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Justice For Trayvon: We Can Beat City Hall – and NRA as Well
On February 27 there was another tragic mass shooting. This time, at a high school in Chardon, Ohio, three died and two others were hurt and a sad and sick young man was taken into custody. The story was the same from Columbine to Fort Hood; Virginia Tech to Tucson. The details vary; three die or 15, the site is an Army Base, a school cafeteria, or a grocery store parking lot; the shooter is arrested or dead by his own hand; but there is a numbing sameness.
But did you notice the major glaring difference after the Chardon shootings? Here’s a hint. Columbine inspired a Michael Moore documentary about gun ownership and gun violence. After Virginia Tech there was a lot of noise about closing the “gun show loophole.” Tucson brought cries for a ban on extended magazine cartridges. After Chardon the Ohio State University student newspaper reported that “Buckeyes for Concealed Carry on Campus sent its condolences for Chardon and advocated for concealed carry laws on campus.”
Now we have the horrific shooting of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida by a self appointed neighborhood watcher who apparently chased Martin down and shot him with a 9 mm gun while “defending” himself under Florida’s stand your ground legislation. Florida’s law allows deadly force on the part of anyone who feels threatened by another without a legal requirement to avoid the confrontation, i.e. standing down, before acting in self defense. Jeb Bush signed the Florida law in 2005, reportedly under intense pressure and after large campaign donations from the National Rifle Association.
In the midst of the uproar accompanying the Martin death the current Florida governor and the legislator who wrote the Florida law have made some rather feeble statements about it needing a few changes. My guess, however, is that the laws in Florida and 22 other states will remain on the books because the NRA will not allow more than small cosmetic changes.
The NRA has spent millions to do it but has accomplished its goal. Not only is it impossible to get even the most minor and unobtrusive laws passed that will put any limit on gun ownership or use but Americans are resigned to not even trying. The NRA has fought opposition to a standstill on even such ridiculous issues as allowing concealed or open carry in churches, taverns, and school campuses. Some of these laws even override the rights of owners to ban guns from their properties.
In short, we are now held in thrall by the NRA. Sort of like we are by right wing talk radio. You know, we figure that asking for any sense in our gun laws is as futile as talking back to Rush, expecting truth from Sean or civility from either of the Michaels. If only there were a way….
Ok, you know where I am going with this. “Can’t fight City Hall” is a pathetic battle cry but was ours for far too long. Then a funny thing happened. Bank of America decided to impose a tiny little $5 per month fee and a young lady from Washington DC said she didn’t want to pay it and showed the country they didn’t have to either. Next it was Verizon, then the Komen Foundation, and finally the outrage over Rush.
Not every battle that followed the lightening attack on Bank of American was as instantly successful as Molly Katchpole’s, or made as many inroads on the outward expression of hate as the so-far productive battle to rein in Rush Limbaugh, but we are certainly making headway. Rachel Maddow reported on Wednesday night that there suddenly seems to be a lack of enthusiasm in various state legislatures for passing some of the more obnoxious measures proposed to probe women’s bodies, require their doctors to lie to them or allow their employers to fire them over their birth control choices. This is no accident; it is the direct result of women and the people who love them suddenly finding and using their voices.
So could we now take on the NRA? Maybe those of us in states with Stand Your Ground laws could actually demand they be modified so as not to legalize murder. A rational policy toward assault rifles and extended magazines was once the law, could it happen again? Since polls have shown that even some NRA members think the organization has often gone too far is it crazy to think politicians might start to hear our voices over the clink of NRA cash in their pockets?
Of course we can’t beat the NRA. Or at least it seemed that way six months ago. But since we finally got sick and tired of being held in thrall by banks, Rush Limbaugh, and women-hating politicians, maybe we can also find the courage to tell NRA to take a hike.
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12 Responses to Justice For Trayvon: We Can Beat City Hall – and NRA as Well
denise
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Good grief, that is a horrible law. It will cause more deaths, and mayhem. Only a Repub could think of something so dangerous for the public.
denise
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Justice for Trayvon!
