There's a ton of things that could wrong with "Stand your Ground". For instance----

[trumad]

What if two men come across each other and both are carrying a gun. They each have concealed carry permits.

Both pull their guns.

Now who is claiming self defense?

[Cali_Democrat]

1. The person who surived the gun fight

[gratuitous]

4. And an airtight solution

Kind of a he said/he dead scenario.

[X_Digger]

2. They're both guilty of brandishing at that point..

.. and neither would be using self-defense.

I'm assuming neither threw a punch?

[immoderate]

3. It's a contest of who feels the most threatened.

--imm

[teddy51]

5. The worst thing did go wrong for Trayvon Martin in this case. This law is outrageous and needs

to be stricken from all States, cause it is/has begged for problems.

[phantom power]

6. There is a topic I don't see mentioned a whole lot...

I'll use myself as an example. I own a couple guns. I've acquired them legally, I've taken gun safety courses, I know how own and use a gun safely, etc.

None of that even remotely qualifies me to make correct, or safe, decisions in a using-guns-for-defense situation. Police spend a lot of time training on how to make that kind of decision and minimize danger to themselves, suspects, bystanders, etc.

What is the public safety impact of laws that encourage gun owners to pull their weapons, maybe fire them, without any of that training? You don't have to be a racist asshole like Zimmerman to overreact, make a bad decision and endanger yourself or others when you didn't have to.

[MindPilot]

12. Police are trained to kill. They shoot at the body mass until the "threat" is "neutralized".

Their only safety concern is their own.

[phantom power]

15. No doubt, but they're also trained to know when to do that. And how to avoid needing to...

And how to shoot at somebody and minimize danger to any bystanders. They have training and job experience that some guy like me does not have.

Police make mistakes even with their training. Laws that increase the number of people, without that kind of training or experience, using weapons for public self defense is going to get innocent people killed.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. Then get more training

Available in many states.

[phantom power]

19. That doesn't seem like a realistic outcome to me.

What we are going to have is people out there with their guns, with whatever level training they have now, which will range from good to little or none. They aren't going to all be properly trained like cops, or soldiers.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

20. Couple of problems with that...

There are those opposed to requiring training or certification to exercise a right. A position with some merit, though I remain strongly in favor of training.

If you think cops and soldiers are properly trained, you are going to be sorely disappointed.

[MindPilot]

7. What if the person threatening you is a cop?

I thought about that watching the video of the guy in Fort Collins CO. What if that guy after being shoved by the cop, had pulled out his gun? What if one of the OWS protestors who were pepper-sprayed was carrying?

[Cali_Democrat]

9. Great point

Cops have abused their authority and have killed, maimed and brutalized innocent people in many instances. Shouldn't people have the right to shoot if they fear they're about to be subjected to great bodily harm from the cop?

[Cleita]

10. I actually had that happen in a place I worked at that unbeknownst to me

had been burglarized earlier that day before opening for business. I had to shout that I worked there before he lowered his weapon. It was very scary, but fortunately I didn't have anything threatening on me like a weapon to cause him to shoot me first.

[MindPilot]

13. Similar story from when I worked at a car dealer.

One of our parts drivers "fit the description" of someone who had just held up a 7/11 and a cop followed him onto the lot. I made the mistake of walking over to tell the cop that the guy worked there since the cop was already convinced the guy was driving a stolen vehicle. Yeah, like somebody is actually going to take a vehicle covered with the company logo, rob the 7/11 and then return the parts truck. Cops really seem to enjoy threatening people.

[Cleita]

17. It's a good thing that you didn't have anything in your hands that could be

used as a weapon, or the real thing. You wouldn't be answering my post today.

[Cleita]

8. That scenario is one out of a classic Western like "High Noon".

Oh, but back in the wild west, there really were no laws or gun permits or any of that messy bureaucratic stuff. I don't think there would even be a determination of self-defense, just who was the quickest draw.

[COLGATE4]

11. Your scenario is the NRA's wet dream for America.

[orwell]

14. If there are no witnesses...it is he said/he dead.

...the one who lived could not be charged.

How about this, what if during said gun battle a stray bullet hits an innocent bystander by accident.

As I read the Florida law, I don't see where this is covered. It would be close to impossible to determine who if the person who lives is lying.

Take it one step further. If two criminals drew down to settle a turf war, sans witnesses, would they be able to "high noon" it in the streets?

Also, if a plain clothes cop draws a weapon, announces that he/she is a cop to a deaf person but the deaf person shoots him because he can't hear the announcement, could the civilian be charged since he/she felt that their life was being threatened.

The bottom line is that this law puts a tremendous burden on terrified people making split second decisions that have to be correct. That is why law enforcement personnel go through the training that they do. This is very difficult for the average person, to do in the heat of the moment - even one quite skilled in the use of firearms. It is difficult for even a highly trained officer to make correct split second decisions.

The law also gives cover for those who are politically connected to use the law as a shield to absolve themselves of errant judgement. The district attorney could take a recommended manslaughter charge from an investigator and reduce it to justifiable homicide citing Stand Your Ground.

[Mumble]

16. I feel threathened by anyone bigger than me

I'm going to need an automatic machine gun whenever I leave my house and venture out to stand my ground!!!

[SecularMotion]

21. What if they both die?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/117210041