Global Isuues/Unit 6- Crimes, Laws, and Punishments (Stand Your Ground Law)

The Stand Your Ground Law

Self-defense has been an established, legitimate excuses in the law for centuries. Different situations, call for the right to legally protect one’s self. In this specific law, it states that, “a person can use reasonable force in his or her own defense or the defense of others." As we know, laws change over years for the better. In this case, it was altered, extracting the "reasonable force" portion the law. That modification got the official name of the Stand your Ground law. Currently 16 U.S. states own this law, where, “individuals have the right to use deadly force to defend themselves without any requirement to evade or retreat from a dangerous situation." With only 16 states adopting this new law, it's clear to say that this law is very controversial, and with recent events, this law is getting closely looked at to see if it is truly justified.

One story that has had national coverage, and has become the poster story for the stand your ground law; the Trayvon Martin case. In Florida, a 17 year old African American boy was gunned down by a 40 year old, George Zimmerman. In this specific situation, Martin was not armed at all, but once Zimmerman confronted him, he apparently felt threaten. He did not evade the so called dangerous situation, but provoked it, which resulted in an innocent teenager, who looked suspicious, to be shot and killed for no reason.

   

Trayvon Martin on the left and father to the right

This case stirred up debates on a national scale, from news channels, to social media, as people awaited the highly anticipated trial. When this trial finally arrived and ended, it did not get the results that most hoped for. Zimmerman was found not guilty on all charges and walked. This also created controversy, on the fact that he was acquitted because of the stand your ground law. This law has taken a lot of heat, specifically in Florida. There have been over 10 similar cases in Florida in 2012, all sharing the detail of one person not owning the same reasonable force applied. In this graph, you can easily see the increase in homicides in Florida over the years, since adopting the law

Ever since this law was adopted, many states have seen an increase in their crime rates, Florida being the most evident. Some statistics have shown that those who invoke "stand your ground" to avoid prosecution, have been extremely successful. Nearly 70 percent have gone free. Also, like most cases, people often go free under "stand your ground" in cases that seem to make a mockery of what lawmakers intended. One man killed two unarmed people and walked out of jail. Another shot a man as he lay on the ground. Others went free after shooting their victims in the back. In nearly a third of the cases the  defendants initiated the fight, shot an unarmed person or pursued their victim and still went free. There is one detail, that has become more imminent in more cases, and that is "Race". Defendants claiming "stand your ground" are more likely to prevail if the victim is black. Seventy-three percent of those who killed a black person faced no penalty compared to 59 percent of those who killed a white. 

In this chart below, you can see based on statistics, how race, specifically African American, influences "stand your ground" or "SYG".

    
 

2005 was the year, the year when self-defense expanded in Florida. The year where, someone could get away with deadly force, if they felt threatened without retreating or leaving the dangerous situation. With more and more cases occurring, each resembling each other in ways, it's a matter of time before the government steps in. In no way, should it be legal to initiate a fight or verbal altercation, let alone just a verbal confrontation, and react with any kind of deadly force. Even if the other person does not have the same force. Some say this law is what Florida and other states, that have considerably high crime rates, needed. But statistics have shown that it has actually made it worse. Some also say that if a person’s life is in danger, he or she has the right to defend him or herself to whatever extent is necessary for protection. I do agree with most of that argument, only if that person did not initiate the fight, and attempted to flee the dangerous situation and failed. But the fact that most cases have shown that most people did not attempt to flee, and the "stand your ground law", permits that one-hundred percent. 

In the video below, are some public views on this law, and how they feel is justifiable in self-defense circumstances. 

      

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law#History

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/florida-stand-your-ground-law-yields-some-shocking-outcomes-depending-on/1233133

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-defense_%28United_States%29

Global Issues/Unit 5-Disasters, Human and Natural (The Haiti Disaster)

The Quake Felt Around the World

The Quake epicenter and major cities affected

In 2010, several things happened. from the Wiki leaks explosion, to the royal wedding. All granted with some importance, but nothing compared to the devastation of the earthquake that hit Haiti. With millions hurt and homes and towns destroyed, this earthquake was by far one of the worst natural disasters we've seen in years. Not only did this earthquake reveal the lack of preparation due to the giant financial struggle Haiti has owned for centuries. It also revealed the weak and powerless government within Haiti. This natural disaster completely changed an entire country in a couple of minutes, but the earthquake couldn't have done it's self, no Haiti lent a hand with its poor economy and weak government. All are factors to this event leading to the quake felt around the world.

