The Problem with Florida
I have no way of knowing with certainty what really transpired in Sanford, Florida, between Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman on that fateful night of February 26, 2012, although it appears Zimmerman was out looking for trouble. However, I can say with certainty that the Stand Your Ground law signed by Florida Governor Jeb Bush back in 2005 has been nothing but a prescription for disaster.
Essentially the statute allows any licensed gun owner to shoot someone if he or she feels “reasonably” threatened by that person—even if that person is unarmed. In effect, this has turned the entire state of Florida into the Wild West, where deadly shootouts were once commonplace. Already 200 people in Florida have been killed as a result of the Stand Your Ground law. According to press reports, many of the victims were unarmed.
Most disturbing, 25 other states have followed Florida’s example by passing similar laws. Is this really the America we want? I don’t think so.
