Trayvon Martin: The Tip of the Iceberg

The anguish of Trayvon Martin’s parents along with the international outcry against the brutal, senseless circumstances surrounding his death are rightfully focused on Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground” law. A report by the California Research Bureau, California State Library entitled “Concealed Handgun Laws and Public Safety” reported that “between 1987 and 1994, the violent crime rate in Florida INCREASED 11.7 percent. According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, Florida, also, had the HIGHEST violent crime rate of ANY OTHER STATE IN THE NATION.” Sadly, the circumstances surrounding Trayvon’s death are only the tip of the iceberg.

The NATIONAL GUN ASSOCIATION (NRA) is a major player in the passage of RECKLESS gun carry laws in many states as well as in Congress. An article at chicagotribune.com points out the NRA’s influence on the legislative process: “when law enforcement has to be neutral in the discussion of public policy so they (NRA) have a seat negotiating (gun) legislation, clearly something is wrong with the equation.” Another article entitled “NRA Money Influences Police on Concealed-Weapons Prop” points out how the NRA BUYS gun carry legislation. “Even though “70%” of St. Louis police officers polled were “against a right to carry proposition”, a spokesperson for the Missourians Against Crime who supported it, stated that “her organization has most certainly been a beneficiary of NRA money, both from the national office and the 103,000 individual NRA members living in Missouri.” A motherjones.com article entitled “In Re Trayvon Martin: How the NRA Pushed the Right to Pack Heat Anywhere” quotes statistics reported by the Legal Community Against Violence - “in just three years, 22 states have WEAKENED or ELIMINATED laws restricting the possession of concealed weapons.” The article further states “these measures are EASING eligibility and testing requirements for obtaining a permit, OPENING UP public places to concealed weapons, and EXPANDING legal protections for those who put their guns to use.”


REPUBLICAN STATE LEGISLATORS appear to be in a ‘lethal weapon’ contest to see which state can out-legislate the others regarding MINDLESS gun carry laws. A Washington Post article states “backed by the NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION, first in Florida and then around the country, state legislators have pushed for expanding the right to use deadly force. Twenty-one states now have laws giving citizens WIDE LATITUDE to use deadly force WITHOUT first attempting to retreat.”According to an article in usnews.com entitled “Open Carry Gun Laws Turn the Country Back into the Wild West”, REPUBLICAN majority state legislators have passed laws to “brazenly carry firearms into restaurants, bars, schools and churches”. WISCONSIN REPUBLICAN legislators passed a concealed carry law which “allows weapons on parts of college campuses and churches”. OHIO REPUBLICAN legislators passed a law “allowing permit holders to bring HIDDEN, LOADED handguns into restaurants that serve alcohol”. According to an npr.org article, MICHIGAN REPUBLICAN legislators passed a bill that “WOULDN’T eliminate ‘no carry’ zones such as schools, stadiums and churches.” You would think that the tragic shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the killing six people would caution ARIZONA REPUBLICAN legislators to pass strict gun carry laws, but they passed a law that “allows its citizens to carry concealed weapons without ANY permit”!


REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY members have introduced many NRA-SPONSORED BILLS to expand gun carry laws. According to a gunowners.org report entitled “Firearms Legislation in the 112th Congress”, Representatives Boren and Scalise sponsored a bill to “extend interstate” gun purchasing powers. Representatives Jackson and Lee sponsored legislation “making it difficult to LEGALLY TEACH your kids the safe and effective use of firearms”. Representatives Lummis, Donnelly, Rehberg, Broun, Miller, Carter, King of Iowa, Ross, and Bishop sponsored a bill to “allow curios and relics to be imported into the U.S. WITHOUT the approval of the Department of State or the Department of Defense”. Representatives Ross and Jordan sponsored a bill to “REPEAL D.C. gun ban laws”; Representatives Broun, Boren, Ross, Altmire, Metheson, Bishop, Rehberg, Jenkins, and Miller sponsored a bill to “PROHIBIT the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing restrictions on hunting and fishing equipment including firearms”; Representative Gibbs “and 21 others” sponsored a bill to “prohibit the Army Corps of Engineers from banning firearms on water resources lands”; Representative Paul sponsored a bill to “REPEAL the Kohl Amendment, which banned guns within 1,000 feet of a permanent or temporary location of a SCHOOL”; Representatives Tester, Ensign, Begich, Baucus, Burr, Chambliss, Inhofe, Paul, Barrasso, and Coburn sponsored a bill to “PERMANENTLY PROHIBIT the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms from being able to require the reporting of MULTPLE SALES of rifles and shotguns”.


WE HAVE THE POWER TO MELT THE ICEBERG AT THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER. Let’s begin by joining ON-LINE PETITIONS for Trayvon and his family at http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin and at www.change.org/petitions/charge-trayvon-martin-s-killer