HELL YES = They Are FAR Tooo VAGUE !!!!!!!

These are dangerous, possibly unconstitutional laws. Get rid of them. They've become a license to kill.

Self Defense is one thing = butt this Blatant out-rite-excuse to Stalk And Murder is Just Plain Wrong !!!!!

They must be repealed or else we will have more needless accidental deaths such as this one. Also I am in full agreement with Thankful Mom - Temporary is not enough!

Ethel = THIS Was NOT Accidental = As You Know !!!!!!! I AGREE With You and MOST Others - Butt Of Coarse The GOMERS Will Be Flinging POOP Soon On This Blog !!!!!!!

Ethleouise, I agree with you and MOM. This law gave the right to kill anyone you felt threaten with. This is The Wild West reincarnated.

ethel, this was definitely no accident. the child was the victim of a bigoted predator who needs to be put away forever.

KV = Yes He {zimmerman} Needs To Be Charged Under " Homeland Terrorism Charges " === Plain And Simple - AS Do The Police Officers - For Attempting To Cover-Up This UN-AMERICAN Situation !!!!!

SO un-american. where is this country going? i can't believe such hatred still exists.

Should the "stand your ground" laws in America be repealed?
•*
Yes - 94%

It is one thing to be defending your property and life, and another to be out on the street, stalking people because of the color of their skin. These laws are badly written and easily misunderstood, even by law enforcement.

Repeal them all.

Good evening all. This stand your ground law is just a license to kill without facing the consequences. It encourages racism to become much worse. We are trying to finally put racism behind us. That man who shot that poor young man was not standing his ground, he was using that law to justify killing a young black child. Look at that slob, I bet he out weighed that young man by a good 70lbs. He was told to stand down by the police. He went after this boy, the boy did not go after him. It would seem that he acted on his racist values.

NO!

An Old School Left Goober here and I vote No.

Heck, law or not, I will stand my ground. I'm too gimpy to get away these days....

http://reagan-patriot.newsvine.com/_news/2012/03/15/10706458-the-president-casting-a-vote-for-citizen-barry

VALERIE, it is wonderful to see you here. Thanks for helping us out there are some who think this law has merit! Its awful and needs to be repealed. Too many children have died because of guns, there lives cut to short. This young man had a bright future he could of been anything, but know he is an angel in heaven!

Should these laws be repealed??? Absolutely not. The law is not wrong or even exploited. Murdering an unarmed person can not even be covered by the "stand your ground" law. The people need the right to use lethal force when their lives are in danger. The law would help to prevent the arrest of innocent people for defending themselves.

Thankful, This is hate on steroids. I can not understand people who do this and aim it at children!

Pam, this law has no merit the way it is written now. It is vague and gives you the right to kill someone you have a problem with or who you dislike. This idiot was told to stand down and the police would take care of it. This man let his racism rule his judgement. He went after the young man. The young man did NOT pursue him. He was in NO danger if he had listened to the police instruction and waited until the police arrived, then assist them in the direction the boy went. No, he wanted to shoot a black person. He was not in fear for his life. If you listen to the woman who called 911 you could hear the young man shouting and pleading for his life. She then heard shots and the shouting stopped. This was murder pure and simple. As I said in a previous post, my father made sure I could handle a gun safely. He made sure I attended gun classes and wanted to know that I could protect myself. He was a police chief and always told me that if an intruder entered my home I should be able to use deadly force to defend myself. There is one problem, I have seen too many incidents where children have been killed when they got a hold of their parents gun. I have a gun lock on my gun. By the time I found the key and unlocked it, I would be a victim or dead. There is only one situation where I feel I could shoot to kill is if the intruder threatened the lives of children. Believe me, I could shoot to kill if put in that situation.

Polka...

Arrest is not a conviction in a trial...

It may prevent innocent people from getting arrested, but it also prevents GUILTY people from getting arrested for crimes they willingly commit!

It may be true, better 100 guilty people go free than 1 innocent be convicted...

However, it is also true, better 100 innocent people get arrested than 1 guilty person be allowed to run around free with a gun to kill with impunity...

