MSNBC host Joy Reid attempted to paint Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) as a racist when he warned any would-be looters to not steal from empty houses and businesses because Florida residents like to pack heat.
"I can tell you in the state of Florida, you never know what may be lurking behind somebody's home. And I would not want to chance that if I were you given that we're a Second Amendment state,"DeSantis said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warns people not to loot homes amid hurricane recovery: "You never know what may be lurking behind somebody's home...we're a Second Amendment state." https://t.co/zEQTa6EZra pic.twitter.com/EZaVPNXPDq
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 1, 2022
In response, Reid said DeSantis was talking about black people looting despite the fact DeSantis never mentioned race when he stated his warning.
“When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”—segregationist Miami sheriff Walter E. Headley, 1967
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid ?? (@JoyAnnReid) October 1, 2022
Didn’t take DeSantis long to return to form.https://t.co/8FJKyzQY1G https://t.co/uS5jbrx29S
Users on Twitter noted it was Reid who mentioned race when she was talking about looters.
Is Joy saying only Blacks loot?
— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) October 2, 2022
Seems a bit racist https://t.co/59VAwsrwZB
Let's try to parse this out.
— Jeff B. is *BOX OFFICE POISON* (@EsotericCD) October 1, 2022
Is this a claim that, just b/c some racist jackass agreed with the rest of us that "looters beware, we have a legal right to defend our home & property" 55 yrs ago, that now the principle itself is racist?
Or is she just unintelligent? Help me here. https://t.co/FxEAT0ZYZW
What is racist about warning people not to take things that don’t belong to them?
— Jeremy Redfern (@JeremyRedfernFL) October 2, 2022
Be specific.
So you're saying only black people loot? Sounds pretty racist to me
— Joe McWopSki (@LakesFirearmsTr) October 1, 2022
While it does not appear to be any widespread looting after Hurricane Ian passed through Florida, there was at least one instance where police caught some alleged looters in Fort Myers Beach.
Sheriff’s deputies told me Thursday afternoon these people were arrested for looting on Fort Myers Beach. pic.twitter.com/j8JKRremlP
— Gage Goulding - NBC2 (@GageGoulding) September 30, 2022