Voter suppression and "stand your ground" are attacks on America's 99 percent. Sound crazy? They are attacks on reasonableness. Voter suppression and "stand your ground" are connected. It is intended for the angry old white men to "take their country back..." in yet another way. It is the "Stand Your Ground" law that gives them the right to question whether someone else belongs, where ever that is -- walking down the street in their America. It is another way to make sure that you follow our rules. Maybe the jury got it right -- based on the laws. Our laws need changing.
This is about instilling fear and intimidation. There are some obsessed with controlling woman's rights and eliminating civil rights. There are some outraged by LGBT people getting the legal right to marry. And now, they have financed a war, empowered people by instilling them with fear, and passed laws that allow their disciples to legally shoot to kill. They are winning. The law has been tested. "They" are those that passed these "stand your ground" laws in 24 states to date in order to protect their country the way they see fit.
I don't think George Zimmerman was thinking about that big picture. Don't get me wrong. Zimmerman pulled the trigger. But the people who worked fast and furiously to pass this heinous law are not the ones that will remember George Zimmerman. Zimmerman, the want-to-be cop, was profiling those "*$#& punks that always get away." He was a pawn in a plan -- a disposable, anonymous pawn. The law has been tested and the plan worked -- much to the dismay of the majority of Americans. And now a family and America has a broken heart. And a young innocent teen is dead.
I think the people who pushed through "stand your ground" in 24 states are smiling. I think it's a different 1 percent that got their way this time against the 99 percent. But it is still a victory for the racists, and bigots, and people out there who do not like change. I believe if we connect the dots, we will find this mindset has much to do with the obstruction in Washington regarding passing common sense laws restricting gun ownership and supporting background checks and eliminating civil rights.
It's about angry old white men, vigilantes, and crazy people with lots of guns wanting to take back their country and make the rest of us feel intimidated and live in fear.
We have to step back and ask ourselves how did this happen. How do we find ourselves reliving and re-fighting the fights of the past -- those for women's rights and civil rights? Why are we stepping backwards decades and centuries to refight the battles that have already been won. All because some well-financed, angry people want to control civil rights, and define the success and lives of others? How were the laws changed in so some many states without people noticing? What are we going to do about it?
Our challenge -- are we going to stand our ground? The jury has spoken, now voters have to speak.
RIP, Trayvon Martin. Your life was cut short. I would like to think you did not die in vain.
And, Mr. Zimmerman, just a thought for you -- you might want to let the police, the real police, keep that gun. And if you were as pathetic at MMA as your expert coaches said you were after 18 months of intensive training, (and they were under oath -- so no reason to doubt them) you might want to get your money back... sounds like they were milking you for all they could get.
What other explanation could there possibly be? Time to find something new to do.