Trying to designate U.S. 41 as Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway was too cumbersome a process because it is a state highway. So Collier County Commissioner Chris Hall picked the second busiest byway — Immokalee Road.
There can be up to six signs — more than the usual two signs — designating the Immokalee Road in Kirk's name. Signs, according to a resolution passed by the Collier County Board of County Commissioners, may be posted at US 41 and Immokalee Road; Oilwell Road and Immokalee and at I-75 and Immokalee Road. County staff told the board said the plan was for four signs.
In the Miccosukee tribe's native Mikasuki language, the word Immokalee means, "my home."
Kirk was an unapologetic. white, right-wing firebrand. He denounced the Civil Rights movement, its slain leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and made numerous disparaging remarks about women and minorities.
The Immokalee community is a majority-minority community with white people making up less than 20 percent of the population. Ahead of the vote, several speakers pointed out the origin of the name Immokalee and said they found commissioner's Hall's proposal to be offensive.
Kirk was assassinated last month while speaking at a college in Utah. Since then, counties and cities have rushed to designate various roads after the Turning Point USA founder.
Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, who previously served in the Florida Legislature, boasted on Facebook Oct. 1 that his county was the first in the country to designate a road after Kirk. The county approved the designation 13 days after Kirk was killed.
"It's official, our Charlie Kirk memorial highway signs are up! Lake County FL. is now the 1st local government in the nation to name a road after Charlie Kirk — every city & county in America should follow our lead in Clermont," Sabatini wrote.
A proposed bill in the Florida Legislature by Kevin Steele, R-Dade City, would require all 40 state colleges and universities to designate a main road on campus's after the slain activist or risk state funding.
Hall said he hoped the signs would inspire young people to make a difference in the world like the 31-year-old Kirk did. Kirk founded Turning Point at the age of 18.
The Collier commissioners Tuesday evening voted 4 to 1 in favor of the resolution with commissioner Burt Saunders, a self-proclaimed Kirk supporter, dissenting.
“I respect Commissioner Hall in bringing this but I have problems with it and I don’t think this commission should be continuing to go down these paths that are very political and very emotional but are not really part of our mission and so I have problems moving forward with this," Saunders said.
Saunders said he received 258 emails from residents asking him not to approve Hall’s plans and about 50 in support.
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