Argumentative Essay On Stand Your Ground Law

A young, African teen is seen walking unarmed. Minutes later, he encounters a Hispanic male carrying a gun, and seconds later, the young man is dead. The nation is in an uproar, all due to the “Stand Your Ground” Law. This law was intended to protect the people; however, it has provoked controversy among politicians and parents alike. It states that when one is met with force, he or she can pursue the attacker and use deadly force if he or she believes it is justifiable, even if retreat is possible. Supporters of the SYG laws feel like “self defense is a human right” (Cox 2013). However, opponents see the harm brought on communities through increased violence. The “Stand Your Ground” laws should be challenged as these laws harm an individual’s attempt to be responsible to his or her community because they allow for attackers to use the law to justify their crimes, result in unfair reliance on the survivor’s testimony, and make it possible for race to play a prejudiced factor in acquittal. To begin with, the SYG law harms the community because it allows for criminals to use the law to benefit and justify their crimes. In Jealous’ article, The Law of the Wild West, he speaks of the “castle doctrine” laws SYG laws were intended to build upon. Today, Jealous says, “‘Stand Your Ground’ operates under the assumption that the whole world is one’s castle and everyone is a potential invader” (Jealous 2013). With this new perspective that the assumption can be made in which anyone is trying to attack them, people can meet non-threatening
George Zimmermann case. Th result of the cause was the acquittal of Zimmermann, the Hispanic male who shot the young man. “Stand Your Ground” laws have proven to be a threat to the community because they rely too much on the survivor’s word, use the race unfairly in reaching a “fair” verdict, and allow for criminals to make excuses for their