In honor of Trayvon Martin

Most of our posts are brief and to the point, but we thought Trayvon deserved a bit more. Here is some analysis about gun laws in America that allowed George Zimmerman to get off scot-free:

This past Saturday, George Zimmerman was acquitted on the charges of manslaughter and second degree murder. Unsurprisingly, the verdict elicited a strong public reaction; sparking protests and vigils around the country in honor of Trayvon Martin who many now view as a martyr to a racially biased justice system. While race prejudice is without doubt the largest theme reverberating from this case, it is important that we draw attention as well to what this says about the state of gun violence and gun control in this country. Few would argue with the right to self-defence in the case of a life threatening situation, however as the New York Times Editorial Board pointed out, “when the Stand Your Ground laws intersect with lax concealed-carry laws, it works essentially to self-deputize anyone with a Kel-Tec 9 millimeter and a grudge.” Trayvon Martin’s death was tragic; not just in the passing a bright young man, but in the resulting court validation of Zimmerman’s actions during the altercation. Are we to be a society of vigilantes? Always suspicious, always judging each other based on stereotypes and prejudices? Sadly, that seems to be the kind of culture the Florida justice system is endorsing.

Trayvon Martin’s Legacy, The Editorial Board, New York Times, July 14, 2013