The decision to remove Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway signs from a stretch of Tennessee road honoring Vietnam veterans has sparked celebration across local online communities, where many residents argued the signs never belonged there in the first place.
State Route 386 in Sumner County is also designated as Vietnam Veterans Boulevard, a memorial to 25 local service members who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway signs were installed there in June, but they are now being relocated to Long Hollow Pike in Goodlettsville after Vietnam veterans objected.
According to Sumner County Commissioner Jeremy Mansfield (via newschannel5), veterans were frustrated that another memorial designation had been placed along a roadway already dedicated to fallen service members. He also said they had not been consulted before the signs were installed.
Mansfield said state Rep. Johnny Garrett originally selected the location. Following the backlash, the designation will instead be moved to Long Hollow Pike.
The move comes after earlier efforts to name a Sumner County road after Kirk, who was shot and killed in September 2025 while speaking at a university event in Utah.
While county leaders framed the relocation as a compromise that would honor Kirk without diminishing the veterans memorial, many Tennessee residents made it clear they were not satisfied with simply moving the signs.
Tennessee locals unleash frustration over veterans controversy
A local subreddit thread discussing the decision quickly filled with comments that highlight many users expressing anger not only at the original placement but also at the decision to preserve the designation elsewhere.
One of the most upvoted reactions simply read, “Good riddance.”
Others argued that relocating the signs failed to solve the underlying issue.
“Moving isn’t getting rid of it. It needs to be REMOVED not moved,” one commenter wrote.
Several users accused Republican lawmakers of disrespecting veterans by approving the designation on Vietnam Veterans Boulevard in the first place.
“Republicans do not give a [care] about veterans. What a disrespectful move in the first place,” another commenter claimed, reflecting a sentiment that received significant support in the discussion.
Some users questioned why Kirk was being honored in Tennessee at all.
“He didn’t live here. He didn’t go to school here. He wasn’t born here. So why are we embarrassing ourselves this way?” one local asked.
Others suggested the controversy had less to do with honoring Kirk than provoking political opponents.
“It is an act to deliberately upset the people who don’t like Charlie Kirk,” one commenter argued, pointing to remarks from lawmakers acknowledging veterans’ objections before the signs were moved.
The discussion also turned political, with some users urging voters to remember the controversy during upcoming elections and criticizing Rep. Garrett’s handling of the situation.
Despite the relocation, many participants insisted the dispute is far from over. While officials describe the move as a respectful compromise for both veterans and Kirk supporters, much of the online reaction suggests many Tennesseans remain unconvinced, arguing the original decision showed poor judgment and unnecessary disrespect toward a roadway established to honor those who gave their lives in Vietnam.
