Hundreds of people gathered Sunday at prayer vigils and in church, in frustration and exhaustion, to mourn yet another racist attack in America: this one the killing of three Black people in Florida at the hands of a white, 21-year-old man who authorities say left behind white supremacist ramblings that read like “the diary of a madman.”

Following services earlier in the day, about 200 people showed up at a Sunday evening vigil a block from the Dollar General store in Jacksonville where officials said Ryan Palmeter opened fire Saturday using guns he bought legally despite a past involuntary commitment for a mental health exam.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis — who is running for the GOP nomination for president, who has loosened gun laws in Florida and who has antagonized civil rights leaders by deriding “wokeness " — was loudly booed as he addressed the vigil.

  • GFGJewbacca@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    “What he did is totally unacceptable in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said. “We are not going to let people be targeted based on their race.”

    Why is Desantis allowed to lie so blatantly? He encourages this behavior daily!

  • Jaysyn@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    That’s because he’s a #fascist piece of shit, whose policies have done nothing but encourage his followers to commit violence, just like this.

    • negativeyoda@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      No no, these lone wolves all exist in a vacuum and spring fully formed like Athena from the head of economic anxiety. Stop it, you.

    • atomicfox@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Lol, they can release them after Aiden Hale’s manifesto is released.

      • RavenFellBlade@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Release them both. Unlike the sycophants choking on Trumpler’s dick, I’m quite able to declare anyone who perpetrates a hate-fueled crime as scum undeserving of pity or dignity.

        The issue folks like you don’t want to confront is that for every Aiden Hale, there are hundreds of right-wing assholes shooting up gay clubs, synagogues, and entire Black communities. Take your whataboutism someplace where folks are stupid enough to mistake it for any kind of substantive argument.

  • Lmaydev@programming.dev
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    1 year ago

    who authorities say left behind white supremacist ramblings that read like “the diary of a madman.”

    Literally the diary of a madman.

  • TipRing@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Ron DeSantis won’t let this shooting and others like it be taught in Florida schools. Somehow is surprised when the people impacted by his policies express their dissatisfaction.

  • lagomorphlecture@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    You know in cop shows, and probably real life, the cops watch the crowds at funerals and press conferences and all that because serial offenders will often show up? I feel like DeSantis is the offender here inserting himself where he isn’t wanted or welcome just to scope out the carnage. It’s gross.

  • ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Ed Waters is a HBCU, one of only four in Florida, and the only one in Duval County. Jacksonville is only 120 miles from Rosewood. Put those two facts together and it is possible that at least one person in that audience was a direct descendant of a Rosewood survivor, or personally knows people that are.

    Ed Waters is also less than three miles from Hemming Park; it’s even more likely that at least one person in that audience is a direct descendant of someone who was in attendance on Ax Handle Saturday, or was even there themselves.

    Have I mentioned nearby St. Augustine and swimming pools yet?

    And that’s just three incidents out of many in North Florida. This list goes on.

    But Meatball Ron thinks if Florida doesn’t allow civil rights and black history to be taught, everyone will just forget.

    It’s been decades since I lived in Florida, I’m not a person of color, and even I remember these things.

    Nobody’s forgetting jack shit, except those racists who need to forget because they want to engage in more of the same and not have to be face to face with the daily knowledge of what horrendously shitty people they truly are.

    I applaud the massive self-restraint of every person there, because I don’t know if I could have done the same. Ron’s very lucky all he got was booed.

  • kase@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Oof. I misunderstood the title and thought Desantis went to the vigil and booed at the people there. Can’t say it would’ve been out of character. As for the actual story, Florida deserves better leaders. Huge respect for the people there fighting for change.

  • Red_October@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Frankly I’m shocked DeSantis ever thought showing up to this could possibly go well for him. If anything I’d expect that shitbird to speak at the killer’s funeral.

  • Obinice@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    That guy is basically a mega ultra racist fascist scumbag right?

    I’d be surprised if he weren’t booed everywhere he goes, with tomatoes thrown at him.