SD. CAMPUS CONTROVERSY — OKLAHOMA STUDENT SAYS HE WAS SCOLDED BY FACULTY FOR WEARING TRUMP HAT DURING CHARLIE KIRK TRIBUTE
🎓 OKLAHOMA STATE STUDENT SAYS HE WAS REPRIMANDED FOR WEARING TRUMP HAT DURING CHARLIE KIRK TRIBUTE 🇺🇸
STILLWATER, Okla. — An Oklahoma State University (OSU) student leader says he was reprimanded by a university official after delivering a speech honoring slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, while wearing a Turning Point USA hat gifted to him by Kirk earlier this year.
Josh Wilson, a junior who serves in the OSU Student Government Association (SGA) Senate and as president of the OSU Debate Society, spoke during a Sept. 10 SGA meeting — just days after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in Utah.
According to remarks first reported by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), Wilson praised Kirk’s influence on campus free speech and debate, calling him “a father, a husband, a devout Christian, and a shining light for so many.”
“Kirk’s visit to campus in April provoked discussion and dialogue among countless students,” Wilson said. “For the first time in years, students were engaging in conversations about culture and politics like never before.”
Wilson urged fellow students to carry forward Kirk’s legacy “by refusing to shy away from difficult conversations” and “standing firm in our convictions.”
🧢 The Hat That Sparked Controversy
During his speech, Wilson wore a Turning Point USA hat that displayed the numbers “45” and “47” — referencing former President Donald Trump. Wilson said the hat was a personal gift from Kirk during his April campus visit.
He emphasized that his speech did not mention Trump, endorse any political party, or reference any election.
But a week later, Wilson says he was summoned to a meeting with Melisa Echols, OSU’s coordinator of student government programs, where he was allegedly told that the hat violated student government’s nonpartisan policy and that it could be “triggering” to others.
“As a person who doesn’t look like you and hasn’t had the same lived experience as you, I have family who are triggered by those hats and by that side,” Echols said, according to audio obtained by OCPA.
Echols reportedly added that Wilson should “ask others who don’t look like you” and “have open conversations with those who have different lived experiences.”
🪶 Wilson Pushes Back
Wilson told OCPA he responded by reminding Echols that he is of Cherokee heritage and often engages with students from diverse backgrounds.
“I don’t like to pull that card,” Wilson said, “but if you’re going to pull that card on me, I might as well.”
He maintained that his hat was not a political endorsement, but a symbol of free expression — especially in the context of honoring Kirk.
“Any student should have the liberty to express their ideas without fear,” Wilson said. “Conversation is what built this country, and it’s what should maintain it.”
🏛️ Broader Debate Over Free Speech
The incident has reignited debate over free speech and political neutrality on college campuses, particularly in student-led organizations that claim to be nonpartisan.
Wilson says he will continue to advocate for open dialogue on campus, calling the reprimand “a reminder of why Charlie Kirk’s message about free expression still matters today.”
OSU officials have not publicly commented on the matter.
