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Standing Ground Goes Both Ways
ears ago, there was a
time when the average person was reluctant to take someone else's life, no matter how upset they were. It wasn't because they were incapable or had no desire to bring great bodily harm to a perceived enemy. They just knew that there was a strong possibility that, if a jury didn't agree with their reasoning, they would have to spend some time in prison, regardless of the cir- cumstances.
Unfortunately, those days when a person would think twice about the consequences before committing a murder- ous offense are long gone. As it stands now, with the imple- mentation of the Stand Your Ground Law, a person can kill a perfect stranger, claim their life was in jeopardy and make it home in time to watch them- selves on the evening news.
No charges filed, no court fees, not even a bill for crime scene clean up.
This is the environment, at least in Florida and a few other states where this type of legis- lation is enacted, that exists today; a place where every fist- fight potentially ends with the winner in a graveyard.
The problem with this being the law of the land is that it doesn't stipulate the de-
gree to which a person's life has to be threatened before he or she is allowed to use lethal force. I mean, does a slap to the face or simply being pushed to the ground qualify the perpetrator of the aggres- sion for the death penalty?
I admit that there are cer- tain situations when a person could be physically over matched and has no choice but to resort to extreme measures to prevent being seriously in- jured or worse. But in a case like the one in Clearwater, where Markeis McGlock- ton was shot and killed by Michael Drejka after walk- ing away from a physical con- frontation he initiated while intervening in an argument between his girlfriend and Drejka about a parking space, I'm trying to figure out how the shooter could be cleared of any wrong doing?
Even though the argument could be made that McGlock- ton could have handled the situation without placing his hands on Drejka, video evi- dence clearly shows that he was no longer attempting to harm Drejka when he was shot. Yet, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office concluded from that same video that Drejka was justified in his ac- tions.
While I want to believe that Drejka (who is white) not being charged had more to do with a horrible law than racial bias, it's hard for me to not compare the incident with the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman episode. And I can't help but wonder, if the situation were reversed, would McGlockton (who is Black) have been given the same pass?
The sad part is that I think we already know the answer. And that's what makes the very existence of Stand Your Ground so insulting.
They have tricked most Black people into believing that it's a law designed to allow everybody an opportunity to defend themselves against any aggressor. But, in reality, it ap- pears to just be a legal loop- hole that allows for more Black lives to be exterminated. The only equality in its implemen- tation is that the color of the finger squeezing the trigger is inconsequential as long as the target in the crosshairs is the same.
The tragedy in McGlock- ton's death isn't just how he died, it's also in the fact that the person who killed him did so because he knew he could get away with murder. And, because Stand Your Ground continues to give cowards like Drejka that kind of confi- dence, it's only right that, when going out in public, the rest of us should also be pre- pared to stand our grounds just as firmly.
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Obamaphobia And Healthcare
bviously, the Trump Administration has “Obama-
phobia.” Never have we heard a president blame and invoke the name of the preceding president as much as President Donald Trump has blamed and in- voked the name of President Barack Obama.
Earlier this month, President Trump blamed the United States’ relationship with Russia on President Obama, saying Obama had not been tough enough. Then, Trump proceeded to bromance Vladimir Putin by saying the Russians didn’t meddle in the 2016 Amer- ican elections because Putin said so.?#?
However, while the news media was focusing on Russia, the Trump Administration placed another nail in the coffin of Obamacare by throwing senior citizens and people suffering from catastrophic illnesses under the bus.
The “Risk Adjustment Program,” a program that collects money from insurance companies with smaller numbers of high-cost members (sick) and uses the funds to pay insurance companies that have large num- bers of high-need (sick) members who require more expensive health care (i.e. people ages 50 to 64. These folks who now purchase health care on their own can- not be charged more than three times the amount a younger person would be charged for the same plan.
If the bill allowing the freeze passes, older insurers would be charged five times the amount a younger per- son is charged. According to AARP and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, senior citizens’ an- nual insurance rates could rise more than $250 per month or $3,000 annually.
The current law was intended to protect older citi- zens who are not eligible for Medicare from discrimi- natory practices. However, the insurance companies and small business owners would also be harmed and forced to offer fewer plans and higher premiums.
The proposed changes are just another attempt to kill Obamacare. Every senior citizen should vote, therefore, against Congressional representatives who vote in favor of this bill. It has come to a point between life and death.
Stop Being A Slave
“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
Proverbs 22:7
mpowered Greetings.
GET OUT AND STAY OUT! This week I will be empowering you to get out of debt and stay out. Why, be- cause debt is bondage. Debt al- lows you to be a slave or
servant to those you owe. Think about it. You go to work, to get money, to pay somebody else. So basically you are working for their bene- fit and their gain. You may enjoy a little of your money here and there, but I guarantee you the bulk of it goes to some-
body else.
Ifyouaregoingtobeina position to win financially then you must first recognize the fact that you are in debt or bondage. Debt doesn’t feel good, nor is it good for you.
Secondly, you must be will- ing to confront the behaviors that got you in debt, so that you can conquer them and get out of debt.
You cannot conquer that which you are not willing to confront. Stop increasing debt. No new credit cards, loans, etc., and no new charges to current accounts. With that said, let’s deal with your debt.
Step 1. Create a list of all unsecured debt (credit cards) and secured debt (i.e. car loans, student
loans and home loans).
Next to each creditor write down your total balance, mini- mum monthly payment and in- terest rate.
Step 2. Starting with unsecured debts, list the information above from smallest debt owed to greatest. Do the same with se- cured debts.
Step 3. Begin to pay down balances on smaller debts first. I suggest this method so that you can have small successes that will moti- vate you to keep moving to- ward your goal of getting out of debt.
Pay down these balances by applying any and all extra money from your budget to this balance until it is paid off. A good rule of thumb is to double or triple the minimum balance due. Be sure to maintain pay- ments of at least the minimum amount due on other debts.
Contact Selphenia to speak or train at your upcom- ing event by calling (813) 603- 0088.
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TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5