NEW GROUP: ACTION DIARY: If you do nothing, how can justice prevail? Please help the Dream Defenders repeal Florida's odious Stand Your Ground law. Today is day 18 of their sit-in at Governor Scott's office to keep MLK's dream alive.
We can do a lot to support the Dream Defenders, but first a word from our President:
... But beyond protests or vigils, the question is, are there some concrete things that we might be able to do?
snip
Along the same lines, I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see if it -- if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than diffuse potential altercations.
I know that there's been commentary about the fact that the "stand your ground" laws in Florida were not used as a defense in the case. On the other hand, if we're sending a message as a society in our communities that someone who is
armed potentially has the right to use those firearms even if there's a way for them to exit from a situation, is that really going to be contributing to the kind of peace and security and order that we'd like to see?
And for those who resist that idea that we should think about something like these "stand your ground" laws, I'd just ask people to consider, if Trayvon Martin was of age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk? And do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman who had followed him in a car because he felt threatened? And if the answer to that question is at least ambiguous, then it seems to me that we might want to examine those kinds of laws.
(emphasis mine)
Who are the Dream Defenders? The Dream Defenders are fighting for justice in Florida. Their goal: To enact Trayvon's Law in Florida, which would repeal the Stand Your Ground law, ban racial profiling, and end the school-to-prison pipeline.
As members of the Daily Kos group Support the Dream Defenders, our goal is to promote and support the objectives of the Dream Defenders, online and off, so that Trayvon's Law becomes a reality. (I will not get into the details of who are the members of Support the Dream Defenders on Daily Kos, suffice it to say that I am in great company.)
If, like many of us, you think that (as Tortmaster put it so well):
"The upside-down aspect of the whole case for me was that Zimmerman was able to kill a beautiful child with a gun based on superficial scratches and bumps, and the attorneys in the case correctly stated the law that not a single scratch was, in fact, needed. That's screaming, jumping-up-and-down insane. Time for society to get that."
And how do we support the Dream Defenders? Follow me below the fold ...
We can support the Dream Defenders in many ways:
1. By signing their petition (we're about 6,700 signatures short of the 40,000 goal, I know we can make it!)
2. By donating or providing other material support: Not only can we donate cash, but we can also donate items the Dream Defenders need in these categories: Bare Necessities, Health & Wellness, Technology, and Marketing and Publicity. Last week, a Kossack bought them a $200 camera! I know most of us can't afford to be that generous, but every little bit counts.
3. By sharing on Facebook or Twitter (they use #TakeoverFlorida, Kossacks also use #kt2).
4. Follow the Support the Dream Defenders group here. Click the ♥ at the top of that page, our diaries will be delivered to your Daily Kos Inbox (called My Stream). Join us, participate, share and like and tip and rec. It all matters.
Our goals today:
- Get 10 more Kossacks to join our Group in our efforts to support the people doing the hard work
- Get 500 more signatures
- Get 5 more donations (I personally know of one already today)
Rev. Jesse Jackson has joined the Dream Defenders and we can all do it without even having to go to Florida.
“Stand Your Ground laws must end," Jackson said. "We intend to sit-in so justice can stand up."
snip
“This is a student movement at its best,” said a soft-spoken Jackson, wearing a Dream Defenders T-shirt. “They’re following the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi in staging a nonviolent protest. It’s the definition of patriotism.”
snip
“We’re going to bring in more adults and more ministers and more bishops, more students from around the state to mobilize in Tallahassee,” Jackson told the group.
Even though we are a new group, we have had some success at getting donations as well as other involvement, and we believe that the tenacity and generosity of this great Community will afford
us the Dream Defenders a lot more support.
I leave you all with some words from Martin Luther King, Jr.:
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Letter from Birmingham Jail
The Dream Defenders are fighting for justice in Florida. Please support them in any way you can.
Previous action diaries in this series:
Dream Defenders, Day 16: When "soft on crime" kills, 7/31
Dream Defenders and The Special Session Is Happnin NOW, y'all, 7/29
Trayvon's Mom pleads for an end to the SYG law, 7/29
Harry Belafonte Visits the Dream Defenders, 7/28
Justice for Trayvon: Dream Defenders Need Your Help, 7/23
SCHEDULING: Please look for our group diaries every payday Friday at 5 pm EDT. We may also post other diaries during the week.
FINAL NOTE: No donation is too small, every little bit counts, but even more important than the donations, please spread the word out by Twitter, by FaceBook, or by whatever social media you use. If you know someone in Florida, let them know what's going on. Fortunately, the Florida traditional media is starting to cover this, and hopefully the Dream Defenders will get more coverage. Every signature on the petition makes a difference, and perhaps in a few days we will achieve more than 40,000, and then we can aim even higher.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, I have to go out of town for work when this diary is scheduled to publish. I think I will be able to comment occasionally, depending on internet connections, my ability to use a smartphone, and those pesky clients giving me breaks to do so. But carry on! You know what to do.
Note: We are a community dedicated to supporting the Dream Defenders. If you wish to inflame and disrupt, please go away. Discuss yes, disrupt no. Be warned.