Self Defense Now a Federal Issue

House Democrats said Tuesday they will offer an amendment to push to overturn stand-your-ground self-defense laws in states like Florida.

The amendment, which would withhold some grants from states that have such laws, will come as part of the House’s debate on the Commerce Department spending bill.

“‘Shoot-first’ laws have already cost too many lives. In Florida alone, deaths due to self-defense have tripled since the law was enacted. Federal money shouldn’t be spent supporting states with laws that endanger their own people,” said Reps. Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the two Democrats who are offering the legislation. “This is no different than withholding transportation funds from states that don’t enforce seat-belt laws.”

Florida’s law, which allows residents to use force in response to an attack without first having to retreat, has come under scrutiny after the nationally-polarizing death of teenager Trayvon Martin. George Zimmermann, a neighborhood watch volunteer, has been charged with murder in the case.

via Washington Times.

Surely they jest!  I guess Reps. Grijalva and Ellison would rather have dead victims.

I have some news for these guys, our right to self-defense comes from our creator — not from the government.  If you think otherwise go put yourself between a mama bear and her cub.

Trayvon Martin Case Causing More Beatings?

Mobile police need your help to catch a mob that beat Matthew Owens so badly that he’s in critical condition.

According to police, Owens fussed at some kids playing basketball in the middle of Delmar Drive about 8:30 Saturday night. They say the kids left and a group of adults returned, armed with everything but the kitchen sink.

Police tell News 5 the suspects used chairs, pipes and paint cans to beat Owens.

Owens’ sister, Ashley Parker, saw the attack. “It was the scariest thing I have ever witnessed.” Parker says 20 people, all African American, attacked her brother on the front porch of his home, using “brass buckles, paint cans and anything they could get their hands on.”

Police will only say “multiple people” are involved.

What Parker says happened next could make the fallout from the brutal beating even worse. As the attackers walked away, leaving Owen bleeding on the ground, Parker says one of them said “Now that’s justice for Trayvon.”

via The Daily Caller.

NOTE:  Photo of Mr. Owens in the hospital at link.

Violence begets violence until someone stands up and shouts STOP!!

But that hasn’t happened.

What has happened is the MSM, black “leaders”, the new black panthers, and Left leaning talking heads of all sorts have been yelling form the mountaintops “No Justice No Peace.”  Matthew Owens is the result.

Our society is so screwed.

#KillZimmerman: The Left is Silent

On March 24 a “KillZimmerman” Twitter account began publishing calls for violence against George Zimmerman, the self-appointed neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26.

Five days later, the account is still on its crusade to avenge Martin.

The sender’s initial tweets made his or her aims clear: “No Justice No Peace!!!!!!!!!! #KILLZIMMERMAN #KILLZIMMERMAN #KILLZIMMERMAN,” they read.

via The Daily Caller.

This is a problem.

Yesterday there was a post over at Althouse about how someone had taken a poll about the Martin/Zimmerman issue.  A Poll!!  We do NOT use POLLS to determine if someone is innocent or guilty!!

We are a nation of laws.  Our system is not perfect; but it does work.

And where is the MSM on this?  Where’s the left on this?

When Gabrielle Giffords was shot the MSM & the left were everywhere jumping up-and-down that it was all Sarah Palin’s fault.  Palin — love her or hate her — never, in any way, called for Giffords to be killed.

Here, this person is actually publicly calling for the assassination of another person.  Somehow that’s acceptable?  Is this really who we’ve become?

Kuryente: Ya, I Never Heard of it Either

One Tagalog word for which no exact translation in English exists is “kuryente.” It literally means “electric current,” but the word can be applied to the practice of spreading sensational but faked news in order to produce a media jolt. One newspaper translates “kuryente” as “a bum steer”; others have rendered it as “actually but not really” or “confirmed but not definite.” At any rate, the phrase applies perfectly to the storm of bogus rumors swirling around the Trayvon Martin media feeding frenzy. The Daily Mail reports:

Fake Will Smith tweet about Trayvon Martin sweeps the internet  — and Spike Lee retweets wrong address for George Zimmerman. … Man tweeting as Will Smith tweeted angry post about no justice for Trayvon — Spike Lee retweeted incorrect Florida address for Trayvon’s killer, George Zimmerman — Man posing as Will Ferrell also tweeted about high-profile case.

Americans are no stranger to the phrase “fake but accurate.” But kuryente takes things to another level where the lie becomes the truth; or worse, to where nobody can tell the difference.

The couple who actually live at the address which Spike Lee wrongly believed to belong to George M. Zimmerman now fear for their lives. The address was actually associated with the electoral roll of a different Zimmerman — George A. Zimmerman — though of course such fine distinctions are lost in the wash. As for the “Will Smith” tweets, the author of his missives is actually a “white man from Nashville, Tennessee.”  Nor is Will Ferrell the Will Ferrell — his spokesman says his tweet was a hoax.

Not that it will make any difference. The main thing about faked news is that it shouldn’t matter whether it is in the slightest degree true. It is far more important for the news to confirm what we want to hear: our deepest suspicions about our neighbor or our wildest vanities about ourselves. People will believe it because they want to. As for the truth, well what about it?

Even the most basic facts becomes surprisingly irrelevant. Media Matters, for example, apologized to Matt Drudge after accusing him of being a “racist demagogue” for running a fake photo of the victim — only to discover it was actually a real photo. You would have thought Media Matters would know true from fake to play the fact-check game, but really, why would factuality be important?