Arrest is not a conviction in a trial...

Innocent people have been charged with crimes and imprisoned for using force in self-defense. Without "stand your ground" laws, the people do not have guaranteed legal protection to defend themselves from hostile attack.

However, it is also true, better 100 innocent people get arrested than 1 guilty person be allowed to run around free with a gun to kill with impunity...

If law enforcement did its job correctly then it should be nearly impossible to exploit that law. Killing without self defense is simple murder and is the same as it always was in the past.

Yes... these laws put a target on the back of anyone who pisses off a NUT WITH A GUN.

By the way, the NRA is currently in Washington DC pushing for a Federal law of the same kind to "Stand your ground". The NRA just can't get enough people killing each other when the law is limited to Florida and a few other states. THEY WANT NATIONWIDE KILLING!

Valerie...

My brother, Barry, converted to Southern Baptist when he met his future wife, Ann, at the local community college... Before then, he was a jock, always beating me up because I was the smallest and the bookworm in the family... After he got religion, he stopped beating me up; he tried to convert me, and that was worse...

They had nine children, eight boys and a girl... Barry heard there had been recent burglaries in the area they lived, so in the great Christian tradition, he did the usual thing... He bought a shotgun, and hid it in the hall closet... Loaded...

My 4-year-old nephew got a hold of it, started playing with his little 3-year-old sister, and blew her face off...

Barry's response? "It was God's will... He called her to his side..."

I know it's how he rationalizes... By blaming God, he avoids blaming himself...

I blame him...

At the very least, he could have taken the shotgun, a watermelon and his kids out in the backyard, blasted the watermelon into chunks, then tell his kids, "THIS IS NOT A TOY!"

Already loaded... No child lock... Not even on a shelf, out of a child's reach...

The local D.A. must have felt Barry was punished enough... I would have prosecuted for Man Two, Reckless Endangerment of a Child...

Needless to say... Barry and I... Not the closest of relatives...

@Polka

We already have the right to defend ourselves against attack and in those cases where that actually happens... the evidence should support those facts. In this case, none of the evidence supports that this was self-defense, but just the opposite.

We don't need a law giving anyone an easy out if they decide to take out their hatred or impatience or vengeance out on someone because they don't like that other person's race or whatever else they deem is wrong with them. This is an unnecessary law that can only serve to propagate more vigilanteism at worse and misunderstandings at best... as has seemed to have been proven.

Valerie::: 70 pounds PLUS 30 pounds more.

Temporarily stepping down? What does that mean? I hope it means temporary like the temporary building built at Fort Hood in 1942-- they are tearing the last of them down at this time. Seventy-year-old temporary buildings.

To everyone who corrected me , yes you are correct but zimmerman will claim that the shooting was 'accidental' because lets face it using the stand your ground law is pretty weak at this point so 'accidental' will be his next line of defense.

@Polka

Innocent people have been charged with crimes and imprisoned for using force in self-defense.

Yes, innocent people have been charged with crimes and been imprisoned and even executed... and most of them have been black men. Can you give any real stats as to how many "innocent people have been charged with crimes for self-defense"?

I'll bet there aren't that many and those that are probably consist of battered women who finally killed their abuser in order to escape that abuse. Studies show that a large majority of women kill their abusers during a confrontation and not during a break in the attack.

Angela Browne in her When Battered Women Kill estimated that at least 70% of women who have killed their abusers did so during a confrontation. Other researchers have estimated that as many as 90% of such women kill under confrontational circumstances.

http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2083/When-Women-Kill-Their-Partners-SHOULD-LAW-BE-CHANGED.html

@Ethelouise

You might be correct, in fact I think I remember hearing on one of the shows in the past couple of days that the "Stand your ground" law wasn't going to be used as Zimmerman's defense.

I don't recall who it was that said that though.... whether it was someone representing the police or an attorney, I don't know. Does anyone else remember hearing that?

