Reject legislation loosening ‘stand your ground’ defense

Since Florida passed the “stand your ground” law in 2005, the state’s firearm homicide rate has increased 32 percent. At least 26 Florida teens and children have been killed in “stand your ground” cases. If the gun lobby has its way, those awful numbers will go up, thanks to a bill to expand “stand your ground,” led by state Sen. Rob Bradley (R, Senate District 5).

Please, Florida: Reject the gun lobby’s agenda by rejecting the “stand your ground” expansion bill, SB 128.

As Floridians, we know that the law can be deadly. We need to say no to expanding a law that disproportionately affects people of color and makes it harder to prosecute gun crimes. “Stand your ground” already gives untrained civilians more leeway to shoot than the U.S. military gives soldiers in war zones.

SB 128 would essentially require anyone who claims “stand your ground” as a defense in a shooting to be convicted twice.

Now more than ever, we must raise our voices to demand common-sense gun laws. State lawmakers like Sen. Bradley continue to do the gun lobby’s bidding even as Florida still reels from the mass murders at Pulse and the Fort Lauderdale airport, and families suffer preventable tragedies in homes and in public places across our state every single day.

Join me in volunteering with the Florida chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and call your state senators to urge them to reject SB 128. Let’s show the gun lobby we won’t stop fighting for our children’s safety.

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 3:17 PM with the headline "Reject legislation loosening ‘stand your ground’ defense."