Let’s put the shoe on the other foot.
If Trayvon Martin had been a white teen who was shot dead by a full-grown African-American man living in a gated community, would there be room for protest? Would the African-American man with a gun not be arrested, charged with murder and given substance abuse tests?
Would the black perpetrator be let go based on the Stand Your Ground law in Florida? I doubt it.
Then why is there so much uproar? There is much rallying because a white perpetrator was allowed to go free without trial in the killing of a 17-year-old black teen who didn’t carry a weapon.
The Stand Your Ground law in Florida states that a person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force.
However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if: He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.
In reviewing this case it is hard to imagine that George Zimmerman did not pursue Travyon Martin for walking in “his” neighborhood after calling and being warned by 911 dispatch not to approach the victim. One can only wonder if Trayvon might still be alive if Zimmerman would have left him alone.
The fact that Zimmerman apparently called Martin a racial epithet lends to further suspicion that Martin’s murder was a hate crime. The fight that ensued between Martin and Zimmerman could have been self-defense or it could have been the young Martin fighting for his life.
Currently, there are ongoing state and federal investigations into this case. Time will tell whether Zimmerman will be charged with any crimes in the murder of Martin. I find it ironic that the law that has been keeping George Zimmerman out of prison is called the Stand Your Ground law. It is ironic because I believe that it is time for people in the community who are tired of racial injustice and wrongful deaths of our young black men to Stand Our Ground.
Buford is president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
