Local chapters of Turning Point USA will host a “faith night” amid looming protests
The conservative youth organization’s event, scheduled for Feb. 7, is the latest flashpoint among ongoing political debate in the county.
Turning Point USA, the political youth organization founded by slain political activist Charlie Kirk, is hosting an event in Redding. The event has been promoted by conservative leadership in Shasta County, while drawing fierce condemnation from some community groups who have accused TPUSA of being “extremist” in its politics.
TPUSA is a massive political organization with thousands of chapters in high schools, colleges, and universities across the nation. Although a blurb on the Shasta College website describes its local chapter as promoting “non-partisan, thought-provoking discussion,” TPUSA has played a pivotal role in promoting the agenda of the Trump administration on a global stage.
As anti-Trump protestors have gathered in Shasta by the hundreds in recent months — most recently, to condemn the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota — the upcoming TPUSA event is the latest catalyst to elicit local demonstrations in response to national issues. Some of the same groups that organized the ICE-related protests are planning to demonstrate outside the venue where TPUSA’s event will take place on Saturday. They include Shasta Exposed, Redding Resistance, Shasta Democratic Action Club, Shasta Unmasked, and Redding Be Like.
TPUSA is calling the Redding event a “faith night.” It was organized by local chapters of the organization based at both Simpson University and Shasta College, and will be held at the Redding Civic Auditorium on Saturday evening. It’s free to the public but according to a post by Shasta College’s Turning Point chapter, attendee names and emails will be required at check in.
An event description says the night will “feature live worship, a gospel-centered message, and guest speakers sharing personal testimony and reflections on faith, family, and freedom.” Event leaders include host Evan Jones, a freshman business major and president of Simpson University’s TPUSA chapter, Bethel Church pastor Tom Crandell, Simpson University professor Daniel Sloan, community member Carson Williams, and former Redding Airport Manager Jim Wadleigh.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, Crandall, who is also the founder of the evangelism organization 1Hope4America, sent out a prayer email to prospective attendees of the TPUSA event. “Tom will be sharing about Jesus as the true hope for our nation, followed by an altar call for salvation,” the email stated, before requesting prayers for Crandall and other speakers’ protection, and that God draw “the right people” to attend.
Last week, the community groups that plan to protest the event sent a letter to the Redding Police Department informing officers of the plan to gather peacefully at the protest. They alleged that organizers “have received threats of physical violence,” from “individuals who identify as supporters of Turning Point USA.” Screenshots shared with Shasta Scout did not include specific allegations of intent to harm protesters.
Simpson student Jones, the host of the event, told Shasta Scout by email that “I understand that people affiliated with Turning Point USA may say bad things or do bad things,” adding that he does not support any hateful words or acts towards anyone. “I simply cannot control what people do or say just as the people who are organizing the protest cannot possibly control what protestors do.”
“I believe the protestors will be respectful and kind as they say they would,” Jones continued, emphasizing that community members have the right to protest peacefully and indicating that there will be metal detectors at the entrance, with both private security and police officers on site.
Sacramento-based TPUSA field representative Joseph Archer declined Shasta Scout’s questions about how many people have signed up to attend the event and what security concerns there may be.
Asked to respond to allegations from some community members that a city-owned venue is appropriate for this event, Julie Dyar, the director of Advance Redding, the nonprofit that manages the Civic Auditorium, said “as a publicly owned venue, the local chapter of TPUSA has the right to host events in the venue provided they follow standard booking procedures and guidelines, which they did.”
“We also fully support the right of community members to peacefully protest and voice opposition,” she added.
This is not the first time Shasta County locals have gathered in support of Turning Point since the assassination of the organization’s founder in September. Days after Kirk’s death, thousands of people gathered at Shasta College to mourn his loss and engage in collective prayer led by Crandell and others. At that campus event, Crandall stated that “Christianity will survive without America but America will not survive without Christianity,” echoing Kirk’s own beliefs about the centrality of Christian doctrine to the founding of the U.S.
Last September, Kirk’s killing prompted statements by several elected officials across the county including a symbolic resolution by the Shasta County Board of Supervisors condemning political hate.
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Why wont you post my comment?
Shasta Scout has to review each comment and because they have a life it sometimes takes a day or two. Don’t worry, your Bible verses will be posted eventually.
