‘Hostility, hatred, and disharmony:’ Activists deliver cease-and-desist to Gov. after mass shooting

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — A coalition of civil rights and gun control advocacy groups held a demonstration and delivered a cease-and-desist letter to the Governor’s Office Friday afternoon, demanding he and other Florida legislative leaders end what they call “hateful rhetoric.”

The groups included the Poor People’s Campaign, Repairers of the Breach and the March for Our Lives.

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While delivering the letter, they read aloud their demand for Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Republican lawmakers to cease and desist their culture war rhetoric.

“History tells us that words of hate create an ethos of hate,” said Reverend Robyn Burnett.

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The letter comes in direct response to the racist mass shooting in Jacksonville in late August.

Reverend RB Holmes with the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee argued the Governor’s priorities and rhetoric emboldened the shooter.

“What this Governor is doing is creating hostility, hatred and disharmony. We come to ask him to change his ways,” Holmes said.

The Governor’s Press Secretary issued a brief statement on the demonstration.

“This is a stunt,” DeSantis Press Secretary Jeremy Redfern said.

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But Jacksonville State Representative Angie Nixon, who represents the New Town community where the shooting occurred, said she hopes the letter sends a message to state lawmakers as they gear up to return to the State Capitol next Tuesday for their first round of committee weeks ahead of the 2024 legislative session.

“And we need to let these folks see our faces and the fact that we’re hurting and the fact that they aren’t doing their jobs. Us legislators work for the people and not corporations and not divisive antisemitic racist groups or folks like that. We need to make sure that we are working to ensure a Florida for all,” Nixon said.

On Saturday morning faith leaders and community activists plan to assemble for a prayer at the Bethel Church in Jacksonville before marching to city hall where they will rally and speak out against hate in Florida.

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