Anti-abortion political commentators Charlie Kirk and Isabel Brown met a crowd nearing 3,000 Tuesday night at the Tulare-Kings Resources for Life (TKRL) Advancing the Mission event. 

The focus for the event was on the pro-life movement, but Kirk and Brown also spoke about other conservative ideologies during their individual segments and the joint question-and-answer session.

The event was hosted at Visalia First Church and was organized by TKRL, a pro-life organization dedicated to educating people about abortion, options for unplanned pregnancies and offering support for those who have experienced a miscarriage or an abortion. 

Outside, around 20-40 protesters gathered. One sign read, “motherhood should be a choice, not a punishment.”

Michael Cota, TKRL’s media manager, said he wishes that the protesters knew that members of his organization approach the other side with pure intentions.

“We’re not trying to be in your face, trying to make you feel like you’ve made a mistake or that you can’t come back from [abortion],” Cota said. 

Kirk’s appearance was also protested in the comments section of The Collegian’s Instagram post, previewing his arrival in Visalia.

One commenter said, “someone egg this guy pls,” and another said, “don’t give this man attention lmao.”

Maria Alvarez-Sidley also commented under the post and shared more of her thoughts with The Collegian.

“This man is vile and disgusting and has an agenda that does not suit women or minorities in any way,” Alvarez-Sidley said.

Brown’s talk

Brown began by sharing her career-development story, which included her initial pursuit of landing a job as a surgeon. This specific ambition, however, did not last, as Brown eventually pursued her career as an online personality.

“I spent months learning about every tiny development that has to happen during fetal development to have a child make it to a full-term pregnancy and be delivered safely by her mother,” Brown said.

She then told the audience that a professor for one of her classes asserted that abortion is a “human right” and that it does not “end the life of a genetically unique human being.” She disagreed and continued quoting her professor.

“‘It’s something that all of you as physicians will likely be forced to participate in, whether you like it or not,’” Brown said, referencing her professor. 

This story served as a foundation for the rest of her speech. 

“There are people standing outside who say that we are the misinformationists, that we are the propagandists and we will do just about anything to hold women back,” Brown said. 

She also said that abortion is a result of the fundamental “devaluing” of life, and pointed to Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying program, which offers terminally ill individuals the right to choose to end their life with a doctor’s aid. 

“I saw on Instagram the other day that, if we had a moment of silence for every baby in America that was aborted since 1973, we would be silent for over 100 years,” Brown said.

The crowd collectively reacted in disappointment. 

Brown followed her argument and said that this mentality is congruent with the mentality that led to human rights crises in the past, like the Holocaust and slavery.

She said that God is working through the lies of the pro-choice movement and encouraged audience members to pray and continue showing up for what they believe in. 

Kirk’s talk

After Brown finished her speech, Kirk began. His speech touched on abortion, but was centered primarily around Christianity and general conservatism.

He also, like Brown, said that abortion is parallel to mass tragedies like the Holocaust.

“It’s not just happening in concentration camps, it’s happening in Planned Parenthoods,” Kirk said. 

While no one in the audience countered this claim, online critics have expressed disdain toward Kirk’s comparison of abortion and the Holocaust. A Reddit user left a comment earlier this month about the issue.

“I remember a video of him comparing abortion and the holocaust and saying abortion was worse,” they said. “It’s a bad sign for society that he wasn’t shunned, overburdened with lawsuits and removed from [the] public.”

In the Bible, as Kirk explained, Jesus speaks against hurting children, which, in the context of this argument, also condemns abortion.

“This is his harshest of all the teachings,” Kirk said. 

He continued and said that offenders of this biblical rule will be sent to a “pit of fire” in hell. 

“This is not up for interpretation; the scriptures are very clear,” Kirk said.

Then, Kirk delved into a more religion-focused discussion, speaking about the importance of attending church and submitting one’s life to Christ.

“We need to be very clear to preach Jesus Christ to a broken world,” he said. “As I say, it’s the most important thing you can do.”

Kirk ended his discussion with adamant encouragement to the audience to make everything they are and do as Christ-like as possible.

The Q and A

After Kirk delivered his speech, Brown was invited back to the stage for a joint question-and-answer session with the audience. 

One crowd member approached the microphone and asked a question that condemned premarital sex among teenagers. She said, “A condom can protect a genital part, but a condom cannot protect the heart.”

“We do not do a good enough job of teaching our teenagers the difference between a contractual relationship and a covenantal relationship,” Kirk said. 

He also said that pastors need to focus more on preaching against premarital sex, and that this is a perfect chance for churches to “swoop in.”

A college student asked Kirk and Brown what she should do while waiting to find a husband and have children. She said that she doesn’t really want to attend college, and that what she truly wants is to be a mother.

“Pray for that, pray for your own spiritual development, that you can become a beautiful wife and mom when God does bless you with that,” Brown said. “Spend time praying for your future spouse.”

To the same question, Kirk also chimed in.

“There’s nothing wrong with getting a Mrs. degree and going to college to meet your husband,” Kirk said.

Another attendee asked Kirk and Brown what they think about the devaluing of human life when it comes to abortion, as also seen in school shootings and drug and alcohol abuse.

“This culture of death devalues the very concept of life and the meaning of it as we’re walking through it,” Kirk said. “It’s what has allowed for us to think that it’s culturally and societally acceptable to castrate children and to take their futures away from them.”

After the question-and-answer session, Kirk and Brown exited the stage and the group began to leave the building. Kirk encouraged attendees to donate to TKRL so they can continue their mission.

“I thought it was really inspiring,” said attendee Jeanette Callison. “It talked a lot about how this next generation is really seeking truth and really wanting to preach that truth.”

Correction: an adjustment was made on Sept. 10 to correct the spelling of Michael Cota’s last name.