The Zimmerman Syndrome Hamid Javaherian The Zimmerman case has been on the mind of many for the past year. We have heard all sides, and have formed many opinions as to guilty or not. The sociological ripple affect from the result of this case, however, may have a massive influence on the collective civil right concern of us all. Lisa Wade, PhD, a cultural critic and sociologist based in Los Angeles, California and a professor at Occidental College, say this: “On Saturday, a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder. While the decision was ultimately based on self-defense, it is widely argued that Florida’s Stand Your Ground statute – which was initially considered by the defense, and which Zimmerman previously studied in a criminal litigation course (despite claims to the contrary) – was at play. The statute allows people to use proportionate force in the face of an attack without first trying to retreat or escape.” About 30 other states have such laws on their book. The psychological and sociological effects of this verdict promises that, according to the Florida Statute and the other thirty states, now a patrol man as well as other officials with a gun can “Stands Their Ground” in a confrontation,hence, creating an unnoticeable justification for the use of ‘Excessive Force’ contrary to the laws which prohibits it. This verdict sends a message to every night guard, day guard or any other type of a guard as well as the police force as a whole, in big cities and small main street America’s neighborhoods, that they have a right to infringe on our civil rights, interrogate and question any passerby, black or while, and Stand Their Ground and shoot the innocent people if they really so desire. The Zimmerman verdict has not only violated Martin’s civil rights, but has damaged Us The People’s civil rights as well. The verdict implies that a host of interruption or mis-interpretation of "Standing The Grounds law is possible after you shoot an unarmed individual. This is clearly a case that set an example for the shoot or not to shoot mind of a any man who legally carries a gun as a law enforcer. All he or she has to do is to ‘Stand his Ground’ provided by the law, and now reinforced by the courts of the land. From now on the thought may, more often, cross any police officer and other security personnel that if they shoot first and then ask question–– the John Wayne style, they may have the merci of the law on their side. The acquittal verdict may have followed the due process of the law matter, but still is unfair and set a bad example case for further challenges, particularly in the racial profiling circumstances––allowing such circumstances to repeat itself. The detailed trial of the case does not teach us anything for our future protection as a public, but rather further suffocates our Civil Rights pipeline as a nation. Another loss to our freedom and right to pursuit of happiness as a society. Injustice done to one, is injustice done to all.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 06:19:40 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015