This is what’s it’s come to in Florida. Right-wingers and the NRA not only want an environment in The Gunshine State where killing people is convenient — they’re also demanding that victims’ families must fight legal barriers to seeking justice when they’ve lost a loved one.
A bill that petered out today (SB 344), would have forced State Attorneys to prosecute “stand your ground” cases twice: once before a judge in a pre-trial hearing and again during trial. That means, if your child is shot by someone who doesn’t like their music, the burden of proof is shifted to YOU, in a separate hearing, to prove why the killer can’t use “stand your ground.”
It used to be so simple. You kill someone, it’s murder.
It was a horrible bill, and it was scheduled to be heard in committee on the eve of the fourth anniversary of murder of Trayvon Martin. You might imagine that folks were booking their seats on buses and packing their overnight bags for a trip to Tally.
But, a funny thing happened on the way to the NRA’s pistol-packing party. This bill they desperately wanted to pass just didn’t get scheduled.
I’m sure this had nothing to do with the planned rallies and the interest trickling in from national media. Likely they just lost interest in the bill. Squirrel!
Read more here.
The Florida Squeeze 
I just wouldn’t “push” the legislature on this. I am ecstatic that it wasn’t heard, but, challenging some of these folks may provoke a testosterone war…and the people would lose.
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Wait. What does that even mean? We should give the gun crazies their way lest they get violent? Because respectfully, that’s not an option.
Screw the gun nuts and their apologists — we need to push back more, not less.
We WILL “push” the legislature, which interestingly also stops short of expanding gun rights to allow armed people in their own chambers, every time.
They need to fear how people will react to this ceaseless barrage of firearm cult-ism, not the other way ’round.
Good job, activists.
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No, no!!! What I meant was, just let the bill die!! Exalting in their loss might give them the impetus they need to push for passage. It’s a terrible bill…the idea that it was even written, let alone heard, is disturbing.
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Reblogged this on Wobbly Warrior's Blog and commented:
“A bill that petered out today (SB 344), would have forced State Attorneys to prosecute “stand your ground” cases twice: once before a judge in a pre-trial hearing and again during trial. That means, if your child is shot by someone who doesn’t like their music, the burden of proof is shifted to YOU, in a separate hearing, to prove why the killer can’t use ‘stand your ground.’”
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