and injured another during a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In fall 2021, he was acquitted of criminal accusations in a controversial, heated trial, and became a hero of far-right politicians and Second Amendment advocates.
An advertisement circulating on social media states Rittenhouse will speak about “the importance of the Second Amendment and the lies of BLM.” The event is sponsored by conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA. Turning Point’s mission is to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote freedom.” Influential conservative voices, such as Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, have consistently shown support for TPUSA through regular appearances at the organization’s conferences.
The intense backlash has caused the University of Memphis to release a statement. The university shared ” that they understand the concerns but, “as a public institution, the University of Memphis must uphold its obligation to adhere to the principles of the First Amendment and Tennessee’s Campus Free Speech Act. Due to this obligation, the University cannot legally prohibit the event from taking place.”
Former Shelby County Commissioner of District 7 and current Democratic primary winner for General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer posted an open letter to University of Memphis President Bill Hardgrave.
The letter reads, in part, “It distresses me to learn that Kyle Rittenhouse, notorious for injuring and killing protesters during a civil rights action and propagating anti-Black rhetoric, is scheduled to speak on campus. Presenting his event as a 2A rights speech at a time when students fear for their lives due to gun violence nationwide is reprehensible. Moreover, his intent to attack civil rights work only exacerbates the situation. This is not freedom of speech, Dr. Hardgrave; it is malicious programming that fosters hateful rhetoric and actions towards Black students.”