Biden Urges Americans to Defend Diversity as he Honors Civil Rights Legacy

President Biden called on all Americans to speak up against attacks on diversity, citing recent book bans in states like Florida as an example. He emphasized the need to address white supremacy, which he called a poison that has grown and festered in communities. Biden also renewed his calls for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, following a deadly shooting in Jacksonville that is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The president acknowledged the challenge of addressing online recruitment of violent extremists while protecting First Amendment rights. He met with relatives of Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders to underscore the importance of continued work on racial equality.