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Lawmakers On The Verge Of Rejecting ‘Stand Your Ground’ Session
August 9, 2018
Republicans are on the verge of scuttling an effort by Democrats to hold a special legislative session on the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law.
After three days of polling by the Department of State, 44 House members have voted against the proposed special session, while 25 have voted in favor. Democrat Katie Edwards-Walpole of Plantation has joined House Republicans in opposition, according to results posted by the state agency.To force a special session, the proposal would require three-fifths support in each of the GOP-dominated legislative chambers.
That would equate to 70 members of the House and 24 members of the Senate voting in favor. The vote in the Senate at the end of Wednesday stood at 12 in favor and 11 opposed. The results were along party lines. Legislators have until noon Friday to respond to the polling.
The request to revisit the self-defense law came in response to the shooting death last month of Markeis McGlockton in the parking lot of a Clearwater convenience store. No charges have been filed against the shooter.
Comments
18 Responses to “Lawmakers On The Verge Of Rejecting ‘Stand Your Ground’ Session”
It is not about being a coward or scared, it’s a matter of survival. Years ago I didn’t think twice about “bad people”. Standing 6′4″ , 265 with combat training and martial arts behind me, I was prepared. BUT after three accidents , two of which left me disabled, my abilities are of little to no use anymore. As a formal Law Enforcement officer I can tell you the police you call in an emergency can not protect you from the threat, they can only clean up what’s left and try to catch the guilty party. In the mean time you, the victim, are hurt or dead. All people have to understand a basic fact : Your “right” to live ends when you threaten my “right” to safely survive.
Marcus Aurelius – “to expect bad men to do nothing is madness”
With rare exceptions, the individuals who are at risk from Stand Your Ground are violent criminals or criminals-to-be.
There is nothing wrong with owning or using automotive vehicles despite fatal accidents.
Medical service providers are a boon to society despite malpractice instances.
Freedom is cherished in this country despite its frequent abuse.
Case rested.
It’s not citizens who believe in protecting themselves from thugs that are cowards,
Sorry, it is a given that thugs and bangers are itty bitty cowards carrying guns, but to suggest when somebody leaves their home they are frightened of lightening and walk around with a portable lightening rod……most sane normally courageous people would think the person is nuts. However, when frightened people carry weapons, it reminds me of my brother after watching a dracula movie as a kid, he would sprinkle garlic powder in his bed. Dracula never got him, and not surprisingly he has a conceal and carry now.
My hunting guns are unloaded and in locked cases. I have never considered them as a first line in protecting my family, but certainly I could use them for that purpose. I put more stock in a good video system and exterior motion detectors. Sure it is not 1950, but how did we become such scardy cats?
Some of these comments are very disturbing. The Markeis McGlockton incident was about a very disturbed individual looking for a reason to cause trouble. He was lucky that in the past his other victims never pressed charges or left the area so he couldn’t be charged with any crime. There are some real nuts out there with weapons. They are cowards.
Look at what Markeis did. He went out to protect his family from some nut job that was harassing his family. What would you have done? Would you try to keep that person away from your family or walk away? If he had shot the man would you be okay with the stand your ground law or called him a thug for shooting someone for shouting. Check yourself. Look at both sides.
Grand Locust: BTW, I’m 66 also and know that this isn’t the 1950s anymore where you don’t have to lock your doors, etc.
To Grand Locust: I think you have things backwards. It’s not citizens who believe in protecting themselves from thugs that are cowards, it’s the thugs who prey on others that are cowards and lowlifes. I carry and am fortunate enough not to have had to use it and hope I never do, but if I ever do I would not hesitate. Fend for yourself and defend yourself because no one else will do it for you.
mike, I do not think you read all of grand locust comment. he said that too many people carry a gun and over react because they are scared of everything and cannot actually assess the situation.
grand locust, at first I disagreed with your comment, but as I read further I agreed with you. some people should not have a gun because they do not have common sense.
@Grand Locust, did you not see in the news not 4 days ago, a man with a concealed weapons permit stopped the mass shooting of kids in a park right here in Florida. Firearms are not tools of the weak, they are the tools of the prepared. It takes courage to LAWFULLY employ the use of a firearms because if you get it wrong there are consequences. I suspect that after the district attorney completes its investigation this man will be charged. It certainly appears that he should based on my interpretation of the video. Yes the guy pushed him down, that was an assault he should have been arrested for, but I saw no further aggression after the initial push. The shot looked more like punishment than protection to me.
Cowardice is not getting the probabilities right and over reacting. The average American has 1 in 108 chance of being hurt in a car, but 1 in 315 chance being hurt by a gun. I am surprised a person who is afraid enough to carry a gun even thinks about getting in a car.
Grand Locust………..
“I just cannot understand someone being scared enough to carry a gun. I have my hunting guns in the house, and I would not have any reservation grabbing them if my house was being invaded, but to be so fearful that I would leave my house with a gun…….I hope I die before I become that cowardly”
So you are allowed to protect your family in your house but I am not allowed to protect my family outside my house. That has to be one of the most sheltered statements I have ever heard. I believe in protecting my family at all times and that is not “cowardly”
it’s not a matter of being a tough guy, it’s a matter of being able to return fire if shot at. you might never go out at night, many of us don’t have that luxury. you might live in the past and think there are not murderers walking the streets at night, the rest of us have to be more realistic. they say you died, but at least you were not a gun carrying coward, right? right.
democrats love all things ilegal
Don’t commit crimes and you will not be shot. It appears that Democrats want to protect black criminals.
I am 66 and when as a kid someone said stand your ground, it was done with a fist fight where people had the courage not to take abuse. However, now every Wally Cox in the world wants to be a tough guy……….by carrying a gun? I just cannot understand someone being scared enough to carry a gun. I have my hunting guns in the house, and I would not have any reservation grabbing them if my house was being invaded, but to be so fearful that I would leave my house with a gun…….I hope I die before I become that cowardly. No problems with elderly, handicap, and weak people having conceal and carry, but scared people with guns often over react in a situation where a trained non cowardly person would hold off and not use lethal force. You cannot legislate courage.
well said Jason! nothing further Your Honor!
There isnt an issue with the “Stand Your Ground” law. Would-be thugs need to understand they dont have a right to inflict physical violence upon another. If they choose to do so, they may find themselves confronting an armed individual who is willing and able to defend themselves against violence.
A few good words to live by – “Keep your hands to yourself; leave other people’s things alone; and be kind to one another.”
If you adhere to the aforementioned advice, you shouldnt never have to worry about being a casualty of the “Stand Your Ground” law.