Utah College Drops Graduation Speaker After Uproar Over Kirk
Newser • • nation
Key Points:
- Utah Valley University rescinded its commencement invitation to author Sharon McMahon after resurfaced social media posts where she mourned conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination and criticized some of his past remarks, sparking backlash from Kirk's supporters.
- The university cited security concerns and threats as reasons for the cancellation, with President Astrid Tuminez highlighting the challenge of balancing free speech with safety for graduates and guests.
- McMahon, who has previously spoken at UVU and was praised by the president, defended her comments and described the backlash as a coordinated "cancellation," emphasizing she condemned Kirk's murder and opposes violence in public debate.
- Kirk's supporters, including Turning Point USA's campus chapter and his podcast co-host, criticized the original invitation to McMahon as hurtful, leading UVU to hold the graduation ceremony without a featured speaker.
