The statement released from the Coalition To Stop Gun Violence:
In an effort to educate the public about the danger of self-defense laws written by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) is releasing a new PSA today entitled “Stand Up to ‘Stand Your Ground.’”
The video features a chilling reenactment of the night Trayvon Martin was killed in Sanford, Florida.
The viewer follows George Zimmerman in his pursuit of Martin to the backdrop of real audio of emergency calls made that evening.
The final seconds of the PSA call on viewers to take action to make sure similar tragedies cease to befall our nation.
The PSA comes one month after President Obama addressed the nation with a deeply moving and personal statement about the acquittal of George Zimmerman.
In this speech he called on Americans to reassess the “Stand Your Ground” laws that have now been enacted in 26 states. Since that time, determined activists in states across the country—including the Dream Defenders in Florida, the first “Stand Your Ground” state—have heeded his call.
We hope our "Stand Your Ground" PSA will mobilize new activism on the issue and bring us to a point where our laws are acting to protect victims, as opposed to creating new ones.To that end, CSGV has launched the webpage www.csgv.org/standup in conjunction with the PSA.
The webpage features a petition about “Stand Your Ground” laws through which Americans can call on their state legislators to “oppose this immoral legislation.”
An anti-gun group headquartered out of Washington, D.C., has released an online public service announcement that attempts a recreation of the night that George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin.
The effort by the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) is designed to repeal and prevent 'Stand Your Ground' laws. Twenty-six states, including Florida, having varying forms of Stand Your Ground laws that allow would-be victims to use leathal force to repeal a perceived threat.
Zimmerman was found not-guilty in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Yet, the Florida Stand Your Ground statute was not cited as part of Zimmerman's defense.
The video, as described by CSGV:
<i>The video features a chilling reenactment of the night Trayvon Martin was killed in Sanford, Florida. The viewer follows George Zimmerman in his pursuit of Martin to the backdrop of real audio of emergency calls made that evening. The final seconds of the PSA call on viewers to take action to make sure similar tragedies cease to befall our nation.</i>
http://youtu.be/kUKzDANF6QU
The National Coalition to Stop Gun Violence was founded in 1974 under the name "National Coalition to Ban Handguns" with the goal of addressing "the high rates of gun-related crime and death in American society" by licensing gun owners, registering firearms, and banning private ownership of handguns with "reasonable limited exceptions" for "police, military, licensed security guards, antique dealers who have guns in unfireable condition, and licensed pistol clubs where firearms are kept on the premises."
In 1989, the National Coalition to Ban Handguns changed its name to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, in part because the group felt that "assault weapons" as well as handguns, should be outlawed.
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