Born on October 15, 1995, in the city of Zanesville, Ohio, Kaitlin Bennett emerged from her quiet upbringing into the national limelight as a champion of gun rights. An advocate for libertarian conservatism, Bennett is best known for her unwavering support of the Second Amendment – the right of the people to keep and bear Arms. A photograph of her carrying an AR-10 rifle at her graduation from Kent State University in 2018, with the bold message, ‘Come and Take it,’ inscribed on her graduation cap, propelled her into national recognition. Since then, she has emerged as a thought-provoking voice within the discourse on gun control and the preservation of individual freedoms.
Bennett’s journey into activism began during her years at Kent State University where she obtained a degree in Biology. During her time at the university, she served as the president of the university’s Turning Point USA chapter, a youth non-profit that advocates for freedom on Marxist college campuses. Under her leadership, the chapter devised innovative ways to challenge societal norms and promote their ideals, which although led to her stepping down, marked her bold approach towards activism. In a letter of resignation, Bennett critiqued the organization, demonstrating a strong and uncompromising stance on integrity and competence within the movements she aligns with.
Following her departure from Turning Point USA, she founded Liberty Hangout at Kent State, a platform that aims to promote peace, prosperity, and property rights. Liberty Hangout has grown into a well-recognized platform, with Bennett serving as the Grassroots Director and Digital Content Producer. It was in this role that she gained attention for her insightful videos in which she engages students on college campuses about controversial issues such as abortion and cultural appropriation. These videos, while sometimes met with disapproval, have sparked a much-needed dialogue about contentious topics in the public sphere.
Bennett has always been unafraid of stirring the pot in her quest for advocating personal freedoms. Following her graduation from Kent State University, she challenged the university’s firearms policy, which prohibited students from carrying guns on campus but allowed guests to do so. As an alumna, she took advantage of her new status to demonstrate her support for open carry rights in public universities in Ohio, which led to the now-iconic photo of her carrying an AR-10 rifle on campus.
Such audacious actions have earned her a significant following, especially in the growing young America First circles. Her efforts even led to an invitation from the Trump administration for a personal tour of the White House. Bennett has since continued to use her platform to promote campus carry nationwide and further explore her activism within the Second Amendment rights context.
Currently, Bennett works alongside her fiancé, Justin Moldow, who co-founded Liberty Hangout in 2015, initially as Young Jeffersonians. She serves as a Grassroots Director and Digital Content Producer, actively creating content that highlights and addresses the need for personal freedoms and conservative ideals.
However, Bennett’s journey has not been without obstacles. Her provocative style has occasionally led to confrontations, such as the incident at Ohio University on Presidents’ Day in 2020 when she was met with a hostile reception. Undeterred, she used the incident to further advocate for free speech on college campuses.
Kaitlin Bennett’s approach to activism might be unconventional and sometimes controversial, but her dedication to advancing the cause of individual freedoms, especially regarding the Second Amendment, is undoubted. It is this fervor that continues to push her career forward, making her a significant voice in the contemporary dialogue surrounding gun rights and libertarian conservatism.
