Gonna have to find a new spot.
Last month, signs went up designating a portion of State Route 386, just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, as Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway in honor of the late Turning Point USA founder and conservative media personality.
The signs were erected following the passage of an omnibus bill last month that designates the 15-mile stretch of highway in Sumner County starting at the Davidson County line as the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway” in order to “honor the prominent political activist, media personality, and true pioneer for freedom of speech who co-founded the conservative student organization Turning Point USA and served as its executive director until his assassination in 2025.”
As you can probably imagine though, some people aren’t happy about the section of road honoring Kirk. Over on Reddit, commenters blasted the name and even called for the sign to be vandalized:
“It would be a shame if someone spray painted it in the middle of the night”
“Wow, dedicating a highway to some podcaster who pushed his old and outdated Iron Age religion on everyone. What a wild time we live in. What a waste of tax dollars.”
“Be a real shame if it went missing, and then kept on going missing every time it was replaced…”
“I have a feeling it won’t last long until it’s damaged in some way, shape, or form. I think this will offend too many people.”
“Great sign for target practice”
“Nothing a cutting torch can’t take care of!”
Well as it turns out, there was another group that wasn’t happy with the new designation for the stretch of highway: Vietnam veterans.
The Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway shared space with what is also designated Vietnam Veterans Boulevard, in memory of 25 residents of Sumner County who were killed the Vietnam war. And Barry Rice, who serves as president of the Tennessee Council of Vietnam Veterans, made it clear that his organization was opposed to sharing the highway’s name:
“We are requesting, actually demanding, that the legislature take this bill and put it really where the sun doesn’t shine. We want our roadway back.”
Well Johnny Garrett, the state representative who sponsored the bill responsible for the designation, heard the complaints and has worked to get the signs relocated:
“Once I heard that some of the veterans were not offended by Charlie Kirk and what he stood for, but just the fact that that’s sacred ground for the Vietnam veterans, I immediately took action to figure out what we could do to relocate the sign because there are plenty of places.”
The signs are in the process of being moved to nearby Long Hollow Pike in Goodlettsville, a decision that was praised by Sumner County Commissioner Jeremy Mansfield:
“I thank the City of Goodlettsville and Representative Garrett for the corrective step, and I am excited to see it find a home there, a place that honors Charlie Kirk without taking anything away from those we already promised to remember.”
It’s not clear when the signs will be moved, with the Tennessee Department of Transportation saying in a statement that they have not yet received a work order from the legislature.
