1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

VETO the "Charlie Kirk Act" – A Hypocritical Assault on Real Free Speech Dear Governor Lee, I am writing to urge you to VETO known as the "Charlie Kirk Act," which has been sent to your desk. While this bill claims to safeguard free speech on college campuses, it is in fact a cynical and dangerous piece of legislation named after a prominent right-wing activist who has built a career on harassing students and silencing dissent. This bill is not about protecting academic freedom. It is about forcing public universities to provide a platform for hate speech while doing nothing to protect the students who are targeted by it. Charlie Kirk and his organization, Turning Point USA, have a documented history of creating hostile environments for LGBTQ+ students, students of color, and anyone who does not align with their far-right ideology. If the goal were truly to encourage "civil discourse" and "intellectual debate," why name the bill after a single political activist? Why not name it after a civil rights leader, a journalist, or a scholar who actually represents the principles of free and open inquiry? The answer is clear: this bill is a political trophy, not a good-faith policy. Furthermore, this bill is entirely unnecessary. Tennessee colleges and universities already protect free speech. What they need is protection for students from harassment and intimidation—not a mandate to provide a megaphone to bad-faith actors who seek to disrupt learning environments. I urge you to consider who this bill actually harms. It will empower outside provocateurs to disrupt campuses, drain university resources defending against frivolous lawsuits, and create an atmosphere of fear for marginalized students. Veto the Charlie Kirk Act. Real free speech does not need a partisan mascot.