Winston Churchill once observed that “a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” The immense power of kuryente consists in that it operates in the world of myth. It does not belong in the universe of fact. Hence what happened when, who liked what, what reasons there were for which: these are irrelevant.

via PJ Media.

An amazing piece.  Go read the whole thing.  It’s well worth it.

The author, Richard Fernandez, has pulled an incredible excerpt from George Orwell that mirrors exactly what we’re going through with the Trayvon Martin situation.

What have we become when we cannot identify — nor really care for — the truth?

Trayvon Martin’ death vs. 16 Others… Every Day

A lot of energy is being focused on the death of Trayvon Martin as a sign of racism in our society.  Yet I find myself deeply troubled by the very selective upset of civil rights leaders.  In 2010, 6470 blacks were murdered in the United States, more than 17 per day.  Examining the single offender/victim table shows that 90% of black murder victims were murdered by another black. (No surprise: most murder is within race.)  I don’t mean to suggest that Trayvon Martin’s death is unimportant.  But where is the outrage and fury of the civil rights groups about the 16 black-on-black murders that happen every day in the U.S.?  We don’t know if Zimmerman did something criminal, or just something stupid that led to Trayvon Martin’s death.  But we do know that every day there are sixteen black-on-black murders in the U.S., and they almost never receive this kind of attention and concern. Or is it only a concern if the killer isn’t black?

via PJ Media.

Indeed.

Black Male Code – Good for Whites Too!

AP writer Jesse Washington recently wrote about having to tell his 12 y/o son about the Black Male Code as a result of the Trayvon Martin fiasco.

As I explained it, the Code goes like this:

Always pay close attention to your surroundings, son, especially if you are in an affluent neighborhood where black folks are few. Understand that even though you are not a criminal, some people might assume you are, especially if you are wearing certain clothes.

Never argue with police, but protect your dignity and take pride in humility. When confronted by someone with a badge or a gun, do not flee, fight, or put your hands anywhere other than up.

Please don’t assume, son, that all white people view you as a threat. America is better than that. Suspicion and bitterness can imprison you. But as a black male, you must go above and beyond to show strangers what type of person you really are.

via MSNBC.

This is a good start; but one should remove all references to race (do you really think it’s ok for white people to argue with the police?) and then beef it up a little.  Further, it’s not about dealing with people who might “have a badge or a gun,” it’s about being polite to everyone in society.  It’s getting a little crowed here and we all have to get along.

As an attorney I get asked on a regular basis something like, “What should I do when [insert interaction with police here.]  Here’s what I tell my generally white, generally upper middle class, generally men, who generally are driving a late model imported car about how to handle traffic stops:

• pull over as soon as it’s safe when you see the “lights” come on;
• turn the car OFF;
• roll down ALL the windows, yes, the back one’s too;
• remove the keys from the ignition and place on the dashboard;
• make sure your foot is off the brake;
• if dark, turn the interior lights on;
• turn the radio off;
• place your cell phone on the dashboard;
• do NOT fidget trying to get your wallet out of your pocket (purse) or ins. card from the console;
• do NOT turn around looking for the officer to approach;
• keep your hands on the steering wheel or out the window;

If you simply do that you’re doing better than most people the officer pulled over that day and the interaction between you and the officer should go more smoothly than if you did not do these things. However that’s really only the beginning.  You should also:

• Answer all of the officer’s questions simply and directly;
• do NOT admit guilt – but do NOT argue;
• if you’re asked for something you have to reach for, ask permission to get it (e.g. “My drivers license is in my wallet in my back pocket, may I get it?”;)
•  describe all of your actions to the officer BEFORE you do them (e.g. “Proof in insurance is in my glove box it’s just a piece of paper but I also have a silver case for my sunglasses in there, I’m going to have to remove that first.”;)
• follow all of the officers instructions, if you’re told to get out of the car, don’t argue or ask why, just get out of the car;
• be polite, engage in a conversation as normally as possible;
• if you have questions ask them but do not interrupt.

You get the idea.  Now, would it be fair to say that this should become the Upper Middle Class Imported Car Driving White Male Code?  Of course not.  This is advice for everyone regardless of age, race, gender, and automobile country of origin.

If we keep trying to focus on ways that we’re different we’ll never discover all the ways that we’re the same.  When it comes to dealing with authority figures, we’re all very much the same.

Race and the Media

The number one post (in terms of views) on this blog thus far has been the story about the boy from Kansas City, who happened to be white, and was walking along and set on fire by two other kids, who happen to be black.

This story came up again in the comments on a story over at CNN about a reporter using the N* word on live TV.  Kudos to “Tom” who today at 5:08 CT posted:

Why has CNN not reported about the Black on White hate crime in Kansas City?  Two black teenagers gasoline torching a white 13 year old and not  adrop of reporting.

So that got me thinking and I did some Googling:

boy kansas city gasoline fire
11,800,000 results – News Only, 28 results

kansas city gasoline fire hate crime
380,000 results – News Only, 16 results

florida neighborhood watch shoots black unarmed
522,000 results – News Only, 3,700 results

florida neighborhood watch shoots black unarmed hate crime
68,800 results – News Only, 103 results

Wow!!

It appears the media has generally ignored the Kansas City story but the blogosphere wrote about it extensively.  It also appears that both the media and the blogosphere are careful, cautious, about labeling a story a hate crime.

UPDATE:  Changed formatting of the search results to better fit on the page.