Difference between death, bloody noses

Uncertainty surrounds the untimely death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on March 17, except for this: What separates this tragedy from a physical confrontation and one or two bloody noses is the gun.

There are two victims here: Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman. Both are victims of the lamebrained American insistence on providing guns to everyone and encouraging people to then indulge their Walter Mitty fantasies about using a gun to put someone in his/her place, by shooting or threatening to shoot the fantasized bully, or perhaps trespasser. Want some authority in this life? The NRA says get a gun and you’ll have some. The Florida legislature says, “Hey, why back down when you have a gun? Stand your ground.”

I see no evidence at this point that George Zimmerman had any more sinister thing in mind when he pursued Trayvon Martin than perhaps bossing him around a bit and making him leave the premises. If Zimmerman had any history of violence we would know it by now. Nobody has suggested he had any such tendency.

Carrying a gun for self-protection a good idea? Ask George Zimmerman.

Al Kirkland Jr.

Elgin