Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman was recently acquitted of all charges in the death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. More than 150 people marched in protest of the verdict in Salt Lake City. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, some of the protesters said that the trial’s outcome will increase racial profiling and open the door for “trigger-happy” vigilantes. We’re going to open up Wednesday’s Access Utah to you to talk about this case.
Rev. France Davis of Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City and a veteran of the civil rights movement of the 1960s said (according to the Tribune) “I’m concerned that we haven’t made any more progress in our society than this. I would have thought that we would have stopped profiling and stereotyping and move forward — but it seems we are still there.”
What’s your general reaction? Do we have a racial profiling problem in Utah? What about racial stereotyping? Utah, like Florida, has a Stand Your Ground law; what does this case teach us about such laws? What about Neighborhood Watch programs; are they a help or a hindrance to public safety? Should George Zimmerman face federal charges? You can comment here or on our Utah Public Radio Facebook page, or byemail. And you can call 1-800-826-1495 on Wednesday from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
