Task force wants changes in Stand Your Ground

[SecularMotion]

An independent task force wants major changes, but not an outright repeal, of Florida's "stand your ground" law after the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin.

State Sen. Chris Smith, the organizer of the group, delivered the recommendations to Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders on Monday.

Smith said the group — which included prosecutors, defense attorneys, police chiefs and law professors — could not reach a consensus on whether to get rid of the seven-year-old law that allows a person to meet force with force if they reasonably believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously harmed. The law removed a duty to retreat that previously was in the state's self-defense law.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0430/Trayvon-Martin-case-Task-force-wants-changes-in-Stand-Your-Ground

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. To supply some context, this is not the official group looking into it

It was organized by a legislator up for re-election and appear to have been little more that electioneering leveraging off of a tragic event.

There are also factual errors, something not normally seen in the CSM.

[safeinOhio]

2. As a Christian nation, how about changing it to

a "Turn the other cheek Law"? TOCL.

Not much of a Christian myself, but I have to listen to tea baggers tell me it is.

[ManiacJoe]

4. Most people do not understand that parable.

[hack89]

14. So the criminal can hit you on that side too?

look - the issue with gun violence is criminals. Lets fix the real problem. Or at least not restrict the rest of us from being able to defend ourselves.

[shadowrider]

3. Is this more of that backlash stuff we keep hearing about?

[Meiko]

5. Is this how they change laws

in Florida? You just get together with a bunch of your buddies and decide what needs to be changed. Excuse me but I thought this law was put in place by due process and the whole of the state legislature.

[GreenStormCloud]

6. Smith is simply grandstanding.

From the article:

"Smith also wanted to present his group's recommendations to the Scott-created task force at its first meeting. But Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, who is leading the Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection, turned down his request.

Her letter to Smith says it would be unfair to let him speak since no one else from the public is scheduled to address the group. She instead offered him to make a presentation in June."

So Smith gets treated like everyone else. He has to wait until June, next month, to address the official task force and he is acting like he is being completely denied.

[ileus]

7. Independent....LOL

[Hoyt]

8. No matter what gun culture believes, SYG needs major change if not repeal.

Another callous law passed by right wingers that helps sell more guns and kill more poor people -- "buy me a big gun, and I too can stand my ground. "

[DonP]

9. And what are you doing about it?

Getting signatures on petitions? Meeting with your legislators? Driving to Florida to protest outside the committee meetings next month? Sending a donation to the offended wannabe testifier? Sending the Brady bunch a check?

Just how will you show your poutrage and support for repeal and how effective do you think it will be?

[Clames]

10. No matter what anti-gunners believe, they'll never reverse 10 years of progress...

...made by those that believe in armed defense. Nothing but a bunch of keyboard commandos that do little more than complain and insult.

[ileus]

13. The legions of anti's won't have to...a few in the courts will do the job instead.

All is needed is one anti to bring it to the right court, and the right justices and 100 years of progress can go down the drain.

[Meiko]

11. What changes

would you like to see.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

12. State Sen. Chris Smith...

...delivered the recommendations to Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders on Monday.

posturing

Smith's group also called for creating a system to track self-defense claims in Florida...

That's a good one!