Ethelouise, there is a couple of problems with your therious. First, he was told by the police to stand down. He did not. The boy did NOT pursue Zimmerman, he pursued the boy with his gun loaded and ready to shoot. Not an accident, any person who knows their way around guns, knows that you have the safety catch and this man did not have the safety ON. It takes a second to release the safety catch. No, he chased the boy down and confronted him. I don't know about you, but I can tell the difference between, skittles, ice tea and a cell phone from a gun. Also, one of the 911 calls that I heard, you could hear what sounded like a boy who was screaming for help and begging for his life. Then the caller heard a shot and the screaming stopped. This man is a murderer plain and simple.

The only reason for the Stand your ground law I see is, if someone was to come into your home for what ever reason, steal, rob, what ever, and they are armed, you have the right to use deadly force to protect yourself, inside your home only. If they are outside your home, shot first, drag them inside and make sure you put a weapon in their hand. This Law is wrong for so many reasons. Mr Bush, Florida again folks, and the NRA need to rethink their position for carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon??? This is MURDER, no if an or but. The Police are aiding and abetting the criminal. How did this man get a gun??? This could be anyones son!!! The Governor is a crook, Lier, and a fraud.

Last year, I caught a documentary on the Sundance Channel titled "Supergeroes", about modern-day masked vigilantes who roam urban streets, looking to help prevent crime...

http://dailyblam.com/news/2011/01/21/real-life-vigilantes-unmasked-in-slamdance-documentary-superheroes

They fight with tasers, billy clubs, martial arts, but none of them carried guns, since the comic-book heroes they strive to emulate would never take a life... Police know about them, but since they are ostensibly unarmed, they tolerate them, and even respect some of them as allies...

These "stand Your Ground" laws open the way for vigilantes to start carrying guns... Remember, they allow use of deadly force not only in self-defense, but also in defense of others, or to prevent a "forcible Felony"... If a masked vigilante came across a mugging in an alley, he could feel justified to shoot...

Hi Valerie

Ethelouise can speak for herself of course, but I don't think she meant that Zimmerman claiming it was an accident will necessarily be a smart defense, just an alternative defense... as a last resort to save his @ss. But you are right, any excuse Zimmerman uses is ridiculous and hopefully won't hold up in court.

I think we all agree that the argument that Zimmerman was under attack and had fear for his life is ridiculous. The facts show the opposite, that he was the stalker and attacker of Trayvon. So with that defense all shot to hell, because the facts don't support it.... based on the information given in the recording of his own call to the police and the what Trayvon's girlfriend said she heard, as well as the 911 calls of neighbors.

I can see how Zimmerman's defense might be to try to say it was an accident. That he had a confrontation with Trayvon and somehow he accidentally discharged his weapon. Whether he will say he tripped and accidentally fired the gun or that Trayvon lunged for the gun... who knows how his excuses will play out. But I can imagine a variety of excuses he might give for accidentally firing the gun.

Something else I was just thinking of is that the police claim that Zimmerman's shirt was wet and claimed that as a reason for believing he was defending himself. But why would Zimmerman's shirt being wet be proof of anything since Zimmerman mentioned in his call to the police that it was raining... which was also verified by Trayvon's girlfriend.

This "stand your ground" law is just as heinous as "conceal and carry" laws. As for "stand your ground", a Florida law firm points out the "true intent" behind the law:

The Legislature finds that it is proper for law-abiding people to protect themselves, their families, and others from intruders and attackers without fear of prosecution or civil action for acting in defense of themselves and others'

Also known as a licensed to kill.

This law also allows vigilantism by saying:

"including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony"

REPEAL THIS LAW!

@David J.

Your description of the "Supergeroes" reminded me of a real citizen crime patrol group called the Guardian Angels, though they are not necessarily vigilantes.

