In a recent shooting in Florida, an armed citizen named Michael Drejka shot and killed a man named Markeis McGlockton following an altercation in a parking lot. The incident was caught on video so we can see it transpire. Everyone is talking about stand your ground laws and how they are “racist,” but stand your ground actually has nothing to do with this incident. The reality is, stand your ground law simply lifts the obligation to retreat from the defender, even if doing so can be done safely. When Drejka shot McGlockton he was on the ground in a position of disadvantage, he did not have a safe avenue of retreat at that point. Therefore, I don’t think stand your ground law will play a role in the actual trial of this guy.
Why is stand your ground the focus of this discussion? The left always goes after stand your ground law because they are opposed to self-defense. The legal option to defend yourself empowers the individual and collectivists hate the empowerment of the individual. Stand your ground appears to them as low hanging fruit that they can chip away at to further their attack on the overall right to self-defense. It really is that simple. The second talking point is, of course, race. In this instance, a white guy shot a black guy. The left will make a mountain out of this because, of course, leftists use race to divide people. Again, let’s call things as they are.
The real question in this event is whether or not Drejka was truly in danger of death or grave bodily harm at the time he shot. Undoubtedly, a jury will decide, and Drejka will walk or be convicted, perhaps based on his actions preceding the shooting. We will see. Even before the trial commences, however, we can gain two valuable lessons from this incident:
First, McGlockton initiated the physical fight by pushing Drejka to the ground. This was, under the eyes of the law, an assault. We can’t physically assault people for simply saying something we don’t like, even if they deserve it. Drejka may walk due to this single fact. McGlockton was the first to get physical. Legally, he committed the assault. Words are not assault.
Second, The greater lesson to be gained, is by the non-example of Michael Drejka. Quite frankly, a guy like Michael Drejka has no business carrying a gun, nor does anyone who thinks they have the right to confront people over where they are parked. Drejka was aggressively yelling at the girlfriend of McGlockton because, apparently, she had parked in a handicapped parking space and had no hang tag for such. While McGlockton was wrong in laying hands on Drejka, the inclination to do so is obvious. Imagine coming out of a store and finding some asshole yelling at your wife or girlfriend. If that is not looking for a fight, I don’t know what is. Ultimately, a man lost his life because Drejka thought that he had the right to yell at people over parking spaces and hang tags.
As an armed citizen, mind your own back yard and leave people alone. If you can’t help but be an asshole, don’t carry a gun. This kind of guy simply lacks the self-restraint and character for the armed lifestyle. I would also recommend that, if you can’t resist the urge to get confrontational with people, develop some hand skills so that you can defend yourself without resorting to your gun when your big mouth catches up with you. This is an outrageous fail on every level.
If you carry, you need to operate on thought and reason, not emotion. If you carry, I urge you to read this article from a couple of years back. It is your obligation to avoid a bad situation whenever possible. Stay safe:
http://concealednation.org/2016/05/the-appropriate-demeanor-for-the-armed-citizen/
Reflex Handgun 
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