When Randy Furniss attended Richard Spencer’s far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the white supremacist never expected to run into the likes of Aaron Courtney.
Courtney, a 31-year-old high school football coach, attended Spencer’s controversial speech at the University of Florida—but he responded much differently than his fellow protestors.
As people yelled, screamed, threw punches and spit at Furniss, who unashamedly donned a t-shirt stamped with swastikas, Aaron Courtney battled with love.
“I could have hit him, I could have hurt him…but something in me said, ‘You know what? He just needs love,’” says Courtney, who proceeded to hug the Nazi in a video that has now gone viral.
“Why don’t you like me, dog?,” said the Gainesville football coach as he attempted to wrap his arms around Spencer’s neck.
Courtney had spent four hours protesting before running into Furniss as he was about to leave.
“I had the opportunity to talk to someone who hates my guts and I wanted to know why,” he told the Daily News of the encounter that was undoubtedly orchestrated by God. “During our conversation, I asked him, ‘Why do you hate me? What is it about me? Is it my skin color? My history? My dreadlocks?’”
However, as Furniss batted his eyes off into the distance, it was apparent that he simply couldn’t answer the question.
“After beating around the bush, and avoiding my questions, I asked him, I pleaded with him, I almost broke out in tears, growing increasingly angry because I didn’t understand,” says Courtney.
After further pressing, finally Furniss responded, “I don’t know.”
Reflecting on the wisdom of his father, a bishop, Courtney said, “Something in me said, ‘You know what? He just needs love. Maybe he never met an African-American like this.”
While Furniss initially resisted Courtney’s first two attempts, he eventually gave in, accepting the embrace that shattered racial barriers.
“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,’” says Courtney.
While he knows our world certainly has a long way to go in terms of bridging the racial divide, Courtney calls the life-changing embrace a “step in the right direction,” adding that “one hug really can change the world. It’s really that simple.”
Sure, that’s the work of God. No human is superior to the others.