The Oct. 7 Town Council call to the public began dramatically when 22-year resident Wendy Dachel called the proposal to rename our community center after Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk “abhorrent.” I agree.
I admittedly cringed — not because of her words, but because of what they revealed. Who finds comfort in rhetoric that demeans women, the gay community, people of color and the transgender community?
Ms. Dachel didn’t espouse these views; she exposed them — views expressed by Turning Point’s founder. Dachel’s voice, however, was not welcomed by Turning Point employee, potential Town Council candidate and invocation presenter Ben Larrabee, who loudly interrupted from the audience’s third row. Within seconds, Councilmember and Turning Point employee Hannah Larrabee joined in, “What does this have to do with the town?” Moments later, Mayor Friedel took his cue, declaring, “This isn’t directly related to the town.”
