Rhetoric, Racism, and the Tragedy of Violence

The latest mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida left three people dead.

All of the victims were Black and the white gunman left behind racist, hate-filled letters.

The Justice Department is now investigating this shooting as a hate crime.

A big part of the conversation now is what role state politics play in crimes like this.

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has loosened gun laws in recent years and put restrictions on how race is taught in public schools.

NPR's Juana Summers talks with Mutaqee Akbar, president of the Tallahassee branch of the NAACP, about how much responsibility lies with politicians.

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