The most soft spoken, nicest guy I ever met was a thrice convicted felon probably responsible for ten shootings. In private conversations he would relate his exploits to me and frankly it sounded like a wild west show. What he never did was stand his ground. In a demanding situation he would retreat, play a coward and concede any point. He was wonderful with children.
People confuse standing their ground with self defense or the application of second amendment rights. The only time you must stand your ground is when there is a twelve foot wall behind you that you simply cannot scale. Standing your ground in a street that you do not own is not standing your ground, it is confrontation. It is in effect saying, "I'm here, I'm in your face, and I'll kill you to protect this spot of sidewalk. Now, I'm not saying that if someone crashes through your front door you must run out the back. That person has attacked and you are perfectly within you rights to assume the worse and protect your life and the lives of those around you.
To stand your ground in almost any other situation is comparable with the old time gunslinger that everyone in town tiptoed around. What George Zimmerman did not understand was when you stand your ground there are some people who will knock you off that ground. That, and using deadly force is a major, complicated, legal decision. Even a rattlesnake won't use deadly force until cornered. Most will slither away.
Stand your ground is an evolution of self defense assuming confrontation. And it applies to all. George Zimmerman was standing his ground, protecting the neighborhood and Trayvon Martin was standing his ground, thinking he had every right to walk to the store. See where this is going. It is no different than two adversaries squaring off in the streets of Tombstone in 1888. And I totally reject the age thing. Billy the Kid was well known to be an excellent dancer. A 19th century John Travolta. He also took a shotgun away from a deputy and put 16 dimes in his chest. George Zimmerman is a violent man. Trayvon Martin was a violent man. I hate to be the first one to tell you urban pilgrims this but when you put two violent men in a confrontational mode you ALWAYS get the event similar to the one in Sanford, Florida that night.
Will ending stand your ground end these things? Nope! But it will clear up the bullshit ambiguous legal maneuvers perpetrated by shyster lawyers. A person has a right to defend his life. Hell, even a dog has that right. But there will always be people you should pass on by. When Liberty Vallence walked the streets the men would step aside.
I have always ridiculed when a person is exonerated of a criminal charge and then gets charged with a civil rights violation but this time I relent. O. J. Was found not guilty. Jury said he wasn't there, didn't do it, next page. It is beyond question that when George Zimmerman confronted Trayvon Martin he did indeed violate Trayvon's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If a joint, an Arizzona tea, and a bag of candy was what Trayvon considered a happy night it was none of Zimmerman's business.
Anger, suspicion, fear, and all the other things came into play that night. Imagine two gunfighters swaggering into the street for a showdown. Both have guns. Neither has a real reason to be in that street, but times being what they were both "stood their ground." The very fact that both were there constituted a threat. The instant one began to draw the other was obligated to graduate to self defense. I know a bunch of you more enlightened folks out there will differ with me, but it's that simple.
Should Zimmerman be persecuted? George stepped into a role that he can never shake. And just like the Clantons rode into Tombstone that day and met up with the Earps at the OK Corral, there will always be someone out there waiting to try him out. I suggest he goes to the practice range regularly. This is the law of the jungle people, and the more you perfume it the more it smells like someone just crapped a Christmas tree.
But it is not all white people's problem. It is not the responsibility of every Mexican in the US. So, when you riot, when you break windows, hit ladies in the head with a hammer be aware; there's lots of room in George Zimmerman's shoes and for every New Black Panther there is someone out there more than willing to stand THEIR ground, and try you out!
No comments:
Post a Comment