Geeorge Zimmerman and "Stand Your Ground," a modest proposal
If I understand the nature of the Florida laws, and the outcome of the recent trial of George Zimmerman, if I should find him behind me on the street I am legally justified in killing him.
He is a man who is confirmed to carry firearms at inappropriate times. (No Neighborhood Watch program would tolerate a member carrying a firearm, or working alone as part of the program.) He has admitted to shooting an unarmed person whose only confirmed "crime" was getting nervous about the creepy stranger who was following him on a dark and stormy night.
How can any of us avoid feeling that our lives could be at risk if Mr. Zimmerman is following us? We can assume that he is armed. We know his ability to decide who is a "punk" can lead him to target unarmed kids, with no information as to what other failed identifications he is capable of. We've seen the local police community fail to identify him even as a suspect in a crime until forced by public pressure, so seeking assistance from law enforcement may not help.
The logic, such as it is, seems inescapable, unless you are a supporter of Florida's Stand Your Ground law, or similar laws in other locations.
I do NOT advocate shooting George Zimmerman down on the street.
Instead, I propose the following.
If you find yourself in line of sight of Mr. Zimmerman, raise both hands above your head and spread your fingers to show that you are unarmed. Bring your arms down and, with one or both hands, do the classic finger-pistol point and shout "Bang! I have just Stood my Ground and executed an admitted stalker of and killer of a child. I felt fear for my life because he might think I was a punk. The law can't touch me." After that, ignore him. Completely.
Sounds silly? If this should start to happen to him several times a day, it just might make him begin to think about whether he'd done something wrong. If it means he doesn't get his morning coffee at a doughnut shop, can't get a cab to stop for him, and can't check out groceries at the supermarket (or even get cheese sliced at the deli), even better.
Leave out the "Bang!" part, and it is called Shunning.
If the courts won't put him in prison, perhaps the rest of us should make the entire world a prison for this vigilante child-killer.
He is a man who is confirmed to carry firearms at inappropriate times. (No Neighborhood Watch program would tolerate a member carrying a firearm, or working alone as part of the program.) He has admitted to shooting an unarmed person whose only confirmed "crime" was getting nervous about the creepy stranger who was following him on a dark and stormy night.
How can any of us avoid feeling that our lives could be at risk if Mr. Zimmerman is following us? We can assume that he is armed. We know his ability to decide who is a "punk" can lead him to target unarmed kids, with no information as to what other failed identifications he is capable of. We've seen the local police community fail to identify him even as a suspect in a crime until forced by public pressure, so seeking assistance from law enforcement may not help.
The logic, such as it is, seems inescapable, unless you are a supporter of Florida's Stand Your Ground law, or similar laws in other locations.
I do NOT advocate shooting George Zimmerman down on the street.
Instead, I propose the following.
If you find yourself in line of sight of Mr. Zimmerman, raise both hands above your head and spread your fingers to show that you are unarmed. Bring your arms down and, with one or both hands, do the classic finger-pistol point and shout "Bang! I have just Stood my Ground and executed an admitted stalker of and killer of a child. I felt fear for my life because he might think I was a punk. The law can't touch me." After that, ignore him. Completely.
Sounds silly? If this should start to happen to him several times a day, it just might make him begin to think about whether he'd done something wrong. If it means he doesn't get his morning coffee at a doughnut shop, can't get a cab to stop for him, and can't check out groceries at the supermarket (or even get cheese sliced at the deli), even better.
Leave out the "Bang!" part, and it is called Shunning.
If the courts won't put him in prison, perhaps the rest of us should make the entire world a prison for this vigilante child-killer.