Given the recent protests over the not guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman,
I think that there will be an organized attempt to get some states to repeal their Stand Your Ground Laws. When this happens, I fully expect the media to provide "balanced" coverage of the issue by also including interviews and having on their panels politicians and "talking heads" supportive of stand your ground laws.
I expect that the media will then let the supporters of the stand your ground laws get away with putting forward their talking points without asking the tough questions that should be asked. Instead, I would like to see the interviews go something like this:
Q: Do you think that George Zimmerman had the right to stand his ground even though Trayvon Martin was unarmed? (Guest then gives answer justifying Zimmerman's actions)
Q: Can you explain why you believe that George Zimmerman had the right to stand his ground in his interaction with Trayvon Martin? (Guest is lulled into thinking this is an easy interview)
Q: And am I correct that you believe that George Zimmerman would have had the same right to stand his ground if Trayvon Martin was armed? (Guest then agrees)
Q: So if Trayvon Martin was armed, at what point during the interaction with George Zimmerman did Trayvon Martin have the right to stand his ground and defend himself against George Zimmerman (Guest then realizes interview will be trouble)
If Guest says that Trayvon Martin had the right to stand his ground:
Q: So if Trayvon Martin had stood his ground and shot George Zimmerman there is a chance that George Zimmerman would have been killed?
Q: So if both Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman were armed and elected to stand their ground rather than retreat, then there is a good chance that one or both of them would have been killed or seriously injured during their interaction?
Q: So if a person wants to avoid being shot by someone choosing to stand their ground, that person's best course of action would be to shoot first?
Q: So the stand your ground law makes it more likely that one or both people will be wounded or killed if that person elects to stand his or her ground rather than retreat?
Q: And therefore by allowing people to stand their ground rather than retreat, the law makes it more dangerous, which is actually the opposite of what you are saying is the intended effect of the law?
If the guest instead says that Trayvon Martin did not have the right to stand his ground if he had been armed.
Q: Since Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin's life was in danger?
Q: And you just told me that anyone who was armed could stand their ground if they were placed in fear of their life?
Q: So under your own explanation of the stand your ground laws, Trayvon Martin should have been justified in using a weapon against George Zimmerman if he had one?
Q: I just don't understand why you are drawing a distinction between Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman other than the color of their skin?
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It seems to me that if the media can expose the problems with the stand your ground laws by asking these types of questions, it will move public opinion towards their repeal