Kirk Cameron welcomes critics at his library events as 'opportunity' to change their mind

Actor and author Kirk Cameron told Just the News that he welcomes his critics at the library events he's holding for his national book tour as an "opportunity" to potentially change their mind.

"I hope that they all come to the events," Cameron said following his "Brave Story Hour" book tour event at the Cleveland Park Library in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. "I will give you the red carpet treatment because we're here not to cancel people, we're here to love people. I don't see people who oppose love, joy, peace, patience and kindness as enemies so much as an opportunity to maybe hear something that could change your mind.

"I'm an open-minded guy, and if there's something better than loving God and loving your neighbor and wanting to build a culture where people feel safe and they can prosper, then let me know what that is, because those are the things that I'm about." 

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and other conservative authors joined Cameron at the event, where they read their children's books to kids and their accompanying parents. The social media users who were criticizing the library for Cameron's event prompted the D.C. Public Library system to issue a statement.

"This is not a Library sponsored program," the library wrote on Twitter. "It is a public meeting room reservation. Using a library meeting room in no way constitutes endorsement by the DC Public Library D.C."

Police were stationed outside of the library during the event, but protesters wound up not coming.

Cameron was asked about the attempts that some activists had made to get his book tour events canceled.

"What values exactly are they wanting to cancel?" he asked. "Love? Gentleness, compassion, kindness, courage? I mean, if those are the kinds of things that you want to protest, well, then that actually clearly defines what kind of a movement you are. And for that I'm very appreciative so that people know what we're about, and what those who would protest those values must be about."

Cameron's new children's book is titled "As You Grow." After reading his book, Cameron encouraged the parents to keep raising their children and not let others raise them. Cameron was asked to elaborate on his statement after the event.

"I'm saying to them, 'Don't farm that out, don't subcontract parenting out to a government institution,'" he explained. "'Partner with those who can help you, but stay in charge. Those kids were given to you by God. They weren't given to others.'"

Cameron encouraged people of faith to continue to "amplify the light" in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a private Nashville Christian school. 

Police have identified the shooter as 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who was transgender. Hale killed three students and three faculty members at The Covenant School.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley called on the U.S. government to deem the mass shooting a federal hate crime targeting Christians. Cameron was asked if he thinks it should be considered a hate crime.

"I have no idea how that ought to be categorized other than an absolute tragedy," he said. I don't know the details any more than you do at this point. I think it's why parents are hesitant to stand up and be brave and courageous for the values that they believe in because they know that there are those who seek to terrorize them for those values.

"And so when you see shootings like this at a Christian school, it could make people of faith feel like, 'Oh, no, you know, do I need to like duck and hide? Do I need to stay out of the way?' And that's how terrorism works. It works by driving fear into the hearts and minds of people, and what we need to do instead is be brave, we need to be courageous, and we need to advance the good, amplify the light, and the darkness will flee," he added.