The Guardian Angels is a non-profit international volunteer organization of unarmed citizen crime patrollers. The Guardian Angels organization was founded February 13, 1979 in New York City by Curtis Sliwa and has chapters in 15 countries and 144 cities around the world.^[1]

Sliwa originally created the organization to combat widespread violence and crime on the New York City Subways. The organization originally trained members to make citizen's arrests for violent crimes. Today, they often detain criminals instead of making arrests. The organization patrols the streets and neighborhoods but also provides education programs and workshops for schools and businesses.

http://www.guardianangels.org/

David, I sympathize with the feelings you have towards your brother. That's why in another post that I would probably be a victim because I have always had locks on my gun. I had two children in the house and between their police chief grandfather and my husband and myself, we always showed them how very dangerous guns can be. When ever there was a story in the news about a child accidentally shooting and killing a sibling or friend, we always made our children see just how dangerous guns can be. My daughter always hated guns and my son just was not into guns, much to our relief. However, since our daughter moved to North Carolina, she and my grandson have taken up shooting at ranges. Our daughter has become a very good shot, she and my grandson have participated in competition and either our daughter won or our grandson won. I think this all started with her when her neighbor walked into a home invasion in her home. She ran to my daughter's house and she and my son in law called the police and waited down the street until the police arrived. They were able to catch the intruder. However, I am not happy that she has applied for a permit to carry. I don't know what the crime rate is in North Carolina, but the suburb we always lived in here in Minnesota has always been safe, little crime. The worst we saw was kids breaking into cars stealing computers, Ipads, etc. that were left in plain view. I am okay with my skills with a gun. My dad taught me well, but I just can't see myself shooting someone just to save myself. However, if my children's safety was at stake, you'd better believe I'd shoot to kill.

@Valarie

DScully said it better than I could, sorry I have been on and off the board but I know that evidence seems to suggest that this was NO accident but he meaning zimmerman may use 'accident' as a defense because he cannot justify the use of the stand your ground law or legislation and DScully also pointed out the wet shirt and 'bloody nose' (why didn't they take a picture?) so he may have some 'wiggle' room in as much as the police did a 'cursory' examination of the evidence thinking that this was an open and shut case regarding the testimony of the sole surviving witness. But the evidence provided by the '911' tapes suggest otherwise.

Thank you DScully for filling in for me it is greatly appreciated. Thank you Valarie for allowing me to explain myself.

Plus someone shot and killed my Grand Nephew allegley by accident in 2009 they have never been charged.

Polka14

Arrest is not a conviction in a trial...

Innocent people have been charged with crimes and imprisoned for using force in self-defense. Without "stand your ground" laws, the people do not have guaranteed legal protection to defend themselves from hostile attack.

_____

False. There have always been self-defense laws, REGULATING the "right" of self-defense, because humans have been known to lie that a murder was self-defense.

That being the fact, all such shootings are properly INVESTIGATED beyond the claim of self-defense. What these "stand your ground" laws do is subvert and circumvent that hundreds of years of reasoned law based upon experience. These laws are simply licenses to kill, as we're seeing in this case: the police are refusing to INVESTIGATE, LET ALONE ARREST the killer, based SOLELY on his claim of self-defense -- which claim is REFUTED by the ACTUAL evidence the police had all along.

And still no arrest, because they are lying that this law "prohibits" them arresting anyone who simply claims self-defense. Even those who SPONSORED and CONTINUE TO BACK this law say that is NOT TRUE. Moreover, that this law DOES NOT APPLY in this case.

It's both interesting and frightening that those who know the least about law, and clearly don't know how to REASON, are defending a form of law which is foolish, irresponsible, and wholly lacking reason.

The "right" of self-defense already existed in law before this gun industry/NRA license to kill was lobbied into existence. It is unnecessary, and as this case -- and others -- show, it is beyond unnecessary to dangerous.

TM,

the link you posted in your blog 1.15.

did you see the picture of the blogger "reagan patriot"?

he is so proud of his "patriotism", that he can't even show his eyes.

This law is just more evidence of the GOPs warped view of the world. Not only is it a license to kill innocent children like Trayvon Martin but also it opens the door to legalized homicide. Jeb Bush, the Republican Party and the NRA are all culpable in the murder of Trayvon and should answer to the law as accessories in this crime. they should also be sued until they bleed.

http://blackpoliticalbuzz.blogspot.com/2012/03/jeb-bush-nra-sponsored-floridas-stand.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/21/1076644/-Congrats-Jeb-Bush-You-Now-Own-The-Stand-Your-Ground-Law-In-Florida-

don't forget...it was that other Bush boy who signed this law into effect when he was govenor.

come to California where you can't get shot at will a couple adds like that and watch how fast this law gets repealed

California, where you can't have goldfish but you can kill bald eagles in the name of wind power!