Reynardine
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 1:02 pm
The original law, as ratified October 2, 2005, confined the privilege to your demised premises, and that was entirely understandable. Extending it to the open street turned the whole thing into a Wild West show. Extending it to hospitals, schools, other people’s businesses, and churches is inexcusable; allowing it in bars is homicidal.
Cathy
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 1:51 pm
I am appalled that this type of legislation was ever proposed, more so that it passed. This is all the more reason to get big money and lobbyists out of our government. Who could ever accept that Stand Your Ground is in the best interest of society? Who judges what “one” feels is “mortal” danger? I am saddened that this young man lost his life, and hope this tragedy makes people realize that guns are NOT a right, but a privilege to be handled responsibly–with regulations that protect against the misuse and abuse of this privilege.
A Walkaway
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Having been in dire danger of being killed on a few occasions, and then threatened by the pigs afterward, this law is NECESSARY. (Three times a loaded gun in my hands is believed to have saved my life, one of those times the pigs and others who knew about it believed that I probably saved the life of a young woman as well. They were still mad because I was armed and was prepared to defend myself – even though I’d probably saved two lives without taking one myself. There have been other times where I was lucky I wasn’t killed (not permitted to carry a means to defend myself) – including having a shotgun pointed at me during a robbery and the guy nearly pulled the trigger.)
In the home or in your car, you should be able to defend yourself. If you’re disabled or because of some physical/mental reason cannot defend yourself (and you find yourself in a position where you cannot retreat), you should also be able to defend yourself. This law prevents the pigs from taking their anger (at your self-defense) out on you – and believe me, they do NOT want you thinking you have a right to defend yourself from attack.
The guy violated the letter and principle of the law in pursuing and harassing Trayvon. He was obviously seeking trouble and even an excuse. He should be put to death. He had every opportunity to back away and didn’t.
In many of the cases you mentioned, there is one aspect left out. Columbine… turned out the shooters had been bullied. That’s been the case in nearly every school shooting (there are a few mental illness cases). Matthew Murray is a classic example – he was the victim of the NAR and had been driven insane by their treatment of him (I know some of the people who had tried to help him) – he was in essence bullied by everyone EXCEPT his internet friends, including his “Good Christian” mother to the point where he couldn’t take any more. He was the victim and could have been saved if they hadn’t treated him the way they did (I hope you realize that people DO have limits).
So, using them as examples and comparing them to what happened to Trayvon is incorrect.
The thing is, there are laws on the books already to try to prevent problems and violence. If you get this law repealed, maybe the next time someone tries to knock down my front door (and I had to shoot the invader), I would be put in jail (and knowing the pigs as I do, very possibly “die from a slip and fall” or “shot while resisting arrest”).
Or are you advocating that people don’t have a right to defend themselves?
Are you arguing that people should be punished for defending themselves? I GUARANTEE YOU THAT WILL BE THE RESULT IF YOU SUCCEED.
Cathy
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 4:28 pm
I am very sorry that the circumstances of your life have left you with such anger and hatred. I agree that we humans are very fragile, which is all the more reason that fire arm regulations and laws are necessary-this law is horrendous. We do not have the right to take another person’s life because of a conceived notion of threat (which is fueled by prejudice and hatred). This law favors the perpetrator over an oft deceased victim, and has the potential to cause more of these encounters. And whatever your reason, our law enforcement officers are not “pigs”, but trained public servants. I would much rather live in a world with our police departments, than in one where everyone carries their own protection.
A Walkaway
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 4:57 pm
And I would like to live in one where the pigs have been turned into police – where they don’t serve their elite masters and the status quo… where they treat everyone equally and with neither favoritism (which I’ve seen) or discrimination (which is the norm especially for the poor and minorities). Where justice and equality aren’t words prattled about, but core ideas that everything they do springs from (DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE NOW).
I also think you have no right to judge me, because you haven’t seen the things I have. Some of the people here HAVE, and know where I’m coming from.
