Florida voters ‘stand their ground’ amid recent scrutiny of the law

[Meiko]

It would seem that the "people" aren't that upset. So why are our polticians running around trying to get the law changed or repealed.

As the Trayvon Martin case continues to play out in court, a new poll has revealed that residents of Florida stand behind their “Stand Your Ground” law. The majority of registered voters in the state of Florida still support the state’s controversial law at a margin of 56-35 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. The poll was taken from a pool of 1,722 registered voters by phone over a 5-day period last week. The results showed 78 percent of Republicans surveyed support the law as opposed to 59 percent of Democrats. Additionally, 61 percent of white respondents, 56 percent of black respondents and 53 percent of Hispanic respondents also support the law.

The “Stand Your Ground” law has been the center of the Trayvon Martin case. This landmark case involved Martin being shot by George Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood watchman, who reported that Martin looked “suspicious”. Zimmerman was not arrested for six weeks after this incident when police cited the “Stand Your Ground” law, which removes a person’s duty to retreat from an assailant and allows the use of deadly force in any place a person has a right to be.

“Despite the controversy, public opinion seems to be solidly behind ‘Stand Your Ground’ and slightly against stricter gun control,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

The Quinnipiac poll also showed a split on stricter gun control. Seventy-three percent of Democrats support it, while only 22 percent of Republicans do.

The only thing it seems registered voters out of Florida do agree on is that concealed guns should be allowed in the Capitol building, which has the approval of 83 percent.

Follow Marquise Francis on Twitter @mKfly

http://thegrio.com/2012/05/25/florida-voters-stand-their-ground-amid-recent-scrutiny-of-the-law/

[Drale]

1. Both Arizona and Florida have the same problem

way to many Conservative old people per square mile.

[spin]

5. Obama won Florida in 2008 by 2.8% ...

If there were as many Conservative old people in Florida as you suggest, Obama would have lost Florida. Old Conservative people vote!

Despite the constant propaganda pushed by the national media and the media in Florida, Castle Defense and Stand Your Ground laws are still popular in the Sunshine state.

I am certain that you can find another somewhat insulting reason to explain why the residents of my state do not support your personal dislike of Florida gun laws. It is true that 17.3% of the population of Florida is 65 or older which is higher than the national average of 13.0%. (source: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html) However there is no shortage of Democrats in Florida.

Figures released by the Division of Elections today show Florida has 11.2 million voters, with 40.5 percent registered as Democrats and about 36.2 percent as Republicans.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/gop-closes-in-on-democrats-in-florida-voter-2107649.html

I find it fascinating that the best arguments that the national and local media could muster to help those who love to see the Stand Your Ground law in Florida repealed have failed so miserably. There is absolutely no doubt that had Zimmerman followed the instructions of the dispatcher and not pursued Martin, a tragic incident could have been avoided. This incident was a great opportunity for those who oppose pro-victim laws to present an excellent case to support their views. The media took over the job of judge and jury and basically declared Zimmerman guilty without all the evidence. Why then are there not large numbers of Floridians supporting the repeal of the Stand Your Ground law?

It's my opinion that while most Floridians do not agree that Zimmerman used good sense in how he handled the situation, they don't feel that this one incident proves that the Stand Your Ground law in Florida permits all those who have a carry permit to start a fight and then shoot their opponent without fear of prosecution as has been suggested by the media. There are over 800,000 Florida residents who have concealed weapons permits and most Floridians probably know at least one co-worker or friend that has one.

Floridians also know that it is unfair to require a person to first retreat when they face an attacker who intends to kill or severely injure his victim. Therefore they do not oppose a pro-victim law.

I would imagine that the law will be rewritten to fine tune it so that existing ambiguities are clarified and the law is better designed to deal with those incidents where there is absolutely no question that the person who used self defense used it in a legitimate manner and to require a very through investigation of incidents where there may be valid questions.

[Hoyt]

8. Pretty much agree. Although apparently there are a lot of younger folks with conservative views on

guns in public and lax laws/prosecution when guns are used against certain segments of society.

[Skittles]

2. Florida gave us Bush, too

[gejohnston]

3. And Alan Grayson. Illinois SYG law is much older than Florida's

Illinois gave us Obama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law#Illinois

[Skittles]

4. who said anything about where it originated?

[ileus]

6. Hopefully the rest of the state won't get punished because of one bad apple.

[Hoyt]

7. One bad apple? You think Zimmerman is the only member of gun culture capable of shooting unarmed

teenagers for no good reason, other than he can?

[SGMRTDARMY]

9. We are all, as you put it, capable of shooting unarmed teenagers for no good reason

or anyone else for that matter, even you are capable of it.
Do we? No, why? Because we know what is right and what is wrong, and being unarmed doesn't make someone not dangerous, a strapping young man can beat an older person to death with their fists.

I am an older gentleman who cannot possibly win a fist fight or run away from a young punk who wants to do me harm, thats why I carry a firearm.

Now, by reading your posts for the last several months, I know you don't like guns in public but I really don't care what you think of people like me and the other millions who choose to exercise this option.