A few days ago, demonstrators rallied to protest a speech made by white nationalist Richard Spencer in Gainesville, Florida. One protester ended up punching a Neo Nazi in the face, at which point high school football coach Aaron Courtney tried a non-violent approach that seemed to work a little better when dealing with the extremist (identified as Randy Furniss).
Courtney asked the Neo Nazi “Why do you hate me? What is it about me? Is it my skin color? My history? My dreadlocks?’” Furniss ignored his questions. But then, Courtney asked for a hug and Furniss eventually obliged.
“I reached over and the third time, he wrapped his arms around me, and I heard God whisper in my ear, ‘You changed his life,’” Courtney said to the Daily News.
Courtney told the site that when he asked Furniss once again, ‘Why do you hate me?’ Furniss answered, ‘I don’t know.’
