Cartoon: Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' Law

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Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' Law is under scrutiny after the killing of an unarmed black youth, Trayvon Martin, by a neighborhood watch leader. This week's lesson from Cartoons for the Classroom features a cartoon on the subject by Jeff Parker, editorial cartoonist for Florida Today.

The cartoon shows a man with a smoking gun, the barrel of which is a rolled up copy of the 'Stand Your Ground' law. We are meant to understand that he has just shot someone 'in self-defense', as he says, "He came at me with a bag of Skittles! I'm just protecting myself." The message is clear. It's the Florida law which is responsible for the death of Trayvon Martin.

NOTES

1. FLA is an abbreviation for Florida.

2. Skittles is a brand of fruit-flavoured sweets. Trayvon Martin was carrying a bag of Skittles when he was shot.

VOCABULARY

If you stand your ground, you stay where you are when someone threatens you, in order to show them that you are not afraid. • The men threatened him, but he stood his ground and they fled.

ALSO SEE

• Florida Justice Department and FBI will review death of Trayvon Martin (Washington Times)

• Obama: Trayvon Martin death a tragedy that must be fully investigated (The Guardian)

• Trayvon Martin case: US could bring hate crime charge against George Zimmerman (Christian Science Monitor)

By : tatank,