Suppose you are walking down the street one evening and two guys start running towards you waiving guns and screaming "Hand over your money". Do you
a) Turn and run the other way in an effort to get away?
b) Pull out your own gun (assuming you have it) and shout at them to get away from you?
c) Pull out your own gun and fire at them?
d) Stand there and start taking out your wallet?
e) Pull out your phone and try to dial 911?
Now suppose you are sitting in your living room and two guys burst into the front door waiving guns and screaming "Hand over your money!" Do you
a) Turn and run the other way in an effort to get away?
b) Pull out your own gun (assuming you have it) and shout at them to get away from you?
c) Pull out your own gun and fire at them?
d) Stand there and start taking out your wallet?
e) Pull out your phone and try to dial 911?
These may seem like the same question, but not according to the law. If you are in your home and someone threatens you with a gun, you can defend yourself by shooting in self defense. If you are on the street, you can shoot at the thugs only if you cannot run away. That is where the Stand Your Ground laws come into play. Indeed, that is the only place where Stand Your Ground laws come into play. If someone threatens you with severe bodily injury or death outside your home, those laws say you no longer need to run away. You are allowed to defend yourself.
The point here, of course, is that Stand Your Ground laws have nothing to do with the Zimmerman verdict. They have nothing to do with racism. They have nothing to do with anything that people like the Attorney General, the President or various other pols are busy talking about these days.
Stand Your Ground laws are the ultimate red herring.
a) Turn and run the other way in an effort to get away?
b) Pull out your own gun (assuming you have it) and shout at them to get away from you?
c) Pull out your own gun and fire at them?
d) Stand there and start taking out your wallet?
e) Pull out your phone and try to dial 911?
Now suppose you are sitting in your living room and two guys burst into the front door waiving guns and screaming "Hand over your money!" Do you
a) Turn and run the other way in an effort to get away?
b) Pull out your own gun (assuming you have it) and shout at them to get away from you?
c) Pull out your own gun and fire at them?
d) Stand there and start taking out your wallet?
e) Pull out your phone and try to dial 911?
These may seem like the same question, but not according to the law. If you are in your home and someone threatens you with a gun, you can defend yourself by shooting in self defense. If you are on the street, you can shoot at the thugs only if you cannot run away. That is where the Stand Your Ground laws come into play. Indeed, that is the only place where Stand Your Ground laws come into play. If someone threatens you with severe bodily injury or death outside your home, those laws say you no longer need to run away. You are allowed to defend yourself.
The point here, of course, is that Stand Your Ground laws have nothing to do with the Zimmerman verdict. They have nothing to do with racism. They have nothing to do with anything that people like the Attorney General, the President or various other pols are busy talking about these days.
Stand Your Ground laws are the ultimate red herring.
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