Members of a conservative student group resigned after rejecting a demand that Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens — two of the group's national leaders — visit the campus and host an "immigration event" in the wake of a student's killing.
Board members of Turning Point USA's University of Iowa chapter published an open letter on Friday that accused one of the group's national field directors of leaving a voicemail that "insisted" Kirk and Owens visit the school.
The board members members declined the visit, adding in their letter that they wanted time to grieve their classmate's death.
"We find it in poor taste to exploit the death of a Hawkye to suit a political agenda," the executive board members of the group wrote. "We are all shocked, hurting, and in need of more respect than what was given to us by Turning Point USA."
Turning Point USA's national office did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
The death of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts reignited a national debate over illegal immigration in recent days, after authorities revealed that her accused murderer was an unauthorized immigrant from Mexico who used false identification documents to gain employment at a local farm.
Owens, who is the communications director for Turning Point USA, stoked further controversy when she argued with Tibbetts' cousin on Twitter over whether the murder should be blamed on illegal immigration, as President Donald Trump and his allies have done.
"I find it strange that you have directed obscenities and hate towards people that support the President, but you have not directed a single bad word toward the monster who committed this terrible crime," Owens said.
The Turning Point USA chapter board members condemned Owens' "harassment" of Tibbetts' cousin, adding that the chapter won't take responsibility for the national group's statements on immigration or other social issues.
"This board also extends sympathy to the member of Mollie's family that dealt with public harassment from Turning Point USA Communications Director, Candace Owens," the letter said. "We ask that your exchange with Owens represent only herself and not conservatives as a whole."
Read the full letter below:
Source link
No comments:
Post a Comment