The United States of America has done a good job of branding
itself as the standard bearers for modern progressive governance and society. It
has gone all over the world spearheading wars and instigating revolutions
against supposedly immoral and backward leaders that they accuse of oppressing sections
of their society. All of this in the name of making the world a better and more
equal place but one look at America itself shows that it is in as much need of
a revolution.
The death of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent acquittal of
his killer George Zimmerman has opened up the age old gash of racial discrimination
in America. Not only has it highlighted the insanity of many laws, it has brought
to light a discussion long held in African-American circles but not so
seriously considered in the mainstream – the argument that the sort of justice
you experience is heavily dependent on the colour of your skin.
Apart from the Trayvon Martin case, there is the story of
Marissa Alexander, a black lady, also from the state of Florida that was
sentenced to 20
years in prison for firing a ‘warning shot’ into a wall after an
altercation with her husband. Alexander’s husband had been arrested twice
before for on misdemeanour and battery charges against other women. In this
case, the judge rejected the Stand Your Ground defence. In the same state of Florida,
Ralph
Ward, a white man, who killed his wife’s lover in his home after firing
three shots into his head and back was acquitted of all charges on account of
his Stand Your Ground defence. See the trend?
It is disgraceful enough that the Stand Your Ground law that
basically allows one man to take another’s life simply because he can and
because the law allows him to. It is even more disgraceful that in “progressive”
America, there are glaring inconsistencies in its application. If Trayvon
Martin had killed George Zimmerman, would he be a free man now?
To fully acquit a man who killed a 17 year old boy, who
turned out to have been a harmless passer-by, only carrying a bottle of ice tea
and a packet of Skittles, and for the defence to boldly say “the prosecution of
George Zimmerman was disgraceful” is an indictment on American society. It
is a slap in the face of everyone that craves justice.
The state of Florida and the United States of America as a
whole should hang their collective heads in shame that the ‘Stand Your Ground’
laws that allowed George Zimmerman to walk out of court a free man is alive and
well within its borders.
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