I’m calling for JUSTICE, not more of the same. I’m calling for a change in society… for the better. I’m trying to get people to understand that for a large chunk of the American people, this isn’t a nice country and indeed, it can be very dangerous. Disarming the innocent isn’t the way to bring about change. It will only make life that much nastier for them (and easier for the racist bigots and rapists and thieves and Klan and…).
I’m also asking that people think twice before they jump or try to change the laws, because believe me – in this case, it’s not a good idea. You cannot trust the “police” to protect you… that is what I’m trying to get across to people and if you’d listen to me, you’d realize that they’re as much a part of the problem as the crooks are. If you’re middle class they MIGHT, MIGHT help. If you’re rich they’ll go out of their way. If you’re poor, forget it.
Let me put it this way… Mark Fuhrman is the norm, and not the exception in the experience of a LOT of people.
Cathy
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 6:38 pm
I sincerely apologize if you felt like I was judging you, as that was not my intent. And I truly am sorry that you obviously have had a difficult life, but I believe we are working towards the same goals for this country–the end of racism, prejudice, hate, economic and social justice for all. I am NOT against guns, but I still feel the NRA push for guns to be allowed everywhere, unrestricted and unregulated, is reaching a dangerous precipice regarding the direction we take–
Cathy
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 6:40 pm
That should read ensure economic and social justice for all. Makes a big difference when words are excluded.
A Walkaway
Mar. 22nd, 2012 at 7:45 pm
(Sigh) When I read your reply, I had a bit of a rueful laugh. You don’t know how many times people have thrown “Anger and Hatred” in my face when I spoke openly about our experiences. Well, yeah. When you’ve had far more negative experiences with the police (ranging from aggressive and terrifying hostility, lies, and bogus tickets to dismissive put-downs) than positive, and the people who are supposed to be “Good” are harmful and the tiny minority who are supposed to be so bad and evil (liberals, non-Christians, UUs, atheists, etc.) turn out to be the really nice people… you do tend to get really angry. That’s been the story of most of my life – except I didn’t learn about the really nice people until a few years ago. For most of my life the “nice” people were the ones in the churches who regularly “reminded” me that I brought everything negative down on myself and told me that hidden sin was the problem. The not-so-nice ones… flat out abusive and even exploitative.
The dominionists (Pentecostals) are especially bad about accusing people of being full of hate and anger (you’re not supposed to be irregardless of your situation)… and their favorite put-down “bitterness”. Well, yeah… if you’ve only seen injustice in your life and struggle, and you learn (years later) it all happened because of them and their decisions and actions, you do tend to become quite bitter – especially after learning the very people you’d been taught to avoid and fear because they were supposed to be so evil and wicked, were the really GOOD people and far more trustworthy than the ones you were taught you HAD to trust.
And that, my friends, is why it is so important for us to win… and important to understand the environment others are in. I do literally fear for my life a lot… and every time I see a police car (I’m being nice) I tense up and watch them until they’re out of sight, fearing another bogus stop and punitive ticket if not worse (a couple of times I thought I was going to be shot, even though I was unarmed).
That too explains some of what we’re learning about the situation with Trayvon. People think that the police are the shining white knights… well, they aren’t. Plus there are a lot of wannabes in Florida… I’ve met a hell of a lot of them (and some of them made really suspicious comments that made me think they were connected to the Klan). Trayvon’s murderer strikes me as being one of the kind I’ve met so often… and if he is, I’m not surprised at this tragedy.
Deborah Montesano
Mar. 23rd, 2012 at 3:00 am
Perhaps if all the politicians and media pundits who are trying to make gains through the manipulation of emotion would knock it off, we could turn this country around. I’m somewhat hopeful after seeing the stampede many rational people, a large number of which are women, are making out of the republican Party. However, our world has become an incredibly nasty place. The effort of all of us will be required. See “The Sin of Violence, in A Culture of Hate” at thepoliticali.blogspot.co....
Christine
Mar. 24th, 2012 at 8:39 am
Great article:)