A Most American Way to Die

        I have read the Rolling Stone article, A Most American Way to Die, about how an African-American teen, Jordan Davis, who had just gone to the mall with his friends, was shot to death by a heavily armed, right-wing man named Michael Dunn. This killing was 'justified' by a real law in Florida, the Stand Your Ground Act, which allows a person to kill another human being if they feel threatened. The law makes an act like this perfectly legal. This law is absolutely inhumane, and the impact it has in our society is horrifying.

Jordan Davis was a middle-class, church-going teen from Florida. He was at the mall with his friends, enjoying talking to girls, and buying cologne and new shoes. They stopped at a Gate gas station, while their friend Tommie went to buy some cigarettes. They were playing hip-hop on the radio, having a good time. At that moment, Michael Dunn pulls up next to their car. He tells them to turn their music down. He also says that he 'hates that thug music' they are playing. Tevin, a friend of Jordan's, turns the music down. Jordan doesn't feel they need to do that, and turns it back up.

The two started yelling at each other, Jordan and Dunn. Tommie, Jordan's friend, notices that Dunn is pointing a gun out of his window at them. Dunn fires nine rounds as the boys' car pulls out. They get away, and think all are fine, but then discover that Jordan is not. He has bullets lodged in his chest and groin. He is gasping for air. Dunn has driven away, but luckily, bystanders wrote down his license plate number. The police stop at Dunn's house and ask him questions. Dunn is quoted saying 'They defied my orders, what was I supposed to do if they wouldn't listen?" He also says he felt threatened by the boys, that they were 'gang members calling their gang buddies.' He claimed they were men, not teens. And they were pointing a shot gun at his car. 

Not only was Dunn lying about them having a shot gun, but why should the boys have turned down their music? I think Jordan was right turning it back up, since Dunn could have rolled his window up to prevent hearing the music. And why should this small disagreement end in death?

This is the kind of horrifying effect this law has in our society: a person can think that not only do they have the right to use a gun, but that that is the only choice when another person won't do as they ask, like turning down music. How can it be that the only solution to this conflict is putting nine rounds of bullets in their car, aiming to kill. Dunn called his question an 'order' as if he had some control over the innocent boys. This violent power that the law gives people is disgusting, and turns the gun owner into the judge, jury, and executioner

        In Florida people already are allowed to go to work with a gun in their car, they have the right to buy military issue sniper rifles and with the Stand Your Ground Act, they can use them when they choose.   Dunn, and many people like him, believe in their power to use violence to solve problems.  Dunn had even asked a neighbor to kill a man who had sued Dunn's company previously. This act gives people power no single person should have: to decide another's fate with a pull of the trigger.  Whether the victim is harmless or armed, innocent or guilty.