Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback blames family collapse for black teen takeovers

Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback is running to succeed governor Ron DeSantis — and after he announced his radical plan to disrupt "teen takeovers," Florida might just see him win.

Fishback stepped up to reveal his plan after 22 young people were arrested at a riot in downtown Tampa, Florida, this month, beginning with a controversial but true statement: “One thing that we have to confront is that black youth violence is a problem in Florida.”

The candidate pointed out that the group was “almost exclusively young and black.”

“There’s something to be said about the root causes that lead a 12-year-old who was arrested here on Friday night to riot without parental supervision. 72% of black kids born today will be born to an unmarried mother,” Fishback explained.

He went on to announce three policies that would take effect immediately if he were to win.

“We will be charging anyone who participates in a so-called teen takeover with Florida State Statute 8701, a third-degree felony of rioting. I’m also going to instruct state attorneys, including right here in the 13th Judicial Circuit, to make it so that any teen who is charged with aggravated rioting is charged as an adult,” he explained.

“Number two, we’re going to stand up a social media youth disruption unit tasked by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in my first month as governor to lawfully and constitutionally monitor incitement and threats of riots like the one that took place here, to disrupt them before they begin,” he continued. “And that includes me as governor activating the Florida National Guard.”

“And number three, what I’m going to direct the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to do is to convene a five-person panel of law enforcement, business leaders, and, most importantly, our church leaders to look at the root causes of black youth crime and to prepare a report to give to me as the governor within my first 90 days,” he added.

BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock is thrilled.

“He’s addressing this teen takeover issue. He’s addressing the complications, the consequences of a fatherless culture, and it has to be addressed head-on,” Whitlock says, before asking Fishback himself, “Why have you chosen to step out here and make this a central part of your campaign for running for governor?”

“Because violence affects everybody, Jason,” Fishback says.

“You’ve got to hold people accountable. If you do an action and there are not consequences, that action is going to repeat. It is as old as time,” he adds.

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