It really irks my nerves to hear that The American Legislative Exchange Council, whose push for the “stand your ground” gun laws is now retreating from the social policy field to focus on more economic issues. Just recently in Florida that gun law was said to be reason to the deadly shooting of unarmed 17 year old Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. This incident became a national tragedy that sparred anger and sorrow throughout the communities everywhere. How is it ever okay to shoot and kill an unarmed boy, who was on the phone with his girlfriend, wearing a hoodie, with ice tea and skittles in hand? Because of this law, Zimmerman claimed he had the right to follow Martin because he “suspicious looking” was not arrested or charged until 48 days later.
It saddens me to know to that these corporate sponsored lobbying groups only remove themselves when tragedy hits their surface. The council who pushed for the “stand your ground” laws should have really been scrutinized the law to its fullest potential in order to only to help the innocent. Now that they are under the heat with the Trayvon Martin Case, that along deals with social problems such as racial profiling, they want to remove themselves from the situation. Yet if the law was not enacted or provided better guidelines on who could carry a gun, an innocent young black teenage boy would be alive right now. The “stand your ground law” has been used as an excuse or justified mean for murder in multiple cases in Florida. The law needs reform.
I would feel much better if the council announced that they would look into the law for change, rather than just try to keep themselves away from the situation because of the pressure they are under. It would have been nice for the council to put out a statement of condolences to the Martin family. Although I am relived to hear that other big businesses like Coca-Cola and McDonalds, have enough compassion in their hearts to cut ties with the council after the incident took place. Personally, I’m sick and tired of all these weak-minded and weak-willed corporations that give out these controversial laws and then bail when someone misuses the law for their own selfish ways, because the law is not proper within their means.
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ohmissmartina 