Told Ya So = GOMERS Flingin' Poop On This Blog ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ !!!!!! I Knew It Wouldn't Take Very Long !!!!!

TM, While all this was happening in Sanford, the NRA was on Capitol Hill, trying to lobby (bribe) congress to NATIONALIZE this law! If they did, all the states would be forced to have it!

OMG, What parallel universe do these NRA people live in?

You know, Democracy used to be about people with power listening to those without power. Now it's people with power listening to people with money.

Tripping, for a flipping. MD.......

India, that is why we have to re-elect sanity in 2012.

I can't believe that this jerk has not been arrested and charged with murder or aggreviated manslaughter at the very least. If this had been a white child, the shooter would have been arrested right on the spot. Pure racism shown in this case.

These states have stand your ground laws. The Radical GOP, NRA, ALEC, Koch brothers, and the religious right, are making this nation an un-civil third world country.

Alabama

Arizona

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois (The law does not include a duty to retreat, which courts have interpreted as a right to expansive self-defense.)

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Michigan

Mississippi

Montana

Nevada

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon (Also does not include a duty to retreat.)

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Washington (Also does not include a duty to retreat.)

West Virginia

It is good that many states have the "stand your ground" laws. Maybe it should be nationalized. Everyone has the right to defend themselves with lethal force if needed. I can always move to Oregon if I want to live in a state with that law.

@pol killer and Michael

Huh? I live in California and I have no idea what either of you just said or are talking about. By the way, I have owned goldfish before... here in California.

It depends on the State. I live in Washington. The Florida law is a *very bad* law and should be amended or repealed.

The NRA and ALEC should *never* be allowed to produce legislation anywhere in the Country since their interests are *never* in our best interests!!

I would suggest that everyone stop their membership in the NRA. Why pay the dues? They have *no noble cause* in regards to the 2nd Amendment. They use it as a veil for gun sales to suckers. Use the money to buy a gun if you want and pocket the rest.

@Kathe

I agree.... A-ALEC has to be exposed to the general public so they know where this legislation is coming from. The voter suppression laws and union busting come from them, and with the widespread laws involving restricting contraceptive and abortion rights, I wouldn't be surprised if A-ALEC is behind those also.

I've added an additional "A" to the ALEC, which stands for ANTI - American Legislative Exchange Council. Don't you think that fits better? They don't deserve being called American, when their main goal is to subvert the American system of government.

http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Polka14

Everyone has the right to defend themselves with lethal force if needed.

_____

WITHIN THE LIMITS OF LAW, Or you are no less a criminal than the presumed "criminal" you are claiming the right to defend against.

Moreover, one DOES NOT have any right to use more force than necessary to defend oneurself. If a person spits at you, you don't have the right to shoot them.

You illustrate why these laws are dangerous and unacceptable: they cause law-illiterates such as you to make statements that ARE NOT TRUE, and thus make matters WORSE by spreading dangerous misinformation.

Moreover, one DOES NOT have any right to use more force than necessary to defend oneurself. If a person spits at you, you don't have the right to shoot them.

A person should only use lethal force in the defense of one's own life. Anything less is not a use of the "stand your ground" law. I am already aware of the differences between self-defense and murder. That Zimmerman is a murderer because he was not defending himself when he killed that unarmed child. I am not "illiterate" of the law.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/politics-only/gun-question-nra-insane-254430.html

David H , You are so right. People are judged by some policemen totally wrong. I am an Indian from India, and couple of years ago I was stopped by a policeman in NC, and when I complied , the police office addressed me as Senor! and started to speak couple of spanich sentenses, and I iimediately tole him "Sir, I don't speak your language". He was white, so he was taken a back, (I can speak spanish), and asked me in English about my speed, and I replied in English that I was going at speed limit posted. He did not give me ticket or any warning, just told me to be careful! This incident told me to be very careful and be respectful (I always am), and answer questions. In South there is some racism .

