(STANFORD, Calif.) — Some college chapters of the Democratic and Republican parties are trying to turn down the temperature on discourse surrounding Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination, as several groups across the country issued joint statements condemning the attack and calling for non-violence.
One of the first examples came from Rhode Island, where the Rhode Island Young Republicans and Rhode Island Young Democrats issued a rare joint statement on Wednesday evening.
“We may disagree on policy, but we are united in our belief in the value of life, civil discourse, and mutual respect,” said Ken Naylor, chairman of the Young Republicans. Anthony Cherry, vice president of the Young Democrats, added that young leaders must “make political nonviolence our pledge,” warning that “when our dialogue becomes toxic it has unimaginable consequences.”
In a phone interview, Naylor told ABC News that Kirk’s death “hit home with a lot of activists” who came of age watching his videos and campus debates. He said he immediately called up the leaders of the Democratic group and they agreed to put out a statement together.
“All of us believe that if you’re independent, Republican or Democrat there’s no reason for this to be happening. In this country we have the right to express ourselves and nobody should be silenced,” he said.
That message soon echoed across the country.
The Ohio College Republican Federation and College Democrats of Ohio released a joint statement on Thursday, rejecting “political violence in all its forms” and calling the killing “unacceptable,” writing that “violence undermines the very foundations of our republic” and urging students to “foster a culture where disagreement never escalates to harm.”
At The Ohio State University, the OSU College Democrats and OSU College Republicans issued their own joint statement on Wednesday, warning that political violence “erodes trust in our institutions” and “threatens the very foundations of civil discourse.” They said college campuses should remain “institutions of education and free speech” and affirmed their commitment to making OSU “a place where students feel safe to express their opinions, regardless of their political affiliation.”
The College Democrats at the University of Utah condemned the killing on Wednesday evening and offered condolences to Kirk’s family and to the students who witnessed it. Their statement said the tragedy “underscores the need to address the epidemic of gun violence in the U.S.” while also affirming the right of all Americans “to engage in civil dialogue without fear of violence.”
At Georgetown University, the Georgetown Bipartisan Coalition, Georgetown University College Democrats, and Georgetown University College Republicans Thursday said violent attacks “inject poison into the very heart of political dialogue” and urged Hoyas of all ideologies to “foster an environment of respect” and reject all forms of aggression. They emphasized that “the right to express one’s political beliefs without fear for one’s personal safety — particularly on college campuses — is fundamental to American life and a key component to a healthy, fully functioning democracy.”
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