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Dr. Rashad Richey

National TV Political Analyst, Talk Radio Host, Univ. Prof.

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Opinion

Why Gov. DeSantis was booed at Jacksonville prayer vigil

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Dr. Rashad Richey

National TV Political Analyst, Talk Radio Host, Univ. Prof.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) faced boos during his attendance at a prayer vigil in Jacksonville following a racist attack that left three African Americans dead. During the event, an individual shouted, “You’re not welcome here,” seemingly alluding to DeSantis’s recent efforts to relax state gun laws and revise the way Black history is taught in public schools.

Straight Arrow News contributor Rashad Richey isn’t surprised by the heckling aimed at DeSantis. He asserts that Republicans like the governor uphold a conservative ideology that, in his view, fosters a “dangerous environment.”

Let’s talk about the race-based mass shooting that just took place in the state of Florida. The gunman, obviously a racist, ideologically right-leaning individual, registered Republican. He has swastikas on his weaponry — no question about his affiliation and his sentiment. This person decided to kill Black people at a Dollar General store. These individuals did not deserve to die, obviously. When the police arrived, the killer kills himself.

So there was a vigil held to honor the victims of this massacre. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida showed up at this vigil, he was booed, and there are people who have problems with him being booed. Let me tell you why he was booed. He wasn’t booed because of his political ideology. You see, for years, I’ve gone to Black churches, Black gatherings. Republican politicians have been there. Many of them have passed policies adverse to the sentiment of most of the people present at the gatherings. They never got booed. They did not get booed just because of politics. They were well received. All across this nation, you will find that narrative to be true.

But then something changed. It left the arena of normative politics to active political assault.

Okay, Republicans have created a brand a brand. That’s antithetical to the progress in particular, of black Americans. Let’s talk about the race based mass shooting that just took place in the state of Florida. The gunman, obviously, a racist, ideologically, right leaning individual, registered Republican. He has swastikas on his weaponry, no question about his affiliation, and his sentiment. This person decided to kill Black people at $1 General Store. These individuals did not deserve to die, obviously, what a police arrived, the killer kills himself. So there was a vigil hailed to honor the victims of this massacre. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida showed up at this vigil, he was booed. And there are people who have problems with him being booed. Let me tell you why he was booed. He wasn’t booed because of his political ideology. You see, for years, I’ve gone to black churches, black gatherings. Republican politicians have been there. Many of them have passed. Policies adverse to the sentiment of most of the people present at the gathering that never got booed. They did not get booed just because of politics. They were well received. All across this nation, you will find that narrative to be true. But then something changed. It left the arena of normative politics to active political assault. Look at what DeSantis has did in the state of Florida. The state woke at passing legislation to make it legal to teach critical race theory, which wasn’t even taught in K through 12. Education is simply provided the framework to stop educators from teaching about true history in America. That’s just one more. There are more stopping African American Studies from being an AP elective. That was another also passing legislation that made it a felony. If Black Lives Matter, protesters stopped traffic because of their protest, which then eliminated them from the possibility of voting or running for office with a felony conviction on their record. Or how about when he decided to arrest black folk for voter fraud, because their local Board of Elections told them they could register to vote, they register to vote thinking it was proper for them to register. And then all of a sudden there’s a police officer. SWAT team even came to one person’s home to arrest them. But here’s the reality of why he was booed. You see DeSantis protects a particular brand of Republican ideology that says things like, Well, I’ve never met a white supremacist or America is not a racist country, while at the same time acknowledging racism against in particular white males. But will still say racism does not exist exist against black people. This is a dangerous environment he’s creating and he seemingly is okay with creating this kind of environment. Which means I’m okay with those rejected

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