Some?

People did not have the right to kill with impunity before those laws existed and they do not possess it now. The "stand your ground" law only protects self-defense. Any other act is murder and can not be protected. It is not the fault of the law if the blue shirted thugs can not distinguish between self-defense and homicide.

More people die every year because of oil!

Yep... Sliding feet and skidding cars are not good for your health...<s>

http://greenleegazette.blogspot.com/2012/03/floridas-stand-your-ground-law-jeb-bush.html

Mr jeb bush owns this stupid lay, like brother, like father, like grandfather.

Thankful, You are so right. GW declared war in far off lands and Jeb he signed the bill in Florida and started war in Florida. Both never stopped to think of the big picture and all the lives lost. This law is a law for teroist and drug gangs and needs to be repealed immediately! No one in America is safe as long as this law exists!

Teroist???

Oh My......it must be palin......and you dare to critique David?

Hi TM & Pam!

And the grandfather never stopped to think of the big picture and all the American lives lost when he sold steel to the Nazis in WWII. Anything for a buck and both, the money and the legacy, are the Bushs' inheritance.

Profit over life. The GOP way. Lincoln must have started rolling in his grave 75 years ago and spinning starting at least 30 years ago.

A gee, a troll is back and taking up space. Is picking fly sh!t out of the pepper profitable?

Troll alert......

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-500857

Koch connection with Nazi Germany?

Eisenhower should of had both Fred Koch and grandaddy Bush shot for treason. Then we wouldn't have to deal with their "enemy of the State" spawn in this day and age.

Thankful. Thanks for posting that link. I had only heard the Koch name once before and it was when I went to Buckenwald. I knew they had to be one in the same family. But there plans for America should frighten everyone. !!!!!

Michael...

If you are going to point out every mistake, every misspelling, every typographical error, every grammatical error, every homonym used incorrectly that occurs on this blog, you are going to be very busy, very despised, very lonely and very 'ignored'...

@Thankful

Thanks for posting the link. I had already read of the ***** of Buchelwald but I had never made the connection...

@crone

Yes... definitely. Fear-mongering to keep the country separated, the main tool used by the Repugs to scare the ignorant and bigoted to continue to vote against their own best interests.

@Pam

Do Repugs ever stop and think about the BIG PICTURE? Other than how much they will be making in campaign bribes and other payments and gifts from lobbiests... they don't give much else any thought.

@David J

I also wonder if Michael is as intolerant and questioning of the numerous grammatical mistakes, pronunciation mistakes, even historical mistakes, and especially FACTUAL MISTAKES made by those of the GOP such as GW Bush, Sarah Palin, Crazy Lady Bachmann, Mitt Robme, Rick Satanorum, Newt Gingrinch and virtually every other Repug/TEApug holding office.

RACHAEL - Sorry to say but JEB BUSH signed it into law,I don't think he had to VOTE it in.

http://ideas.time.com/2012/03/21/how-to-talk-to-young-black-boys-about-trayvon-martin/

Young black boys should not have to operate under-different rules........Time Mag. put this info out.

Ted, who ever did it, or singed for it to be a law, has innocent blood on their hands. This was only a baby, that died, because some lonney-tune knew he had this law to stand on when he killed this young man.

Shame, shame, shame on the Bush family starting with grandaddy to the boys, W and Jeb.

They have more American, Canadian and European blood on their hands than in all the blood banks in these Countries combined.

Such great Patriots. <sarc>

Again and again people show how stupid they are by voting for the same type of people into office. Any one who thinks that these laws where made to give the right for some people to walk from killing someone is dead wrong! Its so they can make guns illegal for the public. Its time to make all guns ILLEGAL!

Let's repeal all the legislators who voted for these laws pushed by the NRA and ALEC and the States Policy Network groups.

Time for them to be long gone.

@April

That's the problem. Alec is being used by builders, banks, oil companies - so many laws that we would hacve to repeal just to get rid of the influence. It incredulous we cannot even began to fathom how these guys have operated.

Hi Ethelouise!

