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Michael Borum's avatar

As someone born and raised in Jacksonville, and educated in its integrated public schools in the 1970s and 1980s, I appreciate this thoughtful reflection so much. "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the Black National Anthem, was composed and first performed in Jacksonville. The city is rich in Black history, and has a growing Black population that is increasingly influential both politically and economically.

No doubt, Florida's largest city is changing, and the White supremacists -- of all varieties -- are very worried about what it means for them, though many of them no longer live in the city itself (which is one and the same with Duval County). Palmeter, who was from neighboring Clay County, was one of many White folks living in the mostly White counties bordering Jacksonville and, from afar, decrying it as a crime-ridden wasteland while barely hiding the racist undertones of their laments.

The latest wave of White flight has, indeed, left many holes in the fabric of the city, but it's hardly a crime-ridden wasteland. Quite the opposite. Its population is growing, with a burgeoning Black middle class and immigrants from Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Jacksonville just elected their first woman mayor -- a (White) Democrat -- and the county went for Biden in 2020. There's even a big, beautiful new park named for "Lift Every Voice and Sing." For sure Black folks in Jacksonville aren't apologizing for their resilience, joy, and self-determination. But the surrounding counties are deeply conservative and pro-Trump & DeSantis. It makes for a tense mix sometimes, with those folks on the perimeter looking at Jacksonville as an avatar of what the right wing has convinced them is "wrong" with this country. Palmeter was sadly not at all unique in his views, and I fear he may not remain alone in his actions. Florida under DeSantis is a frightening place for a lot of people and for a lot of reasons.

I think you're totally right that these violent extremists are a kind of release valve that -- on some level -- helps us feel less awful about our own internalized racist attitudes and behaviors. "I may not be perfect, but at least I'm not THAT guy." For that small, cold comfort, Black folks pay with their lives. But how many "release valves" are too many? When will we decide that enough is enough?

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Mary Hutto Fruchter's avatar

Thanks for the book rec. “The far more common reason has nothing to do with the people being demonized. It’s when you hate another group because their resilience, their joy, and their glorious existence is impossible to square with the stories that have animated your life. It’s when you hate a group for what they reveal about you. Hate is one way human beings react to truths we can’t metabolize, but there are others as well: Performative guilt, tokenism, “listening and learning.” We’ve got lots of tricks. Some are deadlier than others. None are helpful.” Thanks for writing this.

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