Florida’s Stand Your Ground law has become the national, state and local focus of the debate centering around the Zimmerman trial. National civil rights figures are calling for an economic boycott of Florida, and students are peacefully occupying the Governor’s office and demanding a special session to repeal the Stand Your Ground law.
Here locally, the Executive Editor of the Tallahassee Democrat, Bob Gabordi, opined that the Stand Your Ground law “Killed Trayvon Martin.”
As the nation and communities around Florida begin to debate this law, it is important that the discussion be driven by facts. Tallahassee Reports begins this endeavor by providing the answer to two questions:
What were the votes for and against the Stand Your Ground law in the Florida Legislature when it passed in 2005?
The law passed the Florida Senate 39-0.
The law passed the Florida House 94-20.
How did our local delegation vote?
In 2005, Representatives Loraine Ausley (District 9) and Curtis Richardson (District 8) and Senator Al Lawson (District 6) all voted in favor of the law.
Let the debate begin!
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What if I am disabled and unable to step backwards as well as unable to run. Law or no law I would have to stand my ground. In this case would only disabled individuals be able to legally stand their ground?
But that would be discrimination, RIGHT?
Black, white, Hispanic, whatever, young or old, pound my head against a concrete sidewalk while holding me down and you are going to get shot!
I wonder if we could argue for Trayvon using the Stand Your Ground? If Zimmerman had not had his gun and Trayvon would have continued to bash his head on the concrete and through his actions, Trayvon would have killed Zimmerman?
If law abiding citizens are neutered from protecting their property/safety then we cease to be a people free to be secure in our lives/property. I think the greater issue is a moral problem, that of basic respect for others. This is the result of the erosion of morals and values in our society. It is time to evaluate the course we are on as a people and decide if we are satisfied with this course or should we rediscover our roots as a faith filled people who recognized the Golden Rule.
If Trayvon was scared of Zimmerman as alleged by the prosecutor, why didn’t he just run away? If he had, he would be alive today.
I guess the next time I am getting beat down in the street I just need to hope that he does not kill me and hope the law arrives in time and charges him with felony assault.