Michelle Burton

12/13/2015

Final Essay

Stand your ground laws have been very prominent in the media lately and under much scrutiny. They were passed to be safety measure in defending oneself. These laws can be seen as a benefit or setback based on how they are used and by whom as one argument is they are not used equally among citizens. Malcolm X who was a prominent figure among African Americans and human rights activist fought for the rights of all Blacks. While he did have many followers, many people thought of him as a radical for his views on violence/nonviolence. I am sure that if Malcolm X was alive today, he would support Florida’s stand your ground law but with some reservations.

Stand your Ground laws were first enacted in 2005 on Florida and are based off an older “Castle Doctrine” which is a legal doctrine that “gives citizens in their homes- and in some states- cars or workplaces the right to protect themselves, other people, and their property by force- in some instances even deadly force”. This is the basis for many self-defense laws today. The Stand Your Ground law “allows people to stand their ground instead of retreating if they reasonably believe doing so is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.” Another main concern with this law is taking away the ability for the person to retreat. The Stand Your Ground laws are also important in community policing as will be addressed later in reference to George Zimmerman.

The controversy behind the Stand Your Ground laws is important to look at, therefore it is crucial to look at some examples such as the case of Marissa Alexander, and that of George Zimmerman (on Trayvon Martin). Marissa Alexander is a woman from Florida who was sentenced to 20 years in prison (as part of a mandatory minimum) for firing a warning shot at her ex-husband who has a history of domestic abuse; she had been assaulted and threatened by him on other occasions. She was not given immunity under the Stand Your Ground defense because the court determined she was no longer in imminent danger from her ex-husband because she was able to obtain her firearm from the garage. She took a plea deal and was convicted on 3 counts of aggravated armed assault which as a result she spent 3 years behind bars and 2 under house arrest. In the case of George Zimmerman, he was acquitted for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, a young man who was only carrying candy and a drink. He was partaking in a form of community policing as he was concerned about himself and supposedly the neighborhood. In the trial they called on a white woman who have testimony of 2 African American men who had robber her 6 months prior to Trayvon’s shooting. The only thing in common between the burglars and Trayvon was their skin color. In the case, it was also shown that all the calls Zimmerman made in those months to report suspicious behavior, he reported all the suspects as African American. For that reason many people believed he could not have been profiling Martin while others see that as proof he was. Supporters of Stand Your Ground claim they were made for the purpose to protect women (like Marissa Alexander) but in this case it obviously failed her. These two cases are a clear example of state statues being applied unequally as they are said to be especially among women, more so among women of color. Here you have two defendants, one who killed someone, another who fired a warning shot and did not harm anyone, yet the person with no blood on their hands was sentenced.

In order to understand what Malcolm X’s views on the Stand Your Ground would be, it is very imperative that his views on racism, laws, and violence are understood. Malcolm X is quoted lot for his stance on violence as “By any means necessary”. However, this does not mean use violence by any means necessary, but that justice and freedom will be achieved, by any means necessary. If violence is needed to defend oneself, then why not use it if it comes down to that? He is quoted saying:

The Constitution of the United States of America affirms the rights of every American to bear arms….The history of unpublished violence against our people clearly indicates that we must be prepared to defend ourselves or we will continue to be a defenseless people at the mercy of ruthless and violent racist mobs.

Malcolm X wanted African Americans to be given their rights, not have them tarnished and held back from them. The right to bear arms is a right in the constitution. He is very explicit on the right to defend oneself, especially if in imminent danger. He also does assert, how when the Black man does defend himself he is seen as violent, just as he himself is seen as a radical for telling them to defend themselves. He also defends the use of violence saying, “Concerning nonviolence: It is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself, when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful to own a shotgun or a rifle. We believe in obeying the law”.  Malcolm X’s view on equality are also imperative. He has said,

I’ve never seen a sincere white man, not when it comes to helping Black people. Usually things like this are done by white people to benefit themselves. The white man’s primary interest is not to elevate the thinking of black people or to waken black people, or white people either. The white man is interested in the black man only to the extent that the black man is of use to him. The white man’s interest is to make money, to exploit.