One major fact about this earthquake is the devastation it brought upon Haiti and its people. Over 3,500,000 people were affected by this quake, with an estimated 220,000 dead and counting from further complication resulting from the quake. Over 188,383 houses were badly damaged and 105,000 were destroyed by the earthquake (293,383 in total), 1.5 million people became homeless. Since the homes were structurally unsound for even a relatively small earthquake, so when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hits, this is the results. People would spend days searching for loved ones and children in the rubble. At one point, they quantity of deceased was so large, mass cemeteries were made by tractors. Another key fact is the lack of medical resources available after the quake. As you can see in the photo below, the conditions are horrendous and very unsanitary. These hospital tents also were lacking in true medical professionals, and often had locals help tend to patients. Also with the lack of resources, several emergency procedures such as amputations, were done with hack saws and Advil for the pain.           

      

The poor medical attention and resources extremely added to the death toll, but the government is a huge reason why this happened as well. after the earthquake, the president of Haiti did not even show his face the first two weeks. This just added to the anger towards the Haitian government, and many people called for his impeachment immediately. Here is graffiti written on a wall stating Preval equals K K, which mean the excrement of Pres. Preval. Is lack of leadership when needed was one thing, but the financial struggle that has plagued Haiti for years, can also be blamed. before the Earthquake, more than seventy percent of Haitian residents received less than the equivalent of, two U.S. dollars a day. Also, half of people in Port-Au-Prince had no access to latrines and only one-third has access to tap water. Along with eighty-six percent of Port-Au-Prince lived in slum conditions, which were tightly packed, poorly built, concrete homes. But the conditions of Haiti prior to the earthquake, is the results from centuries ago. When Haiti first broke their shackles off from French power in 1804, and created an independent government ran by revolt slaves. For awhile,Haiti would push through, but later as resources shrunk, Haiti could no longer receive help from other countries. No other country would help a government ran by black revolt slaves, and Haiti, like now, began to wither away in economical stability.

                         

Below you will find a video of locals, and the aftermath of one of the biggest natural disasters in our time. Make sure to pay attention to the quality of medical hospitals, and the tents created to house millions of Haitian people in ruins.

Recover and rescues were indeed delayed, but did come. Although it came, it was no where enough for the magnitude of desperation at that time. With providing free medical care to 39,000 people, giving tools and seeds to help 23,000 people in farming households support themselves, and providing improved shelter for 34,000 people. At one point most of the resources in hospitals would go to the volunteer doctors. Resources were very short in the attempt to rescue the Haitian people, and could not be given to everyone due to the large number of people in need.

Years later, Haiti has yet to fully rebuild, and in fact, has not changed that much at all. The crime rate has sky rocketed, seeing that the jails were destroyed during the earthquake and many prisoners escaped. In fact, the government had to establish a sub unit of the police, with the sole purpose to capture escaped convicts. Housing is still huge issue, while attempting to provide permanent housing, financial aid is still a problem. Another issue was that, although over thirteen billion dollars was aided towards Haiti, in the attempt to rebuild, but most of it went to HIV prevention and other problems such as highway building. Most of the money went towards things outside the disaster zone of Haiti. Experts estimate over 200,000 Haitians will still live in tent camps within the next two years. Haiti was and still is a struggling and poor country, this earthquake was a tremendous disaster, and could not have hit a more less prepared location than this. Although Haiti did not receive help often by other countries, after this quake make countries, especially the U.S., and is continuing to receive help. We all have to realize the magnitude of this natural disaster, and hope we will never see the day of horror Haiti went through in 2010. We can still rebuild, from the quake felt around the world.  

                                            Before and after photos of Haiti locations

Resources

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/01/haiti-earthquake-third-anniversary

http://www.dec.org.uk/haiti-earthquake-facts-and-figures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-joseph-murrenz-constant/three-years-after-earthquake-haitians-are-eager-to-move-beyond-tent-cities_b_2457627.html