When Blacks stand their ground

[Meiko]

Now SYG laws are great but it would appear that they are not being applied evenly. This article is a bit long but it's a good read worthy of your time. If laws are being applied according to race then they are invalid laws IMHO, the law applies to everyone or it belongs to none. Please read and make up your own minds.

The right to self-defense is human nature and a fundamental principle of law.
But with a harsh prison sentence handed to a Black mother and the upcoming trial of an elderly Black man—both declared ineligible to claim Florida’s Stand Your Ground law—the truth remains that in America the right to self defense appears reserved for Whites only.


When George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin, it took protests, massive media attention and a national campaign for any charges to be fi led. Zimmerman’s claim of self-defense was quickly accepted. There is no respect for Black right to self defense as shown in two current Florida cases Trevor Dooley Marissa Alexander as well as historical attempts to protect Black men, women and children, say analysts.
When George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin in late February, it took protests, massive media attention and a national campaign before any charges were filed. The Sanford, Fla., neighborhood watch volunteer’s claim of self-defense was quickly accepted initially. Following intense media scrutiny, a major campaign and even a statement from the president, Mr. Zimmerman was charged with manslaughter and is out on bail in the highly charged case.
But consider the plight of Marissa Alexander: In August 2010, the Black mother and her parents say she fired a warning shot to stop an attack from her abusive husband. Yet in early May she was sentenced to 20 years in prison under Florida’s 10-20-life law. The bullet she fired hit no one but she was charged under mandatory minimum sentencing laws after firing the weapon. It was ruled a felony.

Consider the case of senior citizen Trevor Dooley: A Florida judge recently denied immunity to Mr. Dooley under Stand Your Ground, which allows citizens who feel threatened to defend themselves, even to the use of deadly force. The judge ruled there was no reasonable belief that deadly force was required when he shot neighbor David James in 2010. The fatal encounter began with a dispute over a youth skateboarding on a basketball court. It escalated into a fight. Mr. Dooley, who was 69 at the time, said he felt threatened by Mr. James and was being choked. The confrontation started after Mr. Dooley had left his home and walked across the street to the playground. It ended with Mr. Dooley fatally shooting the war veteran in front of the victim’s daughter. Jury selection in the Dooley manslaughter trial is set for Sept. 4. A pre-trial conference in the case is set for Aug. 22.

“Thirty states have Stand Your Ground laws or similar and these cases demonstrate without any doubt that no Black person was ever intended to benefit from this law. The difference we see between now and 20 years ago is how blatant the contempt is for us,” said Dr. Ava Muhammad, a lawyer and also national spokesperson for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam.

Separation as offered by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Min. Farrakhan, his national representative, is the only solution but people continue to refuse it as the natural and inevitable outcome, Dr. Muhammad said.

She views the Alexander, Zimmerman, and Dooley cases as classic examples of an enemy’s mischief-making by means of the law. When outcomes look favorable to Blacks, Whites simply change the laws, she argued.

***MORE AT LINK***

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/article_8889.shtml

[GreenStormCloud]

1. SYG doesn't cover warning shots. Warning shots are often illegal.

There is a self-defense case in which both a warning shot and a fatal shot were fired. The person was cleared on the fatal shot as it was self-defense but was sentenced on reckless endangerment (The warning bullet barely missed a neighbor.) for the warning shot. Obviously the writer does not know the difference between a warning shot and a self-defense shot.

I would need to know more details on the other case.

[slackmaster]

2. Zimmerman has not yet formally sought immunity under SYG or for any other reason

The opinion is premature and inflammatory.

[safeinOhio]

6. According to police and prosecutor,

he was released that night based on his statements and the SYG laws.

[slackmaster]

8. Yes, but he's been charged with murder

SYG doesn't mean squat until the defense submits a motion to dismiss.

[ManiacJoe]

3. Lots of problems with the two examples from that article.

[Meiko]

4. The article is not perfect

but it is a good read and brings up some good points,

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. A puff piece from the nation of islam

Arguing for racial separation. Why should anyone take it seriously?

[Starboard Tack]

7. Why should anyone take it seriously?

Are you kidding?

[Clames]

10. Anybody with a shred of common sense should...

...take such articles with a generous amount of salt.




What? You don't like salt?

[Starboard Tack]

11. I take everything I read with a pinch of salt.

But even extremist groups sometimes have moments of clarity.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

12. Even a blind clock finds broken squirrels twice a day.

Or is it two broken clocks finding a blind squirrel?
Somehting like that...

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Marissa Alexander comparison entirely flawed.

She fired a warning shot. She told the police she fired a warning shot. That is expressly illegal.

Stand Your Ground does not authorize warning shots. It authorizes lead on target.
If you feel safe enough to turn your weapon AWAY from the allegedly deadly-force-enabling threat, you are not in fear for your life, and therefore not authorized to employ deadly force.

She should have shot him. Absent that, she should have stayed silent, per the 5th amendment, and let the state try to prove that was a warning shot, and not a clean miss, which would have been justified.

Never fire a warning shot.
Never talk to the cops.

[Hoyt]

13. It's clear, SYG laws are supported by right wingers because of their fear/hatred of minorities.

There may be some who support these laws for other reasons (or at least say they support them for other reasons), but relaxed gun laws, more guns in public, SYG, the way the law enforcement system works, etc., work to the detriment of minorities. And the gun culture really doesn't seem to care, as long as they have their guns and the laws make them easy to use.

[SGMRTDARMY]

14. Your slipping

no reference to Zimmerman or Loughner.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

15. + 1 n/t

[Fredjust]

16. The article referenced Zimmerman...

to demonstrate how gun ownership and SYG laws are another tool the white majority oppresses minorities.

[SGMRTDARMY]

17. White majority oppress minorities.

Your precious.