Biden urges Americans to 'Speak Up' following racially motivated shooting in Florida
'Attack on Diversity,' affirms US President as he commemorates 60th Anniversary of Civil Rights Organization
US President Joe Biden, on Monday, rallied for Americans to voice their concerns as he noted that "diversity is being attacked," in response to a white man's fatal shooting of three Black individuals over the weekend at a store in Florida.
"In this moment, as history is being erased and books are being banned, it is our time to speak up. Did you ever imagine we would be having this conversation now, in this setting?" Biden shared these sentiments at the White House during an address at a reception commemorating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a civil rights organization founded in 1963 at the behest of President John F. Kennedy.
Biden went on to emphasize, "Diversity is under assault. As I mentioned earlier, our nation boasts one of the most diverse populations in global history. Diversity stands as a pillar of strength for our country, an indispensable foundation of our democracy."
He called upon citizens to "safeguard this vital truth."
Biden asserted, "Hatred will not triumph on American soil." He proclaimed, "Hatred never perishes; it simply lurks in the shadows."
"Silence amounts to complicity. And we refuse to remain silent."
Biden's declarations followed the tragic incident where three Black individuals were shot and killed on Saturday at a Dollar General store on Kings Road in Jacksonville, Florida. The assailant, a masked white man, executed a racially motivated attack, as confirmed by local officials.
The attacker employed an AR-style rifle adorned with swastikas—a symbol of hate since World War Two associated with the Holocaust and crimes perpetrated particularly against Jewish communities. This shocking event transpired in a predominantly African-American neighborhood.
The perpetrator, who ultimately took his own life, left behind racially biased writings and exhibited a strong antipathy toward Black individuals, as stated by Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters during a press conference, categorizing the attack as "racially motivated."
