STAND YOUR GROUND

Many of us are concerned with the things that are happening here in our country such as the "reproductive rights" laws being passed that are trying to skirt around abortion issues as well as challenging the new federal health care law; the new photo I.D. laws being passed to try to eliminate the minority votes; and the "stand your ground" laws being passed or considered in so many states. 

I have to remind myself that as with dis-ease in the body, the unhealthy climate being spotlighted by these recent issues must first be exposed before it can be treated or eliminated just as an illness or a tumor must first be diagnosed before it can be dosed with medicine or surgically removed.

Christians Honor Trayvon Martin with Hoodies
(Public Domain)

I hear many say they were not aware of the "stand your ground" laws until the recent killing of the young unarmed man in Florida. The seeming vigilantism this law seems to have encouraged has outraged most of us. Even the author of the Florida state law admitted the use of this law in this case was not what he intended for its use. The neighborhood watch volunteer responsible has exposed the law to the light, and now it should be overturned or at the very least, rewritten so that a tragedy such as the killing of an innocent, unarmed young person can never happen again. A 250-pound man with a handgun against a 140-pound kid in a hoodie, armed with a can of iced tea and a package of Skittles? Hardly a threat! 

Hutaree Christian Militia Group (Photo from USA Today/AP U.S.Marshalls file)

The Hutaree members pictured above are anti-government rebels operating in Michigan state. They were recently charged with training and planning to kill a law enforcement officer, thus drawing in the feds, but the charges were dismissed as not being proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Two still face weapons charges. This is an armed group in a "stand your ground" state. What if they felt "threatened" by the government, as the charges against them suggested they might? Here's a link to a related article:

http://www.freep.com/article/20120327/NEWS06/120327048/Judge-dismisses-conspiracy-charges-against-7-Hutaree-case

Remember these "Stand Your Ground" states? Well, a little research turned up the fact that the Ku Klux Klan has active groups in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, N. Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, S. Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Out of the 21 states with active KKK groups, only seven (7) states (AR, CA, NJ, NC, OH, PA, and VA) have not passed the same legislation permitting "stand your ground" responses. Some of those 7 states have some type of castle defense law on the books, and some are still trying to pass Stand Your Ground. I don't know about you, but the thought that a KKK member is armed and out there with this law behind him is scary indeed. Burning crosses is one thing, but shooting someone you perceive as a "threat" is quite another. 

The only time I actively joined in a protest was back in the mid-nineties in Denton, Texas. My good friend Carol, her gentleman friend at the time, and I spent an afternoon making up our protest signs to take to the Ku Klux Klan rally being held the next day in the City Park. We joined other protesters, and were successful in getting many to join in with us singing, "Love is the only power. Love is the only way. Love, love, love, love. Watch our circle grow." And it did. We sang loudly, and the Klan speakers who were there to gain recruits finally gave up and let the police escort them from the park, our song ringing all the way. The expression, "if looks could kill" was utmost in my mind that afternoon, as the KKK members threatened us the only way they could!  

I am almost afraid now to research other active extremist groups such as the White Supremacists and the Aryan Brothers. We people of reason must pay attention to what is going on in our country. Only by exposing evil can we overcome it. We have many good examples of such overcoming in our past.

The photo I.D. voter laws? Will it take "Freedom Riders" such as we had in the south during the Civil Rights movement coming again to bus the seniors and underprivileged that these laws will affect to places where they might obtain such I.D.s? What about fees if any? This harks back to the discriminatory poll taxes of our past! Texas has already implemented redistricting and has had it challenged in Federal Court as discriminatory, resulting in changing the primary election date to May 29, 2012. It has been bouncing around since the U.S. Supreme Court recently threw out the redistricting maps drawn up by a San Antonio court, which actually favored the Democrats. I don't know what the latest is on the status of the new districts - it's very confusing to me, but I received my new Voter Registration card in the mail last week. I heard that we might have to vote without them in this next election. Of course, we would have to show our photo I.D.


The Supreme Court is still hearing arguments in the Health Care Law case. I think it is pretty obvious that I support the law -- even without knowing very much about it. I do think it is time for the U.S. to join the ranks of other industrialized nations in the world in providing health care for all its citizens. The law may not be perfect, but it paves the way and can always be amended or changed. As an uninsured person for many, many years, I know how much medical care I did without -- and the consequences. I am paying for a lot of it today. Both literally and physically.

A lot is happening today. It prohibits my going back on another "news fast". None of us can afford to be uninformed.

Peace, love, and understanding,
Marilyn