Jordan Russell Davis didn’t have to die.
A 17 year-old Black teenager was shot in a Jacksonville convenience store parking lot after a dispute over loud music.1 He died in his friend’s arms. The shooter, Michael David Dunn, has pleaded “Not Guilty” and is expected to invoke Florida‘s “Shoot First” law, claiming the killing was a justifiable homicide.2
Nearly 33,000 ColorOfChange members took action earlier this year and told their state government officials to fight back against “Shoot First” laws. Please add your voice today and when you do, ask your friends and family to do the same.
“Shoot First” laws, sometimes called “Stand Your Ground” laws, were thrust into the national spotlight following the killing of Trayvon Martin. Unless these laws are repealed, our communities will continue to lose our young people to avoidable tragedies.
“Stand Your Ground” laws have proliferated around the country thanks to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and its deep-pocketed supporters at the National Rifle Association (NRA). Half of the members of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” task force, charged with reviewing the state’s law in the aftermath of the Martin killing, are ALEC members.3 Unsurprisingly, that task force recently found no problem with “Stand Your Ground” despite clear and compelling evidence that the law is racially discriminatory. “Homicides involving white shooters and Black victims are 11 times more likely to be deemed “justifiable” than those where the scenario is reversed.”4
Below is our original outreach calling on state government officials to oppose “Shoot First” laws where they are under consideration and repeal them where they are in place. Join nearly 33,000 ColorOfChange members and fight back today.
Thanks and peace,
— Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Kim, Johnny, Charlene and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
December 1st, 2012
1. “The Killing of Jordan Russell Davis,” The Atlantic, 11-28-2012
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1974?t=4&akid=2727.1174326.zaXTMZ
2. “Black teen’s shooting revives ‘Stand Your Ground’ debate,” MSNBC, 11-28-2012
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1975?t=6&akid=2727.1174326.zaXTMZ
3. “Half The Lawmakers On Florida ‘Stand Your Ground’ Task Force Are ALEC Members, All Supported Stand Your Ground,” Think Progress, 04-20-2012
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1976?t=8&akid=2727.1174326.zaXTMZ
4. “8 Months After Trayvon: “Stand Your Ground” Law Deemed Just Fine by Florida,” Mother Jones, 11-16-2012
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1977?t=10&akid=2727.1174326.zaXTMZ
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