On Thursday Jan. 29, Campolindo’s newest club, “Club America” will be hosting its inaugural meeting in Mr. Macy’s room (A10). Club America is an officially sanctioned chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), an organization that, according to its mission statement, plans “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.”
TPUSA was founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist who described himself as a Christian and a nationalist. Kirk’s death on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at a TPUSA event, drew mixed reactions across the globe. While supporters praised his advocacy and defense of the first amendment, opponents expressed outrage at his rhetoric, and in select cases, happiness at his death. Since his assassination, the number of Club America chapters has more than doubled, from 1,200 to over 3,000 across the country.
According to Club America president junior Gabe Cohen, the club was formed in response to curricula in Ethnic Studies and Human and Social Development (HSD) classes. Cohen said he takes issue with how concepts such as equity and privilege are taught. He argues they are presented without nuance, “I don’t think equity is a good thing all the time. It can be [good] in some instances and it could be bad in others.” These sentiments are shared by TPUSA, which frequently argues that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives undermine “American values.”…