ALEC, the NRA and their damn legislation need to ripped out by the roots and never be allowed near a legislative office in this Country ever again.

Hi Kathe!

I hope that we can 'void' and or repeal all the stuff that they are forcing upon us because we really don't vote on this.

@fore hey, April, Ethelouise, Kathe

I mentioned this above, but will again. I agree.... A-ALEC has to be exposed to the general public so they know where this legislation is coming from. The voter suppression laws and union busting come from them, and with the widespread laws involving restricting contraceptive and abortion rights, I wouldn't be surprised if A-ALEC is behind those also.

I've added an additional "A" to the ALEC, which stands for ANTI - American Legislative Exchange Council. Don't you think that fits better? They don't deserve being called American, when their main goal is to subvert the American system of government.

http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

yes, ted. protect yourself on your property if you and/or your family is at threat. but the yahoos and nra nuts will always try to abuse.

It IS NOT the stand your ground law that is at fault here. It is Zimmerman and the Sanford Fla. police who are at fault.When this nut-job was calling 911 all of the times before, the local authorities should have saw a pattern of dillusion and revoked his right to have a firearm.

Ted, We have the law here in Ohio. But it is only for breaking into your home or car. Big definition there compared to Florida. There's is a free for all. Any excuse could be made. How many have died since Jeb Bush signed this law. I know you have guns and we do to but you are responsible as are we. I wonder what the rest of the states that have this law, have written in there laws. To me a neighborhood watch person watches what it implies and armed and dangerous dose not fit the description!

Jak, Killings in Florida went up 250% ! It has brought back the Wild, Wild west! Any excuse could be used!

PAM - The one saying I go by is "pull a weapon,use it and use it for what it's intended for".To me,a gun has one purpose - shoot to kill.That's why when I used to work security,I refused to carry a sidearm (the first shot would have been a KILL shot).

TED, Spoken from a serious gun owner who knows death is as cold as the steel in the barrel. There are some who seem to be making this about the NRA.This is about the death of young boy . Point blank you and I know he left his car and stalked this boy and shot him .End of conversation. If this idiot had blood on him it was due to a young man scared and fighting for his life with can tea and package of skittles. He, Zimmerman had the gun, he cocked it and pulled the trigger and never once thought about the young man he was killing. When you kill someone who has no weapon it is cold blooded murder!

PAM - That is EXACTLY what this is - COLD BLOODED MURDER.Both Zimmerman and the cops who let him walk away should be in JAIL for cold blooded murder.

OK did the Google, vote Yes

Stand Your Ground laws, which eliminate the longstanding legal requirement that a person threatened outside of his or her own home retreat rather than use force, are the latest manifestation of the political strength of the gun rights movement.

Florida legislators, however, insist the Stand Your Ground law does not provide a defense for people like Zimmerman, who pursue and confront someone.

The problem is that nothing in Peadon and Baxley’s law says this. It provides that any person may use deadly force when “he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another.” So long as someone reasonably thinks he or someone else is in danger, he can shoot to kill, regardless of whether the shooter is the one who initiated the hostile confrontation.

Back to the days of the wild west, John Wayne would be proud.

The stand your ground law was enacted because of the castle ground legislation.. prior to this law if someone entered your house or car and harmed you if killed or injured them you could be sued by either them or their family.. this law was vaguely written but was opposed by many florida legislators that this would cause racially motivated killing.. the nra lobbied an paid Jeb Bush to sanitize and pass this law and in return the nra paid a lot of money to get dubya elected... if you google it.. you will see that it no way mitigates what this man did.. this law also exonerated a man in miami just today when he pursued a man who burglarized his car and stabbed him to death.. even the framers of this law said it shouldn't have been used for this purpose but there is nothing in the law that prevents pursuing and killing some one and asserting that defense .. even before you are brought up on trial ppl are using this defense especially when there are no witnesses... hope this helps to clarify the law for you

i would lay some one out if they came in to my house but <<< just go out in the street and gun some one down>>>> is off the hook

We need to get the NRA membership to understand how they have been duped by their leadership. I've seen a lot of self proclaimed conservatives who think Zimmerman needs to be in jail and under investigation.

