Kyle Rittenhouse to speak at Kent State; opponents post petitions to stop appearance
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Kyle Rittenhouse, who was found not guilty of a 2020 shooting that killed two men and wounded another during a protest, is scheduled to speak at Kent State University on April 16.
The Kent State student chapter of Turning Point USA is sponsoring the appearance. The group announced the event on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C4eNEn7OLGl/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9fde7fd6-4248-4721-92e1-569624bb5a9a
"We are excited to announce our speaker for the semester will be @thisiskylerittenhouse!" the post stated. "Join us April 16th at 6PM in the Kiva auditorium! Get your free tickets in our bio!"
What happened in Kenosha?
In 2021, Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all charges against him in a case that largely divided America along political and racial lines more than a year after he shot three men during a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Rittenhouse fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz during a string of often-violent protests in the summer of 2020 following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man.
Rittenhouse, 17 at the time, faced charges ranging from reckless endangerment to intentional homicide. His attorneys argued he feared for his life and faced death threats from one of the men he killed that night.
Kent State response
Emily Vincent, a spokeswoman for Kent State, said Rittenhouse is being brought to campus by a registered student organization. The university, Vincent said, "upholds the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful assembly for all" and permits groups and individuals on campus to address topics of importance to them.
"Kent State has a long history of allowing peaceful dialogue from all points of view, including those whom some may feel are offering different and/or sometimes controversial opinions," she said. "As with any speaker invited to our campus, the university does not endorse or condone an opinion or point of view represented by the speaker, nor does the university advocate for any topic the speaker might discuss during their visit to campus. We continue to support and encourage freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas. Consistent with our core values, we encourage open dialogue and respectful civil discourse in an inclusive environment. "
Petitions pop up
The Instagram post promoting the speech was quick to cause controversy, with many comments pointing out the university's past history of students being shot and killed during a protest on May 4, 1970.
Two petitions were quickly posted calling for Kent State to cancel the appearance.
A Microsoft Form asks the university to denounce the event and also requests that Turning Point USA be barred from KSU for "supporting hate speech."
"While free speech laws limit the actions the university can take in preventing this event from happening, this is an egregious act of hate towards the Black and Brown communities in this area," that petition states
A second petition, posted on Change.org by KSU student Ally Grecco, urges the university and Turning Point to reconsider the decision to host Rittenhouse. Grecco points out KSU's "painful history with gun violence" on May 4, 1970, which had profound impacts on national politics.
"The decision to host an individual associated with such violence is not only insensitive to our community's past but also threatens to further divide us in these already tense times," the petition states. "We must remember that our university should be a place for learning and growth - not for promoting divisive figures or ideologies that could potentially incite more violence."
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kyle Rittenhouse to speak at Kent State University April 16
