Jacksonville Community Speaks Out After Horrific Shooting By White Supremacist

A tragic act of violence perpetrated by a racist shooter claimed the lives of three Black individuals, Angela Carr, Anolt Laguerre, Jr., and Jerrald De'Shaun Gallion, highlighting the alarming rise in overt anti-Black violence in the United States. While calls to end racism have echoed from our leaders, it's become evident that lip service alone cannot drive real change. To effect meaningful transformation, it is imperative to delve deep into the historical roots of racism, understanding how distorted interpretations of Christianity have perpetuated it throughout America's history. From early colonists invoking religion to justify land seizure and missionary work that left devastation in its wake to the abhorrent endorsement of slavery using Biblical passages, Christianity has often been twisted to support racist ideologies. This manipulation of faith has persisted through history, underpinning segregation, obstructing civil rights movements, and even rationalizing violence. Presently, far-right Christians continue to espouse white supremacist beliefs, fueling divisive policies and denying the realities of systemic racism, all steeped in a distorted Christian piety. Acknowledging this history is essential to dismantling the racist forces that persist in our society.