Words by Oliver Schoening PZ ’27, Graphic by Rhyus Goldman PZ ’26

On February 26, students gathered at The Hub to attend a tabling event for Turning Point USA’s Claremont McKenna chapter. The event, the club’s first of the semester, was advertised by president and founder Gabe Khuly CM ’28 as an opportunity for open political discourse. In an announcement, Khuly wrote that “We look forward to [the event] and hope to have productive and thoughtful conversations with the students that come by.” 

The club’s tables were adorned with pins and stickers from TPUSA’s activism kits as well as wristbands reading “We Are Charlie Kirk,” an homage to the group’s late founder. While the tablers at the event clarified that they were unable to provide comment on behalf of TPUSA, they agreed to speak with The Outback as individuals. Alex Fraser PO ’26 said that he saw the event as an opportunity to put real faces behind conservative voices on campus, stating “I think there’s a kind of caricaturization of people with differing opinions. “People don’t realize there’s more to the student body than just one view,” Grace Rutherford PO ’28, one of the other tablers at the event, emphasized the organizers’ desire for discourse. “We want to hear people’s opinions and get at why they disagree,” she said.

However, observing students had mixed opinions regarding the event. While passing by the event, David Yusten CM ’29 said “What they’re saying specifically is up to the individual to decide the righteousness of. But for them to have a place to speak, that is important. However, just as they have the agency to assert their opinion, you have the agency to refute it.”

Many students that chose to engage in debates with the organizers of the event saw things differently. Quinn DeFillippes PZ ’29 said “I don’t think [the event] is very productive” as he attached various pins to his shirt. “I mean, look what I’m doing, I’m just putting the punchy bullshit on here.”

Sam Parupuei CM ’29 came across the event on her way to dinner at Scripps, saying she and her friends were drawn to the commotion. 

“One thing that CMC is touted for is probably number one on free speech rankings. Usually free speech is measured by how loud the conservative voice is, not necessarily how much dialogue is going on,” she said. “I appreciate that they are willing to come out here and talk through their ideas.”

As the event continued, more students began to congregate behind others who were engaged in conversation, but the attention shifted around halfway through the event when a group of partially nude cyclists assembled on the path by the Bauer Center to participate in the Green Bike Program’s “Bike Porn.” Students who had been waiting at tables outside The Hub stood and cheered as the participants made their way silently past the event and circled around The Cube.

Though the cyclists momentarily drew attention away from the event, discussion continued. Many students who spoke to The Outback emphasized the divisive reputation of TPUSA, including Kai Baudendistel PZ ’29.

“I think there’s an Overton window for which many views can be deemed unacceptable and abhorrent,” he said. “I think that many of the views of people who support TPUSA would fall into that category for me. Outside of my window of acceptable discourse. I don’t want to advocate for censorship, so I think it’s a tough inner going.”

Diego Fuentebella PZ ’26 called attention to what he described as an “especially contentious moment in American politics.”

“Discussion doesn’t really seem as calm as it used to be decades ago,” he said. “It’s interesting to see a contemporary version of seated political discussion, especially on a very liberal campus.”

As the event wound down, some students seemed disappointed by the outcome. John Chisholm PZ ’26 lamented what he saw as a lack of productive engagement from participants. “I can tell [Khuly] was extremely flustered,” he said. “His cortisol certainly spiked.”

“We have a lot of smart kids at the Claremont Colleges, and it generally does hurt me a little bit when I see the lack of good faith involved in discussions like this,” Chisholm continued.

“It was a lot more rage baiting than a good faith debate. Nobody grows and nobody changes their minds or develops solid opinions. I wish it had been more fruitful for both sides, but I was very grateful to get the experience of seeing the whole spectacle.”