On Race-Driven Shooting in Jacksonville, FL
MILWAUKEE, WI (August 27, 2023) – Patrick Riccards, the Executive Director and CEO of Life After Hate, the nation’s leader in helping individuals disengage and deradicalize from violent far-right extremist groups and online hate spaces, issued the following statement in response to the recent mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida.
“As we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington and its call for equity in our nation, we were again confronted with another alleged hate crime driven by racism and extremism. Six decades after hearing ‘I have a dream,’ we continue to have a reality of hate-driven violence and anger stoked by racism. At Life After Hate, we acknowledge that we can never cure our nation of hate, ridding it of the bigotry and violence that hate has driven for far too long. But we can help individuals take accountability for their past transgressions, working to ensure that hate-driven ideology doesn’t physically manifest itself like it did this weekend in Florida. Our hearts go out to the Jacksonville community and the students, faculty, and staff at Edward Waters University, as we recommit to demonstrating that life after hate is possible and achievable.”
