Will Witt’s “Do Not Comply” tour, hosted by Turning Point USA Alabama Tuesday, sparked conversations about personal freedoms and government overreach at the University of Alabama.
The event in Gallalee Hall focused on topics such as free speech, individual liberties and personal responsibility.
Witt, a conservative commentator and author, shared his perspective on what he views as a decline in America’s cultural and social values. His “Do Not Comply” tour promotes his 2023 book of the same name, which outlines why and how the working class should take power back from the “corrupt elite.” The book promotion tour, which launched in September 2023, has visited many universities and high schools across the country.
“We’re living in a society where people lack a sense of meaning,” Witt said. “It’s sad to see so many Americans who no longer feel like they’re part of the country they once knew. It does start in the classroom and what we focus on teaching.”
Witt urged the audience to question societal norms and consider how, according to him, these challenges threaten personal freedoms. He also addressed what he sees as the influence of elites on the nation’s struggles.
According to a summary blurb contained in Witt’s book, the book argues that “a corrupt ruling class has pitted us against each other in the name of ‘the greater good’ and ‘building back better’” and that the changes elites institute “have only hurt us in the long run and have sent us spiraling to serfdom while the elites reap all the benefits.”
In his book, Witt specifically calls out businessmen, celebrities, media executives, scientists and politicians as members of the “corrupt elite.”
“It’s not just one party or one group,” he said at the event. “There are Democrats and Republicans who both contribute to the issues we face. The world you and I live in today is so different from the one our parents grew up in, and that gap is part of what we’re grappling with.”
While The Crimson White had the chance to ask Witt a few questions following the event, which was open to the public, the interview ended when a Turning Point member abruptly asked The CW to leave, despite Witt agreeing to an interview.
Jackson Beals, a member of Turning Point, said that he personally asked The CW to leave during the interview with Witt, due to what he saw as a history of Turning Point “being painted in a negative light” and the publication not asking permission to cover the event.
However, when asked if all students were welcome at the event, Beals said that they were, but reporters had to “request permission beforehand.”
When asked about the situation, Jenna Stewart, TPUSA chapter president, replied with the following email statement.
“The media is welcome to attend and report on any event that they would like. A formal request to interview any speaker at our events is required due to speaker’s contracts being negotiated beforehand. We expect to maintain a level of professionalism at our events as we have previously expressed,” Stewart said.
Editor’s note: Editor-in-Chief Maven Navarro interviewed Beals and emailed Stewart to discuss the reasons for the publication being asked to leave. In addition to the reasons provided above, Beals said that a reason he asked Cortez to leave was because Beals had seen Cortez “multiple times at events with cameras trying to smear speakers.” However, Cortez had never covered a Turning Point event prior to the Do Not Comply tour.