Malcolm X believed the races should not be integrated. It was his belief that they must remain separate and the Black community work on itself and gaining their rights, only then will they be able to integrate with Whites, if they are willing to accept and treat them equally.

There are many controlling images that will further help in understanding what might be Malcolm X’s view on the Stand Your Ground laws and reservations. Theodore Roosevelt is important because he was seen as the “world constable”. He is the picture for paternalism. He walks softly and carries a big stick (which says arbitrator). Arbitrator means he settles disputes. Roosevelt tries to keep peace but has the “stick” if necessary (in relation to Malcolm X’s by any mean necessary. Along with this period, there is the Social Control Theory which implies the rule in the name of the “good” of the ruled through a language of care which presupposes the people to inferiority. Roosevelt wanted cooperation and spoke with care but if it came to it, he would use force. Care can be controlling. There is also the idea that “only the highest order white man can embrace savage masculinity and overcome it” (frim American Progress, 1872). This shows the controlling image of the Brute physicality of White masculinity which I will refer to later. What has been and is still being protected throughout America’s history is the image of white womanhood and that of the true woman as pious, domestic, pure, self-restrained, and submissive. To combat this white womanhood, there is the image of the jezebel and the mammy figure. These figures portray Black woman as either promiscuous or not appealing, not very feminine, and not needing much protection.

The controlling images of African Americans further explains Malcolm X’s stance and more understanding of the opposition of the Stand Your Ground laws. They serve as a regulation of conduct and serve to further show how Black bodies have and will always be seen through a racial lens. First, there is the Scapegoat Theory which states, “if the source of frustration is too strong, a weaker substitute is targeted”. Blacks have been targeted for many frustrations among whites. This helps explain White Supremacy as well. Malcolm X talks about how Whites use it to hide their own guilt. They do not want to see Blacks succeed or even integrate (Last Place Aversion). They want to keep them separate and down for control (only need them so much as they’re useful to them). There is also scapegoating and race. This implies that the races were invented together and whiteness is defined as the social distance from Blackness. Today and back then the distinction was and is still clear, though relations are getting better. I’m sure Malcom X would be a little disappointed as to race relations (also the lack of community by ALL blacks as he wanted which is not apparent) today but would t the same time see a little progress. The main controlling image is the black man as a brute, animalistic, and superhuman. Under the black brute, there is the idea that black men have a “savage lust” for white woman. Therefore, the black man is animalistic and the white woman, but people as well must be protected from them. With the Stand your ground law, this Brute physicality was displayed when Trayvon was shot in cold blood. Zimmerman profiled him and displayed this brute physicality of white masculinity. He was able to come back from it which was his acquittal. Because he was black, he was already marked with being superhuman and savage: up to no good. Marissa Alexander is Black and so is her ex-husband. They are both “brutes” but because she fired the shot she was heartless and monstrous.

The Racial double standard plays a huge role. There are arguments that had Marissa Alexander been a white woman or the Trayvon case been the other way around, Zimmerman would’ve been found guilty and Alexander would have been found innocent. There is the rationalization of violence when it comes to the Black brute because the savagery must be stopped. The super humanization bias relies on long held stereotypes about toughness, aggression, physicality, and sexuality. Blacks cannot and will not escape these stereotypes and they will always be in the back of one’s head. There was a social experiment conducted which even showed that people were more likely to associate anger and negative emotion faces with those of Black people so how do they escape it? With Roosevelt there is the care part as in these laws were created to protect people, but if they can’t get away they can use force without a warning. Who is the victim? This also shows the Racial empathy Gap. Where was the empathy for Alexander? Trayvon?

I believe Malcolm X would agree with the Stand Your Ground Laws because people have the legal right to protect themselves especially when they perceive they are in imminent danger. However I feel he would have reservations because he would want it clarified as to who is the real victim, was the danger evident, and he believed in equality and being treated fairly. This means that no matter Gender, race, or sexuality, everyone should be entitled to the basic citizenship and human rights. Nobody should be treated special.

Copyright Michelle Burton 2015