I'm sure most here can feel their stomach turn over the not guilty verdict returned in the George Zimmerman trial. There are so many things disturbing about this incident, but try to focus on the real culprit here.
Zimmerman is innocent according to Florida law. This was apparent, before the case even went to the defense. The law gives a person the right to engage another person, then shoot them if things get out of control.
Stand Your Ground is a absurd concept, which has been pushed by extremist, who have sought to make vigilantes legal.
In most states there is what is called an obligation to retreat, which says that before self defense can be claimed, the shooter must have tried to leave the situation. There has long been an exception called a castle rule, which states that you are allowed to defend your home or vehicle without an obligation to retreat.
Stand your ground extends this castle concept to literally anywhere in public. The notion is that if you are in a public place, it is the same as if someone breaks into your house and threatens you.
This is fundamentally dangerous for reason all too clear tonight. This places the burden on the prosecution to show intent to overcome a claim of self defense. Intent is nearly impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prior to the stand your ground law, Zimmerman would have vacated his self defense rights by engaging Trayvon Martin. The sane notion of an obligation to retreat would have destroyed Zimmerman's claim that he was simply defending himself from an attacker.
This isn't a second amendment thing. It isn't about guns. It is simply a discussion on the expectations on a citizen, who takes the life of another citizen. The justification for depriving someone of the most fundamental of liberties should have a far higher bar, than we have seen set in many states.