Wake Up, Floridians! This is What Your Politicians Have Done While You Didn't Vote

Woman Charged with Fatally Shooting a Single Mother of Four in Ocala, Florida 

What's it going to take to wake people up in Florida?  

A single mother of four was shot through the door of a home where she had gone to talk to the owner about incidents involving her children.  I don't know any of the circumstances involved that led to the shooting, the issues that had occurred between the shooter and children in the neighborhood which allegedly let up to this incident.  According to the news reports, the woman who committed the shooting had been engaged in a long-standing neighborhood feud with neighbors over children playing in a nearby vacant lot. But in the information from the media, and from The View today, where the victim's family was invited to speak, the incident was motivated by the shooter's familiarity withFlorida's "Stand your ground" law.  

Laws like that are why this neighborhood scuffle between an adult and some children, escalated to the point where someone felt justified in using a weapon to get the result they wanted.  Apparently, according to the information that was provided, the shooter made her decision based on her interpretation of the "stand your ground" law, rather than engage the mother who was knocking at her door, asking to speak with her about what she had said and done to her child.  

And once again, as has been the case in so many shootings like this one, racism was a motivating factor.  The woman who fired the fatal shot was white, the single, mother of four who was killed was black.  Witnesses claim that the shooter had used racist language and name-calling in prior dealings with the children who played near her home.  As a result, there was no arrest made for two days, and when there was, the charge was not murder, but manslaughter with a firearm, serious enough, but apparently not an accurate description of the events which occurred.  

The very dangerous combination of virtually no restrictions or responsibility for ownership of firearms, concealed carry without a permit, and a law that says if a shooter feels their life is in danger, they can shoot on their property and that's a consequence for the victim.  Put that together with racial volatility that appears to be getting worse, and that's where Florida is now, and that's exactly why this young mother tragically lost her life, in front of two of her children, whom she was attempting to protect.  

Laws like this pander to the fears and ignorance of people.  And that's why politicians support and pass them.  Making people think that they are in danger, and they need a gun to protect themselves is good business for a lot of millionaires and billionaires who give a lot of money to politicians.  And when people give up, and stay at home on election day, because they believe the media and don't think their vote will make a difference, then the doom and gloom side wins out.  

Thomas Frank wrote What's the Matter With Kansas back in 2004, pointing out how conservatives managed to stoke people's fears to win control of state legislatures, governorships and even the federal government.  I would suggest that the same thing has happened to Florida, a state which has racial, ethnic and social constituencies that should heavily favor the Democratic party.  Their presence is there, they are more visible than their opponents.  But lookiing at this past year, and the actions of Florida's Republican Governor, who is destroying democracy in the state because he wants to run for President and he thinks everyone thinks that way, the question should also be, What's the Matter With Florida? 

Ajike Owens is the name of the single mother of four who lost her life because of this ridiculous law.  In her memory and in her honor, Floridians need to commit to beat a pathway to the ballot box and vote against anyone who supports these draconian, conspiracy-driven laws.