This weekend, Turning Point USA will be hosting AmericaFest 2021 in Phoenix, Ariz.
“This four day event is set to be the largest celebration of our constitutional rights and freedoms – featuring the best and brightest speakers in the country, dozens of like minded sponsoring organizations, thousands of freedom loving patriots, and the introduction of musical talent with a number of very special concerts,” the event website reads. “As our events and organization continue to grow we are so excited to launch this new event and welcome all ages, all walks of life, and celebrate the greatest country – the United States of America.”
“AmericaFest is going to be an event unlike the movement has ever seen by creating an experience that breaks the traditional norms of a political conference as we continue to bridge the gap between politics and entertainment to win America’s culture war.”
Dubbed the “biggest freedom party of the year” and the “biggest event in the conservative movement,” this brand new annual event sounds like a lot of fun. It will feature such distinguished conservative speakers as Charlie Kirk, Tucker Carlson, Kayleigh McEnany, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Don Trump Jr., Dennis Prager, and others.
On Tuesday, TPUSA announced a new speaker had just been confirmed to speak at America Fest 2021: Kyle Rittenhouse.
HUGE NEWS! @ThisIsKyleR Is Now CONFIRMED To Speak At the Biggest, Greatest Freedom Party Ever! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
This Event Is Gonna Be Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Seen…DON’T MISS OUT! #AMFEST2021
APPLY 👉 https://t.co/x0KmuK3tFm pic.twitter.com/tY2bDt0amK
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) December 15, 2021
Seriously? Kyle Rittenhouse? Are we seriously seeing him become a celebrity of the right? While I’m glad he was found not guilty, I see little sense in him making the rounds on the conservative movement circuit. Even though Rittenhouse acted in self-defense, what he went through was still a traumatic experience, and he should be in therapy, not hobnobbing with conservative VIPs and speaking to large crowds like a celebrity or a hero.
Related: Let’s Not Forget That Kyle Rittenhouse Is Still a Teenager
PJM’s Megan Fox said last month, “Kyle, if you’re reading this, take a vacation and focus on school and let your mom handle this. Be a kid and leave this far behind you.” I guess he’s chosen to go the other route.
His trial indeed brought the issue of gun rights and self-defense to the front pages, but does that mean we need to lionize him? I don’t think so. Instead, his primary focus should be getting back to his normal life the best he can, not exploiting his fifteen minutes of fame. And shame on those enabling his exploitation.
TPUSA is “building out custom, stadium-style seating to create an arena feel” around a 245ft LED stage. “It will truly be an environment unlike anything else in the movement,” they say. After having his life-altering trial, he doesn’t need to be making appearances at conservative conventions like a rockstar. It just feels wrong.
He shouldn’t become the Greta Thunberg of the right. Conservatives rightly criticized Thunberg’s handlers for making her a celebrity face of the radical environmentalist movement… is flying Kyle Rittenhouse around the country to speak at conventions any different? What does he have to say about conservativism? Why should we care? He’s just a teenager. I don’t begrudge him the occasional media interview to discuss his trial and what happened, but what’s he going to talk about at AmericaFest?
Conservatives can celebrate Kyle’s verdict without elevating Kyle to celebrity status. Lin Wood already tried to exploit him, and we were outraged by that. So let’s let Kyle Rittenhouse get back to as much of a normal life as he possibly can.