The Waco stop on Turning Point USA’s national tour, which was the only planned Texas stop so far, featured “border czar” Tom Homan, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and commentator Benny Johnson.
Just a few buildings away, a coalition of progressive student groups held an alternate event titled “All Are Neighbors.” Key speakers included top LGBTQ+ Christian advocates, a first for the university.
Turning Point stop marked by confusion, low turnout and restricted access
The Turning Point tour stop held at Waco Hall was originally promoted as being open to the public, with tickets offered on a first-come-first serve basis. But on Wednesday afternoon, just one hour before doors opened, Turning Point USA released a statement that only Baylor students would be allowed in the event.
According to Baylor officials, 438 students attended the event, which had a capacity of 2,200.
“We loaded up our cross in the van and we came on down. We were walking the campus, praying for students,” said Mitchell, who travelled to Waco with members of his church, and their twelve-foot-cross.
He said the notification didn’t come until they had already made the trip from Longview and on campus.
In an email to ticketholders Wednesday, the organization blamed Baylor for the last-minute change, claiming over 4,500 tickets had been reserved by the broader community.
In a statement to the Baylor Lariat, however, the university said the event was always meant to be for students, faculty and staff.
The change followed a sudden shift in speakers earlier in the week. TPUSA Executive Vice President Donald Trump Jr. was originally slated for the Baylor stop. On Tuesday, organizers began promoting Ken Paxton instead, though they would not confirm the change.
Because of the university’s tax-exempt status, the university is required to refrain from supporting any candidate’s run for office, without approval from the Office of General Counsel. Paxton’s current campaign for U.S. Senate complicated his approval, and opened the door for other student organizations to host other U.S. Senate candidates.
Adding to the confusion, local and national media organizations that had requested press credentials for the event were informed Wednesday morning that no credentials would be issued.
That denial included The Waco Bridge, The Baylor Lariat, The Waco-Tribune Herald, among other outlets. KWBU did not apply for credentials due to previous scheduling conflicts.
Since the event was eventually limited to students, The Baylor Lariat editorial staff made the decision to attend under general admission tickets and provide coverage.
“We are there as students,” Lariat Editor-in-Chief Foster Nicholas explained. “Afterwards, we are students who are reporting on the event, not as media, but as students, as a student publication, trying our best to keep our interest group of students, informed.”
The Lariat had six reporters outside the event, 10 reporters at the All Are Neighbors event and six reporters attending the Turning Point event.
In a phone call Thursday, Nicholas told KWBU that the decision was made partially because of the Lariat’s existing coverage of the Turning Point event, starting with the announcement in March.
The media’s inclusion at the All Are Neighbors event also played a role in the decision, Nicholas said.
“I don’t think it’s fair to represent one event that is going on without representing the other.”
Inside the Turning Point event at Waco Hall, most of the venue was sectioned off by curtains, according to attendees.
Kyle Perry, a second-year Truett Seminary student, was one of them. He said he attended the event with one question in mind: “how [does Turning Point] reach a bunch of people who, presumably, are Christian or at least, are in a Christian ecosphere?”
He’s studying to be a pastor and said he wanted to better understand how the organization uses Christianity in their messaging.
“The part I was most impressed [by] – not in the positive way – was the excuse of some pretty harmful rhetoric, I would think, at least, rhetoric that doesn’t reflect Baylor’s values,” Perry said.
He was especially surprised by one of the jokes political commentator Benny Johnson made. According to Perry, Johnson compared dealing with liberal women to wrangling pigs.
“I think about biblical scripture that talks about, not letting any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up,” he explained. “That doesn’t seem like that fits the bill for me.”
During the Q&A portion, Perry asked of Johnson, “if you are going to say something like this and you believe, as the Bible says, that you’re going to have to give an account for the words that you use before God on Judgement Day, how do you see this conversation going?”
Johnson didn’t answer the question. But the Turning Point USA organization did use Perry’s introduction on their Instagram to promote the Baylor campus stop.
“It felt like they were trying to present the event as ‘this is a place where pastors are welcomed’,” Perry said. He said that felt very dishonest and not in line with Baylor values.
“Baylor exists to promote the gospel,” Perry said. “So for us to welcome those two events, it feels a like a little bit of an abandonment of the mission.”
Alternative event draws hundreds, centers inclusion and strains Texas Baptist ties
Just a few buildings away in Cashion Academic Center, progressive student groups hosted an alternate event called All Are Neighbors. Speakers at the event, organized by a coalition of progressive student organizations, led faculty, staff and students in a call to action focused around the Christian calling to love all neighbors.
“The goal was not to counter [Turning Point], but to provide an alternative space for all the marginalized students, faculty and staff here at Baylor,” student organizer Hanna Al-Hayek said.
According to Baylor’s ticket scans, the event drew 270 attendees, though event organizers put estimates closer to 400.
“It’s important for all Baylor students to understand – you have a voice here at Baylor and you have people fighting for your right to be here,” Al-Hayek said.
Key speakers included Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson and Interfaith Alliance president Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, who both identify as both gay and Christian.
While Al-Hayek said the event wasn’t targeting only LGBTQ+ students, it did mark the first time students were approved to host high-profile gay advocates on campus. The University still holds a “traditional biblical understanding of human sexuality” and typically bars on-campus advocacy of non-traditional relationships.
Al-Hayek told KWBU before the Wednesday event that Robinson and Raushenbush were likely only approved because of the community’s response to Turning Point.
“With the Turning Point event [on campus], it put Baylor in a spot to accept both sides of the spectrum,” she said.
Following the event, many of the participants travelled to the Burleson Quad to continue the discussion.
“I think there’s more that we have in common than we have differences,” Baylor masters student, Seth Bullard said at the event.
He said it’s good to have groups like Turning Point and All Are Neighbors visit campus because it helps broaden student’s viewpoints.
“It’s good to have that dialogue. Ultimately, I think that’s what we want to see more of on campus,” he said.
Stephanie Ordonez, a junior education major, shared that sentiment, emphasizing the role of respect in civil discource.
“At the end of the day, we’re all human beings,” Ordonez said. “We’re all worthy of love and respect.”
But the university’s approval of the event and its speakers, has strained the relationship between the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Baylor. The relationship dates to the university’s creation, though it has changed over time.
In a letter to member churches on April 17, executive director Julio Guarneri said, “I agree that hosting speakers who are Christian, identify as gay, and practice LGBTQ+ advocacy at a university-approved event is inconsistent with the convention’s long-standing views on biblical sexuality.”
He further explained he would ask the May Executive Board meeting to “initiate a study of our relationship with Baylor.”
In response, Baylor spokesperson Lori Fogleman said via email, “Baylor does not institutionally endorse the views of speakers at these events.”
The email continued, “As an academic institution, Baylor University is committed to ensuring open dialogue and the robust exchange of ideas and perspectives.”
Got a tip? Email Molly-Jo Tilton at Molly-jo_tilton@baylor.edu.
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