Dream Defenders Stand Their Ground Until ‘Stand Your Ground’ is Repealed
It is known as the “Stand Your Ground” law. A law states that a person may justifiably use force in self-defense when there is reasonable belief of an unlawful threat, without an obligation to retreat first. The law also permits & justifies the use of deadly force if an individual perceives a threat to their well being. Enacted & in place for years, this particular piece of legislation has recently gained national attention in the aftermath of a case in which citizen George Zimmerman was found “not guilty” in the murder of seventeen year old, Trayvon Martin. The defense suggested that Zimmerman acted within his legal rights to defend himself under the “Stand Your Ground” law and today the man responsible for taking the life of this child walks the streets freely. Through this authorized atrocity, the term “Stand Your Ground” has taken on a very dangerous, deadly definition; one that endangers many people nationwide, in particular African Americans, who both statistically & historically are victimized by state-sanctioned violence at higher rates than our contemporaries.
As a person with a fundamental love for humanity, a pastor of young people, and a parent of African American men, the news of George Zimmerman being acquitted generated a mixture of emotions. As a human being I felt sorrow for the Martin family who have had the life of their son taken away from them. As a Pastor, I felt a serious sense of concern for young people all over our country who run the risk of potentially being mistreated by persons who can use this law to legitimize their behavior. As a parent, my feelings ran into two different realms: fear for the safety of my own children; and anger that I have to be afraid in the country in which I hold citizenship. After the verdict had been announced, I sat, as many Americans did that Saturday evening, trying to find a place to put these emotions; attempting to find some semblance of emotional stability in the middle of this situation. I knew I felt the need to protest, speak out, march, and demonstrate in order to show my own displeasure & disapproval with the Zimmerman ruling, but I also felt the need to call on God to determine what exactly He could be saying to us all in this given time. What does God expect of us in this moment?
As I prayed to God, He brought to my remembrance a familiar Biblical narrative in the book of Daniel. The story of three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego. The three brothers were inducted into the city-state of Babylon after the Babylonians occupied the city of Jerusalem. Involuntarily immigrants who attained citizenship from the country in which they resided, they were expected to abide by & follow the laws of the land that were in place. One law required that whenever the horns would sound, when the harps were being played & the flutes were blown, all who were within earshot would fall down and worship the image of a false god created by the ruler in place at the time. Though the behavior exhibited across the country was legal, in the eyes of God it was wrong, and the three Hebrew boys refused to follow this law. While they were viewed as both different & defiant by their fellow citizens, they stood their ground. When they were confronted by the legal officials about their rebellious behavior, they still stood their ground. Even when taken in front of the king & directed to either submit to the decree of the day or face death by incineration, Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego, through their faith in God, purpose to maintain their position on the matter, and do not yield; they stand their ground. The allegiance is tied to God & not to the government or its leader.
If there is one thing that is certain in this period of uncertainty , it is that the raw emotion surrounding the exoneration of George Zimmerman will inevitably fade. As time passes, the tensions around this situation will eventually begin to subside and we will not be as angry as we may be now. Despite this natural decline in our disapprobation, we must remain vigilant in lifting our voices & ever persistent in our pursuit for justice; we, as Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego did, must stand our ground. We must purpose to be unmoved in our commitment to what is right in the eyes of God and though we may respect the position of government, we must pressure them to change their perspective. The example these Hebrews gives is one worth emulating today; one that shows an unflinching willingness to devote their lives to the cause of what they believed to be right. Every significant right that you and I enjoy today is one that those who came before us fought for with the same type of willingness. Are we resolute and devoted enough to the cause of Godly justice? Are we able to stand strong in the face of persecution, prosecution, or even execution for the rights of the generations that will come after us? Saints of the Most High, we must choose to be. If we do, an unjust Stand Your Ground law will give way to a people who stood their own ground. Stood for what was right in the eyes of God when liberty and justice for all was threatened. We must persist until “Stand Your Ground” laws are abolished not only in Florida but in the other thirty-one states where it is legal. We must persevere until the justice God seeks is congruent with the one government gives. Until fairness is found on all fronts , we must all stand our ground.