What to Know
People tend to forget that Ohio is in the Midwest and, therefore, considered to be the “heartland” of the United States, with plenty of flat country land and farms for miles and miles, depending on which area of Ohio you are in. It can also feel very southern-like when it comes to politics, so we shouldn’t be that surprised about a barn in the middle of the Ohio country that has Charlie Kirk, an American flag, and the word “freedom” painted on it, but here we are.
Because one user on TikTok was quick to share a video on the platform of herself driving past the barn. The sound in the background of the TikTok is, appropriately, the AI “We Are Charlie Kirk” song made popular on TikTok, but there is nothing AI-generated about the actual mural. Depending on which direction you drive in Ohio, you might see artwork or signs promoting Donald Trump and Kirk, or the complete opposite. But for those who aren’t in Ohio, it’s easy to forget how very red the state is. That is, until you see barns like this.
The Charlie Kirk barn is apparently lit up at night.
@freahfordeath I love living in Ohio #charliekirk #ohio #sarcasm ♬ original sound – Seen
Other Ohioans local to the area where the Charlie Kirk barn is located left comments to share their own experiences and disbelief at seeing the late conservative activist and podcast host’s image painted on the barn. One even wrote that, at night, the barn is lit up in red, white, and blue lights, seemingly out of honor for Kirk.
Another person local to Ohio responded to that comment with, “The company who installed those lights advertised their services for Christmas lights in my local Facebook group. I appreciated their post so I know who not to use if I decide to get custom holiday lights.”
Someone else who lives close to where the Kirk barn is located wrote, “This was such a jump scare I almost crashed my car.”
Apparently, it’s basically a local landmark at this point. There is no confirmation of when the art was put on the side of the barn, but it’s no secret that those who support Trump typically support Kirk’s message and his work with Turning Point USA, which his wife Erika Kirk continued in the wake of his death.
Other people commented on the TikTok about the barn to share their own local eyesores related to unexpected art painted or printed on the side of buildings and barns in rural areas of Ohio. One wrote that Trump’s name is written in large capitalized letters on the side of a building they drive by often. Another shared that they see the image of an aborted fetus plastered somewhere else that they can’t avoid.
According to WCPO 9 News in Cincinnati, Ohio, local artist Erica Arndts, who has painted murals for 10 years, was looking for a place to make the Kirk mural when a friend told her of the barn, which was owned by the friend’s boyfriend.
Arndts told the outlet, “Charlie loved this country, he was a true patriotic. You just can’t go wrong with a patriotic flag.”
The owner of the barn added that he hoped the mural would help bring awareness to tragic deaths in the country. If the TikTok of the barn is any indication of what others see as the takeaway, it’s that some see the barn as the area they want to avoid when driving through the county.
