By Blanca Amaya
On a sunny September afternoon, a table appeared outside of Deliso Lawn with a sign that read “prove me wrong” and a list of controversial topics to discuss, such as immigration and abortion. The table came as a shock to many students as they were transitioning from their class to common hour. This especially came as a shock since just six days before, notorious American right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while hosting a “Prove Me Wrong” debate session at Utah Valley University. However, the table-sitting at Western New England University featured a different person.
Jonathan Verbicky, or JJ, is a 2026 Business Analytics and Information Management major at Western New England University. He was the mastermind behind the very public and popular “Prove Me Wrong” table on campus. In an interview, he stated that he has always been enamored with The Daily Wire, a media company that specializes in breaking news with podcasts and videos. He took inspiration from the likes of Ben Shapiro, Steven Crowder, and Brett Cooper.
Verbicky had been equally as enamored with Kirk and the platform America First, which was started by Kirk at the age of 18. Verbicky had taken much of his inspiration for table sitting from Kirk. Before the assassination, Verbicky had thought about holding the debate. However, it wasn’t until after the assassination attempt that he felt a calling to execute his plan.
When asked why he decided to host the table sitting just six days after the assassination, he quoted Kirk: “When people stop talking, relationships start to crumble.” During the aftermath of the assassination, Verbicky noticed a dangerous divide among the students on campus and people around the country. For this reason, Verbicky believed it was the perfect time to provide a platform for healthy debate.
Verbicky, who said that he was “truly blessed to have friends that supported” him, is working to make this kind of platform permanent by seeking to establish a new student organization, the first Young Conservatives Club at Western New England University.
Verbicky admitted that he did not devote much time to planning the “Prove Me Wrong” table, saying that his plan went from concept to execution in “about three to four days.”’ For this reason, the event did not go as expected. Verbicky did not expect so many people to show up at the table. This led to students reporting feeling uneasy due to suggestive and inappropriate comments yelled from the crowd. At one point, an unknown individual stated, “If you don’t want it [sexual assault], then close your legs” in response to a debate about abortion.
In retrospect, Verbicky said he would have done several things differently. He noted that his planned club should choose a designated space for organized debates and invite the community to attend, instead of setting up a table along a walkway used by many passersby who may or may not be interested in a debate. He also thought that setting up a podium with a microphone would create an actual platform for each person to share their beliefs.
Verbicky said that his efforts to hold debates on campus are intended to “spread the word of God on campuses for college students and keep the dialogue open.” He added that he believes that attempts to police speech in recent years does not encourage free speech and free thinking. Instead, Verbicky said, the open forums he wants to create will provide a “mic to the left and the right” of the political spectrum.
Verbicky understands that many people on campus may not believe that he wants an authentic dialogue. “When people go to the table sitting,” he said, “they have a preconceived notion of what I’m going to say – or, because their family and the media say it’s hate speech, people assume I’m calling for violence or demeaning people.” However, he said that he sincerely wants to advocate for peace and for bringing people together despite – even because of – the current political divide. He sees his mission as providing people with the opportunity for people on both sides of the political spectrum to find common ground through discussion and debate, rather than becoming further divided and isolated from each other.
Verbicky said that although he’s not sure about the upcoming events for himself and the organization, his peers have been a tremendous support in planning more events that allow the campus community to express their opinions on campus. Verbicky had one final message to the people: “To the liberals, bring your best arguments, take the time to research and prepare. To my fellow conservatives, stay beautiful and praise be to God.”
