It would be an understatement to say that people are angry at George Zimmerman’s acquittal. The Department of Justice is reviewing a possible civil-rights case, and representatives for Trayvon Martin’s family (read: Jesse Jackson and the usual vultures) are planning civil action.
It won’t stop there. Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law will come under immense scrutiny in the coming weeks and months. Expect the same in other states.
When the ball started rolling in 2005, opponents referred to these as “shoot to kill” laws. The phrase “license to kill” was also thrown about quite a bit. The Brady Campaign erected a billboard on I-75 at the Georgia/Florida border in an attempt to frighten tourists about it. They made it an uphill battle, but the law passed in Florida, and over twenty other states would follow.
Now we’re edging back to square one. Dan Gross released a statement today on the matter, and we can expect the Brady Campaign to make repealing or weakening these laws their top priority. They’re feeling their oats since regaining some relevance in the wake the Sandy Hook shooting, and now they’ve got Mayor Bloomberg on board.
The battle for gun control has shifted from the national to the state legislatures, and there’s a real threat here. Expect the Guilt and Shame cards to be played again. If we don’t support new laws, we don’t honor the memory of the Sandy Hook kids Trayvon Martin. Oh, and we’re all racists.
Sooner rather than later would be a good time to get in touch with your elected officials.