Opinion

Why Gov. DeSantis was booed at Jacksonville prayer vigil


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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.