Shooter Reportedly Marked Gun with Swastikas, Illustrating Deep Interconnection of White Supremacy, Anti-Black Racism, and AntisemitismÂ
Jewish Council for Public Affairs CEO Amy Spitalnick released the following statement in response to today’s mass shooting in Jacksonville, FL. Spitalnick previously led the successful legal effort to hold accountable the white supremacists responsible for the Charlottesville violence.
“Details are still coming out about today’s horrific shooting in Jacksonville that targeted the Black community, but initial reports should surprise no one: the shooter apparently trafficked in racist, white supremacist hate and his gun was marked with swastikas.
“From Charlottesville to Pittsburgh to Poway to El Paso to Buffalo, we’re witnessing a cycle of white supremacist violence — fueled by increasingly normalized conspiracy theories and hate promoted directly by politicians and pundits and enabled by social media.
And it’s sadly no surprise that this racist shooter marked his gun with swastikas: because antisemitism, anti-Black racism, and white supremacy are inextricably linked, animating and fueling each other in a constant feedback loop — with deadly consequences for our communities and our democracy.
“We are heartbroken for the victims and the Jacksonville community. And we are angry. There has been so little accountability for those responsible for this extremism, including those who have promoted and mainstreamed this deadly hate.
“Accountability matters – but we also can’t Â
simply sue, prosecute, or barricade our way out of this crisis. If we’re to truly confront this vile extremism, it requires a whole-of-society approach that includes all levels of government, social media companies, and civil society — aimed at building the democratic resilience that is crucial to preventing violent extremism in the first place.”
Please reach out to Dan Leshem, Director, JCRC, at DLeshem@JEWISHcolorado.org with questions or for more information.