A group of conservative political activists tabled at Clemson University on Wednesday as part of their “Fearless Tour” with the goal of promoting free speech on university campuses.
The tour was launched and inspired by the work of Charlie Kirk. The group defines itself as “four ordinary guys with an extraordinary mission,” according to its GiveSendGo page. The organizers are Cam Higby, Lance Johnstone, Andrew Bemo and David Khait.
This mission is to “bring honest conversation and open debate back to America’s college campuses,” and for individuals who disagree with them to “do it fearlessly,” Higby told The Tiger in an interview. The group intends to prove that campuses are still safe spaces for difficult discussions. death
Higby cited Charlie Kirk’s death as a reason this initiative began.
“Now that Charlie was assassinated, we really think it’s imperative to keep up the mission of freedom of speech and civil debate on college campuses,” Higby said.
Higby and Khait are behind the microphone for the tour, while Johnstone and Bemo work on administrative tasks, filming, operations and social media outreach.
Two of the members are social media influencers: Higby, who has over 250,000 followers on Instagram, and Khait, with over 130,000. Higby works as a journalist, covering leftist protests, while Khait does all his content creation at Georgia State’s campus.
In response to The Tiger’s inquiries about the shooting and killing of Kirk, Higby said that Kirk “stood for the foundational and core principles of this country. Even if you didn’t agree with what he was saying, he went on college campuses and he sought out people who didn’t agree with him to have conversations with them.”
The Fearless Tour engages in civil dialogue that includes giving both conservatives and liberals alike an opportunity to voice their opinions.
On the way to Charlotte, North Carolina, the group made a last-minute decision to stop at Clemson University and debate students once they saw the exit sign. The four sought to experiment and were unsure of how the campus would receive them.
The group covered various topics with Clemson’s student body, including abortion, immigration and Marxism.
The activists found that Clemson students were not only friendly, passionate and articulate, but also that they were respectful.
“It was really a perfect representation of what we want to accomplish on the tour,” Higby said, thanking the Clemson students who attended and University administration for making it possible at the last minute.
When asked about the current initiative by Clemson College Republicans to institute campus carry — the concealed carry by Concealed Weapon Permit holders — Higby said he believes individuals should be able to conceal carry or open carry “anywhere and everywhere.”
In terms of the tour’s scope and funding, Bemo told The Tiger that the group’s idea “is to go to campuses across the country until we literally run out of money.”
The four flew out on personal funds and have set up a way for supporters to donate to them electronically, but have not withdrawn any amounts yet. Donations can be made at GiveSendGo, which has raised over $7,500 as of Friday, Sept. 19.
“We hope that us being there inspires people, conservatives, but also liberals alike, to pick up the mic and do the same thing,” Higby said.
The group’s overall goal is not to “silence the left” but rather to encourage all students to speak about their beliefs.
