DeSantis’ laws 'set the scene' for racist Jacksonville shooting: professor

Jacksonville, Florida councilman and Edward Waters University journalism professor Rahman Johnson contends that lawmakers throughout the Sunshine State have "done more to perpetuate" racist violence than to prevent it.

Ryan Palmeter, the 21-year-old white gunman unsuccessfully attempted to enter the campus of Edward Waters — a historically Black university (HBCU) — Saturday night prior to going to a nearby Dollar General and intentionally killing three Black people.

MSNBC host Simone Sanders Townsend spoke with Johnson Sunday about his thoughts.

Johnson suggested Florida Republican governor and 2024 GOP hopeful Ron DeSantis' policies and laws do nothing to prevent racially motivated attacks like this.

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"Councilman, do you feel like enough is being done in florida, to prevent this kind of racist violence?" Townsend asked.

Johnson said, "Absolutely not, and we've actually done more to perpetuate it. We have set the scene for these kinds of things to happen. I mean, when you look at the fact that we now have permitless carry. Look at the fact that we are now targeting African American education in schools. Look at the fact that we are trying to keep diversity education out — end equity and inclusion programs, and come against the trans community."

He emphasized, "We are setting the tone for these kinds of stuff, and it has to stop. Equity, and equality means understanding that we can communicate. We may not all worship together, or do the same, thing be in the same place. But what we can do is learn from each other. And when we have this kind of divisive rhetoric, this is exactly what happens."

DeSantis has passed banned African American history courses from high school classrooms, threatened to punish educators for offering books about race, and prohibited diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

READ MORE: How 'authoritarian' Ron DeSantis has made Florida a 'laboratory of fascist politics': scholar

Watch the video below or at this link.

Florida professor blasts DeSantis' policies after racist Jacksonville shootingwww.youtube.com

READ MORE: 'Blood on his hands': FL lawmaker slams DeSantis as cause of racially motivated shooting