The light of gunfire will shine brighter since legislation was recently passed in Florida that allows Floridians to meet "force with force" opposed to the "duty to retreat" when they fear for their lives outside of their homes, in their cars or businesses, or on the street. Can you image the consequences of this legislation?
Florida law already lets residents defend themselves against attackers if they can prove they could not have escaped. The new law allows them to use deadly force even if they could have fled and says that prosecutors must automatically presume that would-be victims feared for their lives if "allegedly" attacked.
Let’s analyze this legislation from various perspectives:
Road rage is prevalent throughout America. Individuals at any given time will react with tremendous anger to a driver cutting him or her off. Many documented cases of road rage resulting in death are being compiled in police agencies across the country. Road rage is the result of several components such as, hatred, selfishness, anger, racism and ignorance. One or all five of these components combined with a mind altering drug or alcohol will inevitably end with devastating results, especially when a gun is involved. The new law that deadly force is appropriate when an individual feels his or her life is threatened is setting a dangerous precedent.
With many Floridians legally carrying weapons and being aware of the new law, they will not hesitate to shoot first because they understand that their hesitation could conceivably cost them their life. That split second delay could give the other guy the edge to justifiably shoot first. How scary?
With the knowledge of this new law, many individuals are going to become vigilantes. Not necessarily out of concern for crime, but as a hobby. There will be no room for debate. A simple disagreement will evolve into a deadly conclusion. The passage of this legislation will change the moral fibers of Americanism.
The escalation of racial tension not only in Florida, but in other States the National Rifle Association backers plan to visit to introduce this legislation will only be intensified. Most, if not all racial incidents will end in death. Most likely, the victims will be African Americans. Reason being, the White man is already intimidated by the Black man. Take that intimidation and the knowledge that the prosecutor must automatically presume that would-be victims feared for their lives if attacked and you have the recipe for the solution to the extermination of African Americans in States with the passage of this legislation. The Bushes never fail to amaze me.
Dwight Taylor
Last edited by Dwight on Sat Nov 05, 2005 4:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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