60 years after MLK’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, and the dream is still as far away as ever. A masked white man carried at least one weapon decorated with a swastika as he fatally shot three Black people inside a Florida dollar store yesterday. The murderous attack was clearly a hate crime, taking place in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
The shooting came on a day that thousands visited Washington, DC, to attend the 60th anniversary commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was at this march that Dr. King gave his iconic speech, and sadly it seems we’re no closer to achieving the reality of a society that values content of character over skin color.
In addition to carrying a gun with a painted symbol of hatred, the shooter also made racist statements prior to the shooting before killing himself at the scene. This enormous loser also apparently sent written statements to law enforcement and at least one media outlet shortly before the attack, with evidence suggesting this attack was intended to mark the fifth anniversary of the murder of two people during a video game tournament in Jacksonville by a shooter who also killed himself. The gunman sent his dad a text message telling him to check his computer, where he discovered his writings. The family notified 911, but by then the shooting had already begun.
These cruel and dangerous idiots are really drawing inspiration from one another now.
Side Items
RIP Bob Barker: The legendary game show host passed away this weekend at the age of 99. I’ll try to avoid making any Price is Right jokes about his dying just before reaching 100. Bob was one of the people who kept me company as a child when I was home sick from school, his charisma and magnetic personality made him a perfect fit for hosting a game show. May all your price estimates be accurate and all your prizes worthy Mr. Barker
State of Disarray: Keep an eye on Florida this week, as forecasters are warning of potential flash flooding and landslides across the state in anticipation of a possible hurricane by midweek. Florida governor and casual sociopath Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency yesterday for most of the state’s Gulf coast as a weather system strengthens as it moves northward across the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center warned that the system could produce dangerous storm surge, heavy rain and strong winds by midweek, so something to look out for