Whenever you create laws that protect your use of guns, you run the risk of indisputable vigilantism.
The real surprise is not that we have yet another teen killing in Florida, the surprise is that we don't have more. 'When Michael Dunn gets off for the murder of 17 year old Jordan Davis, we all will get to argue over some peculiar facts. Dunn will get acquitted for rolling down his window and asking the car load of black youth, "are you talking to me?". It appears that they were guilty of playing that "rap crap" a bit too loudly for Dunn's liking. But it was the shot gun that they just so happened to be riding down the street with, which they proceeded to aim at Dunn, causing him to shoot back in self defense. No shotgun was found so Dunn surmises that they got rid of it before they tried to save the life of their friend.
Did Dunn just so happen to have his gun cocked and ready when he saw the shotgun, or did he swiftly respond to the sight of a shotgun by reaching to get his own gun and opening fire before getting one bullet in return fire; especially from a shooter who already had their hand on the trigger of the gun Dunn claims to have stared down the barrel at.
Much like George Zimmerman, he only has sensibility working against him, none of which resides in Florida. Well, to be fair, there might be a lot of sensible people living in Florida. Some might even be on the jury in this trial, but the law that they allowed through intention or neglect has offered an easy way to ease an itchy trigger finger.
You don't have to own guns as an adult to remember your journey with guns. For boys and girls all over the land, our love affair with guns began long long ago, after fulfilling some birthday or Christmas wish.
Your first piece was one of those noise making kind that look pretty fake, but made you feel like a cowboy. These guns are wrought with positives and negatives. The positive is that a kid with a pretty good imagination could spend hours with that noisy crap and never make you worry about damage to anything but your nerves.
The down side is that kids grow up pointing safe guns at the face of one another, which is not a habit that works well when the trigger finally releases more than a noise. Our safe guns became like candy cigarettes; probably okay to have, but an odd behavior to promote.
When I first got a BB gun, I couldn't wait to go outside each morning and try to take out a squirrel or a bird in my area. I tried to be a safe user of the toy, as did my friends, but most of us remember hitting someone in the face with a pellet, or taking one ourselves.
Firing ranges are probably fun, but don't you ever drive around with your legal gun, or walk in an ugly side of town with your permit to carry and think; "I really hope some idiot gives me a reason today"?
No?
Never?
Well, if you never get the urge to wake up early and clean your new assault rifle and stand with it in your front room and imagine that burglar you bought it for, you are better than me. I had to get rid of all thoughts of video games because I get obsessive over new toys. An actual gun would have me dreaming of making one of those internet videos, 'murder of a watermelon'. My first watermelon was a poor squirrel that got the unfortunate luck of my sling shot and a strong wind when it fell from the power line to the ground. (Head trauma.....didn't end well).
I am certain that this has something to do with my aversion to weapons of all kind, yet the depravity did not end there.
That dead squirrel that I accidentally killed on purpose did not cure me. Someone, probably not me, had to finish that squirrel with a shovel and dump it in the dumpster because I made excuses when confronted with what had happened, and I ran from the responsibility in the end. I wasn't quite 7 yet, but I knew better even though killing that squirrel was the reason for making the sling shot. If I got caught hitting a person I would not get to use them anymore, so I practiced on bottles until I thought I could hit an animal.
I missed every animal, until I didn't.
Guns are so dangerous that most states put harsh penalties around the misuse of them. Florida has made it easier to consider the option more readily. Florida has said what all gun rights activist seem to believe, that our problem is not too many guns, its not enough guns in the hands of good people. What that statement declares is that good people, whoever and wherever you are, must start packing a piece and LOOK for an opportunity to do good for your country. If you do not feel safe to act, the very concept of citizens with guns loses its value and purpose.
You see, the theory is that criminals need to start getting shocked when they discover that people will defend themselves and pop a cap in your ass. Once again, this demands the willingness and freedom to shoot first and ask questions later....and not go to prison. You can't claim the power of a gun in the hands of normal people and not make it easier for normal people to use them without hesitation. The people who write these laws are the normal people with guns imagining what they might need from the law when they are forced to pop a cap in your ass.
They are absolutely right in regards to the demands of a law that says shooting people is the way to get bad folks to worry about who has a gun. If you make a mistake in the process, you need only the defense of motive to gain the protection of the law. Even if their theory happens to one day coincide with reduced crime in Florida, the connection to the killing of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, and others before them, and more to come will be coincidental at best.
If Michael Dunn gets convicted to anything, it won't be hard time like some are hoping for. Such a conviction and sentence would shoot a bullet into the intent of this Florida law. A soft sentence like probation and anger management training will preserve the sanctity of this stand your ground law.......and will piss off those looking for justice to high heaven.
Next Post: The Future of Stand Your Ground Laws
