Theme:– Operation C.R.U.S.H. Against Gun Violence, Bias and Clouded Vision

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings recently to continue the gun reform debate. Even with the shooting of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, there hasn’t been much movement. Sabrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mom, stopped by to say she’s standing her ground against the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law.

This law is a “legal problem step-child” of the Castle Doctrine & Second Amendment. The Castle Doctrine says someone has the right to shoot if they feel their home/life is threatened. Since many of the Founding Fathers were slave owners, the Second Amendment was in part a way to manage/suppress revolts.

This helped to make guns a growing fixture in early American life. As the nation went from one war to the next the fascination for guns grew. Some veterans brought back guns upon returning home. So America’s gun climate has been fueled in part by slavery, wars, gun shows and other societal effects.

We saw more firearm-related activism with groups rallying for gun-rights. There was a spike in purchases by hobbyists, hunters and for ‘hood protection. So maybe reform policies are hard to pass in Congress because some prefer an ideological boxing match rather than dealing with the sociological miss-match.

Fulton believes ‘Stand Your Ground’ is a big reason for her son’s untimely death. She can’t fathom how such a law remains in place across many states. For Fulton it’s personal even though it’s not about taking personal issue with gun owners. That might be the message anti-violence advocates hope is received.

Footnote: To be anti-violence doesn’t make you anti Second Amendment, just like to be for Civil Rights doesn’t mean you hate Government or its leaders.