I don't know about this law in other States, but the Florida law has got to go!

@Viewer

Yeah... but then John Wayne was a Repug/conservative also.

Joy = It Is In 23 States AND 6/7 More States Are Attempting To Enact And Pass It !!!!!

MD/MI, Did you here the NRA wants to nationalize this law. To hell with the Constitution. The right to bear arms and freedom of speech are being desecrated!

Pam52, Yes, as this was happening to Trayvon Martin, the NRA was on Capitol Hill lobbying to make this law a national law, meaning ALL states must abide by it.

While we're on the subject, I haven't heard ONE GOP candidate come out against this murder of a teenager by an obviously disturbed racist with a record of violence and questionable behavior.

India, The republicans seem to have a thing with control. I think Jeb Bush should speak up as its his signature on the bill. If this horrible bill is repealed . Then maybe Treyvon will not have died in vein.

Pam 52, I agree that he should speak up. None of them are, though. Not even one of the candidates. The base is too pro gun and so they keep quiet. I think Jeb Bush is vying for VP position. I could be wrong, though.

Did you see the piece where Santorum was at this church in LA where the preacher was telling Buddhists and Muslims to GET OUT of the country?That they did not worship God?

Ah, the good old W.A.S.P. boys club. They still think it's 1954, and all's well with the perfect white world of Leave It To Beaver. They don't get around the country enough. They live in a cocoon. People who want Santorum probably agree with that preacher. I'm sure the base does, which is why he was there.

@India

I haven't heard anything from anyone in the GOP either, and mysteriously Lush Limpbrain has also been unusually silent.

Could it be that he has finally learned his lesson about opening his mouth and making stupid racist comments, or is he still just laying low from having his butt kicked by women and loosing so many advertisers as a result?

I don't think Jeb is looking for the VP position for himself... because didn't he also recommend Rubio for that position to whomever gets the nomination for GOP candidate? That's what I heard anyway. Which is probably just Jeb's strategy to get Rubio out of the way as competition for the Pres slot in 2016.

India, I have wondered if he could be VP myself? Ryan would be awful! I saw that with that preacher and though in the house of God this man who calls himself a preacher , preaches HATE! This country is what 235 years old. We have fought wars, had marches and screamed for equality and in the 21st century we are as backward now as then.

This must have been difficult day for Rev Al......Our prayers go with him.

RACHAEL - I heard about it on MORNING JOE this morning (3:40 pacific time).I couldn't believe it when I heard about it (but then eventually you're gonna die.It's just from what,when,how that makes the difference).

AMEN TED! ------Thankful-he said he's doing this for his mom.

I saw that too, my condolences as well. Thank you Rev. Al.

God Bless.

I saw it on Morning Joe as well. May God Bless him and his family.

He is doing it for his Mother who gave him life, and himself and the American people. We appreciate that he standing up in this case and trying to do what is right.

Rachael, Rev. Al is a wonderful man and he has my sympathy. I love his show, too.

I agree, God bless him. He does wonderful work for civil rights.

I just heard that also.... on Lawrence's show, and his brother came with him to Florida too, I think. My condolences and sympathy to him and his family.

Busby, As a resident of the state of FL for 18 long, hot years, may I say the following:

No one vacations in Sanford, FL.

We were thinking of spending the Winter in S. Florida, and have decided not to do so. I would feel uncomfortable there now. This law was passed after the hurricane took our home. We've lived in the north since then. If you are not a southerner, the south can never be home, no matter how nice the climate.

We have no "stand your ground" laws in California... come on out here. It's sunny and warm here also, and more Democrat friendly.

Scully, I wish!

Lee Anna...

CERES?! You must have one HELL of a wireless connection...

http://www.universetoday.com/32433/asteroid-ceres/

(Yes, I know it's also a town in California, but I rarely resist an astrological pun...)

@LeeAnna from ceres

Is that the Ceres just south of Modesto, CA? I lived in Modesto for about 15 years.

they make these laws to make MONEY

money is king

Seems that way!