All of the officers of the Kansas State University chapter of Turning Point USA announced on Thursday that they are stepping down from their positions because the purported conservative organization no longer reflects their conservative values.
In a statement, Jaden McNeil, the former president of the KSU chapter of TPUSA listed several reasons why he was quitting, including what he called the group’s “fair weather conservatism,” their refusal to promote social conservative values, their tone-deaf views on immigration, and the group’s “culture of censorship.”
McNeil wrote that he started the chapter at KSU himself in September of 2018 when he noticed that other conservative organizations on campus weren’t very effective at combating the left, but it wasn’t long before he started having misgivings about the group.
Specifically, McNeil was not impressed with the behavior of many TPUSA associates in the wake of the controversial incident last January in Washington DC involving the Covington Catholic High School boys and left-wing native American activist Nathan Phillips.
“Many TPUSA associates initially sided with the left-wing mob, condemning the innocent high school students for having the gall to smile in the face of an adult’s aggressive behavior,’ McNeil wrote. “These TPUSA associates only changed their tune when it became safe to take the side of the MAGA-supporting Catholic high school students. This incident encapsulates the fair-weather conservatism of TPUSA,” he added.
McNeil also cited a recent incident in which TPUSA national leaders ridiculed college conservatives for having traditional Christian views regarding homosexuality.
“I harbor no hatred toward homosexuals; however, as a conservative Christian, I do not believe that gay marriage and drag queens should be glorified,” McNeil wrote. He added that TPUSA tends to cede ground on cultural issues and focuses primarily on economics.
He went on the blast TPUSA’s “tone deaf” views on immigration, saying the group “favors the elites who care more about profits than hard working Americans.”
Finally, he blasted TPUSA’s “culture of censorship” where certain topics are considered “off-limits and those who dare broach them are quickly blacklisted.”
Nick Ferarra, the former vice president of the KSU chapter of TPUSA also announced on Twitter that he was formally disassociating himself from the group and would no longer be recommending TPUSA to other conservatives on campus.
Additionally I will no longer recommend this organization to others. In my opinion, they do not uphold the principles they claim to support.
— Nick Ferrara (@thenickferrara) October 31, 2019
Additionally, the former secretary of KSU, Simon Kleinmann, announced his departure from TPUSA because the group has “slowly drifted away from what it stands for, saying one thing and doing another.”
It is time for me to move forward and resign from @TPUSA_KSU, @TPUSA.
I wish you the best and hope you will do great on a national standpoint, as long as you are consistent with your values. The potential is there. pic.twitter.com/JmyHTc3270
— Simon K (@SimonKleinmann) October 31, 2019