By: Doug

Doug
Tue, 04 Mar 2014 22:08:37 +0000

It’s interesting that if you have no real argument or understanding you can always default to calling your opponent racist.

As is tradition, the media has no intention of discussing how or why stand your ground laws came about, and TommyS is completely correct that the defense of Zimmerman had exactly zero to do with stand your ground.

Stand your ground laws came about because people were being victimized and if they chose to fight back, even inside their own homes, they would have to go to court and prove that they had no way to retreat (aka guilty until proven innocent). So, after being victimized once by the criminal, they have to go to court and defend themselves a second time because any prosecutor can come up a hundred hypotheticals for what you could have done.

On top of all that, if the criminal was injured or killed in the process of victimizing you, s/he and/or his/her family will sue you for civil liabilities.

Stand your ground laws do nothing more than switch the burden of proof to the state to prove that your actions were not self defense (aka innocent until proven guilty) and shield the victim from civil liability, if not guilty of a criminal offense. You are NOT protected under syg laws if you are the aggressor.