Oklahoma State Senator Shane Jett (R) has introduced a bill that would mandate public universities in Oklahoma to construct statues of Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing activist, who was assassinated. The proposed legislation, led by Jett who heads the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus, aims to commemorate Kirk by establishing “Charlie Kirk Memorial” plazas in highly visible locations on public campuses. Each institution of higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education would be required to have these plazas completed by March 2028.
The statues of Kirk would depict him either sitting at a table with an empty seat across from him or with his wife and children. The bill also calls for signs honoring Kirk’s courage, faith, and his role as a voice of a generation, modern civil rights leader, vocal Christian, martyr for truth and faith, and free speech advocate.
Additionally, Jett has filed other pieces of legislation, including a bill to designate Kirk’s birthday, Oct. 14, as “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day” and a resolution that would require the state legislature to recognize and honor Kirk. A similar resolution was also filed by Oklahoma State Senator Ally Seifried (R) earlier in the week.
The bills and resolutions are scheduled to be reviewed by the legislature when it reconvenes in February. The push for statues on public campuses comes after David Keyes, a former adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shared an AI-generated image of a “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Plaza” on X. Keyes’ post has garnered over 10 million views on the platform.
The New College of Florida, a public institution whose board was restructured by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023, plans to commission a privately-funded statue of Kirk to symbolize the college’s commitment to defending and advocating for free speech and civil discourse in American life.
