Look, AmericaFest in Phoenix this week made one thing clear: the conservative movement is not a monolithic echo chamber and we ought to stop pretending we can tidy every loud voice into polite conformity. The dust-up between big names at Turning Point’s conference exposed real divisions, and pretending those disagreements are mere entertainment overlooks the consequence for our movement’s credibility.
Candace Owens has been louder than ever about the suspicious death of Charlie Kirk, even floating an “Egypt plane” theory that media fact-checkers say was offered without proof and muddled the timeline. Reporters who dug in found gaps and confusion in her account, which is the proper role of journalism to point out — but pointing out gaps is not the same as trying to silence debate.
Ben Shapiro publicly tore into the sort of conspiracy-minded rhetoric Owens has trafficked in, demanding evidence and warning that emotive accusations harm conservative credibility. That rebuke resonated with many at the conference who are tired of losing the high ground in the court of public opinion, but it should not turn into a campaign to purge nonconformists from the movement.
Erika Kirk’s offhand jab about “Egypt” during her AmericaFest remarks was a measured response from someone personally harmed by the rumors, and it landed because it came from dignity rather than a mob. Conservatives can and should respect that pain while still defending the principle that vigorous, even abrasive, voices belong in the broad tent. Smarter conservatives win arguments by reason and policy, not by shutting down conversation.
Here’s the blunt truth for fellow patriots: trying to scold or “control” Candace Owens will backfire. The left loves nothing more than a factional struggle inside our ranks; when we spend our time policing personalities we hand the media narrative to our opponents and cede cultural ground. We should call out clear falsehoods, demand accountability, and still insist on protecting free speech for those who refuse to fall in lockstep.
The fallout of this drama has already cost conservative outlets cohesion and driven Owens further into the solo-influencer lane, but that’s a strategic problem, not a moral failing to be remedied by public shaming. If the movement becomes a list of forbidden topics and a blacklist of speakers, we will shrink ourselves into irrelevance while our opponents grow bolder.
If you love this country and want a conservative majority that lasts, focus on unity of purpose rather than uniformity of opinion. Demand evidence, insist on responsibility, and hold leaders accountable — but stop trying to stamp out fiery voices because you don’t like their tone. Americans deserve a movement that can argue fiercely in public and still present a united front when it matters most.
