As a senior at Calvin University, I have spent four years learning what it means to belong to a community shaped by the Christian Reformed tradition. We are told we are called to be agents of renewal in God’s world. We speak often about justice, dignity, hospitality and loving our neighbors. Those are not abstract theological slogans. They are lived commitments.

That is why I believe that the return of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) to campus deserves careful scrutiny.

TPUSA’s stated mission is “to identify, educate, train and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.” Its three core claims are bold:

• The U.S. Constitution is the most exceptional political document ever written.
• The United States is the greatest country in the history of the world.
• Capitalism is the most moral and proven economic system ever discovered.

These are not modest propositions. They are ideological absolutes. And when absolutes enter a Christian academic community, we are obligated to test them — not only politically, but morally and theologically.

Open dialogue is not simply the free exchange of opinions. It requires intellectual humility, moral consistency and a posture of listening. If TPUSA wants to position itself as a champion of dialogue and viewpoint diversity, then the burden is on its leadership to demonstrate that commitment in practice — especially given that its previous presence on campus was cut short amidst controversy surrounding antisemitic speech.

A second chance carries responsibility.

As a student of color at Calvin, I cannot ignore how national rhetoric affects lived experience. When TPUSA chapters across the country endorse leaders or language associated with exclusionary nationalism, anti-immigrant sentiment or racially charged discourse, that context travels with the organization. It does not remain abstract.

When leadership publicly celebrates or displays figures whose statements have included remarks such as: “America was at its peak when we halted immigration for 40 years …” or “I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year …” Those are not neutral policy disagreements. They are statements that directly implicate human lives — immigrants, international students and communities vulnerable to gun violence. On a campus with many international students and students of color, rhetoric like this carries weight.

If TPUSA at Calvin wishes to differentiate itself from the most divisive elements associated with its national brand, it should say so clearly. Silence is not neutrality. Silence reads as alignment.

There is also a deeper tension at play. The assertion that the United States is “the greatest country in the history of the world” moves from patriotism into nationalism — the elevation of the nation to moral supremacy. Christianity, however, is transnational. The Church is not bound by borders. The allegiance is not to an empire, but to Christ. So, on a Christian campus, we should be cautious about conflating theological faithfulness with political nationalism. When language about “taking back America” circulates, we must ask: taken back from whom? And at whose expense?

If renewal becomes synonymous with cultural dominance, we have misunderstood the Gospel.

TPUSA emphasizes reverence for the Constitution and limited government. Yet contemporary conservative politics — particularly under figures like Donald Trump — has involved significant expansions of executive authority, open challenges to constitutional guardrails, and rhetoric dismissive of press freedoms. If constitutional fidelity is foundational, it must apply consistently, regardless of party.

Likewise, claims about free-market purity ring hollow when political actors intervene heavily in private corporations, pressure CEOs, or deploy tariffs and industrial policy in ways that distort markets. If capitalism is defended as the most moral system, its moral standards must apply across administrations. Intellectual integrity requires internal coherence.

Calvin University says it welcomes students from all backgrounds — CRC and non-CRC, domestic and international, conservative and progressive. That is a good and necessary commitment. But welcome cannot mean tolerance of rhetoric that “others” members of the community.

Open dialogue does not include racism rebranded as “discomfort.” It does not include fear-mongering presented as responsible policy. It does not include elevating figures whose public statements undermine the dignity of groups represented in our classrooms.

If posters are removed or protests arise, that is not automatically persecution. It may be a signal — an invitation to examine why so many students feel unsettled or unsafe.

I now have a question directly for TPUSA: What is the end goal of TPUSA at Calvin? Is it intellectual formation? Political recruitment? Cultural reclamation? And what happens to students who fundamentally disagree?

A truly educational organization would prioritize debate over dominance, persuasion over provocation, and dialogue over spectacle. It would explicitly denounce racist, antisemitic or dehumanizing rhetoric associated with any affiliate. It would demonstrate, not merely assert, respect for diverse walks of life.

If TPUSA at Calvin wants to model a different kind of conservatism — one grounded in constitutional consistency, moral seriousness, and genuine dialogue — then now is the time to articulate that clearly.

Charlie Kirk, founder of TPUSA, has publicly cited Isaiah 6:8 as a guiding verse: “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” That line is not about winning ideological battles. It is about service. It is about humility. It is about stepping into hard spaces with love rather than domination. If TPUSA at Calvin invokes that verse, then it carries weight. It should suggest a posture shaped by service rather than spectacle, especially after expressing a commitment to open dialogue and acceptance in Chimes just last week. The organization now has an opportunity — and arguably an obligation — to embody those principles in practice. 

As a senior preparing to leave this campus, my hope is simple, and shared with Luke Harlow’s previous statements in Chimes: that Calvin remains a place where political engagement is possible without sacrificing neighbor-love, where disagreement does not devolve into dehumanization, and where any organization — left, right or otherwise — understands that freedom of speech carries ethical responsibility.

If TPUSA is committed to open dialogue, let it begin there.