The St. Louis County Council rejected a resolution honoring conservative influencer Charlie Kirk with a bipartisan 5-2 vote. Kirk was assassinated last week while debating on a college campus.
Around 20 members of the public spoke out at the county council meeting, either in favor of or against the resolution.
Supporters of the resolution praised Kirk for speaking openly about his conservative beliefs and encouraging others to do so. Some say the personal impact Kirk had on them was life changing.
"As far as my life as I know it, I met my fiancé through Charlie Kirk,"
said one supporter while another said Kirk "gave me a platform to talk about the issues I cared about when I was a nobody."
However, detractors pointed out how some of Kirk's beliefs crossed the line into bigotry.
"If I see a black pilot, I'm going to be like 'boy I hope he's qualified,'" said a speaker opposing the resolution, quoting Charlie Kirk.
The NAACP also attended to speak against the resolution.
"While we unequivocally condemn and oppose [the] violence that ended his life," said St. Louis County NAACP President John Bowman "we cannot ignore that Mr. Kirk's public record is defined by rhetoric that undermines civil rights.
In an attempt to reframe his resolution, its sponsor, Republican Councilman Mark Harder claimed his bill doesn't honor Kirk, rather it recognizes him. The text of the bill says other wise, with section three reading "the council honor's Charlie Kirk's life and legacy."
The seven members of the County Council mostly voted along party lines except for one, Republican Dennis Hancock, who joined all four democrats in rejecting the resolution. He explained his vote in the meeting.
"Things that [Kirk] shouldn't have said because they were hurtful or because they were said in a way that was not meant to honor people or to encourage them to think but simply to hurt them. I can't support that," said Hancock, adding "I wouldn't support it if it was anybody."
Like Hanckcock, the democrat Councilwomen added they are against political violence and were horrified by Kirk's assassination but could not vote for a resolution honoring him due to his rhetoric.