Turning point USA ! It’s a great menu at the Redding civic Auditorium.
Aww… Nick, you’ve gone back to using Happy Citizen! That’s so cute!
But I do have to wonder, if you really are happy, then why are you always moaning and complaining?
Over 13 million children in America are suffering from food insecurities in America.
https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/child-hunger-facts
Charlie Kirk was against funding and feeding hungry school kids who could not afford school lunches.
“Not one hungry child going hungry” churchs and non profits handling it
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DgmRS743niI
And people worship this clown
Basically, saying problem is solved, implying donations unnecessary …
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DgmRS743niI
Nivan, good article, but in Redding, thousands, not “hundreds,” have recently protested against Trump’s white nationalist fascism.
Since the City of Redding owns and heavily subsidizes the Civic, I ask: would it be acceptable for the City to host a KKK or Neo-Nazi group? Would the ACLU defend their right to assemble? True, in 1977-1978, the ACLU defended the First Amendment rights of Neo-Nazis to assemble.
While Turning Point USA (TPUSA) is not generally considered a full-fledged Nazi movement, it has strong and well-documented links to many white nationalists and fascist ideologies. It also promotes many proven to be false conspiracy theories and prominently features them at all TPUSA events.
TPUSA’s Christian, fascist-leaning political-social theology aligns with about a quarter of Redding. A national list of individuals and TPUSA’s far-right social and political positions would fill voluminous Shasta Scout articles. But locally, I expect Supervisors Crye, Kelstorm, ROV Curtis, and maybe Trump-endorsed and allied James Gallagher to attend, all glad-handing with campaign bling. And don’t forget, Good ol’ Corky!
For years, now-deceased Charlie Kirk tirelessly promoted and subsidized the Seven Mountain Mandate and the racist Great Replacement theory, as well as Trump’s “Big Lie” claims that the elections were stolen; kinda like locals L. Hobbs and ROV Curtis, eh Mr. Brent Turner? In fact, TPUSA sent over 80 buses of supporters to Washington, D.C., for Trump’s “Stop the Steal” 0-6 insurrection, in an attempted takeover of the United States government.
Here are a few more TPUSA associates and advocates who frequently speak at their events, and hey, they might even make a surprise appearance tomorrow!
TPUSA supported White Nationalist and convicted MAGA criminal Steve Bannon, who frequently uses TPUSA platforms to promote intense racist and authoritarian actions, such as advocating for “ICE to surround the polls” during the November 2026 midterm election.
Other TPUSA spearheads are Trump, an admitted “dictator” who’s now threatening to use the military to take control of America’s elections, Vice President Vance, who’s endorsed by TPUSA for 28, and who claimed ICE has full immunity when murdering American citizens! And let’s not forget former Turning Point executive Austin Smith, an Arizona State Representative, who pleaded guilty to felony election fraud.
TPUAS is a political arm of MAGA / Trump, who’s now in full panic mode, using illegal fascist techniques on citizens and legal immigrants alike, as his polling precipitously drops to new lows and Republican districts flip Blue. And Trump’s freaking out because the November midterms threaten to, well, neuter “Grab Them By The —-” and thwart his attempted fascist takeover of the United States of America.
Please remember, MAGA Clint Cutis and his extreme far-right Trumpers are in control of Shasta County Elections. Check your voter registration at: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status AND VOTE THEM OUT!
I’ll join many concerned citizens to protest, nonviolently, against fascism while I still have the legal right to do so.
More bogus Nazi references. Sigh. Anyway–Turning Point might as well host an event seeing that Bethel and Simpson College types have been keeping that place on life support the last few years.
It’s funny no one up here gave a shit about Turning Point until Kirk got murdered. They aren’t being serious
Daneil Sloan should not speak after his allegations going viral when he ran for supervisor. Just sayin. Kris Vallotton should resign from Bethel, he’s a thorn in their side of community respect.
Bethel is a cancer that needs to be carved out of our town forever, the “rep” hasn’t been good ever
It would be replaced by something equally ridiculous.
Grifters gonna grift.
Grindr must be busy!!
Lol. So many haters. But funny.
You don’t think you come off as a hater with all your moaning about the immigrants?
Self reflection can be hard!