Today’s Action: Overturn the laws that protect the murderers of Ahmaud Arbery

Ahmaud Arbery, a young Black man out on a run in Satilla Shores, Georgia, was hunted down, threatened, and then shot to death by two white men (one an ex-cop) on February 23. The murder was filmed and submitted as evidence. But the two men, a father and son duo, walked free for two months…and were only arrested when the video went viral on social media last week.

Ahmaud Arbery was lynched, though a gun has replaced the historic noose, by racist vigilantes who knew the state laws well. Two laws in particular allow lynching to carry on into the 21st century under the thinly-veiled disguise of self-defense: Open Carry and Stand Your Ground.

45 states have some form of Open Carry law for gun ownership. 30 states have Stand Your Ground/Shoot First laws. Call or email your state legislators to overturn either law that applies to your state: both must be fully repealed across the country to deter white supremacists from murdering more innocent Black Americans.

Open Carry laws allow gun owners to carry firearms visibly in public. Studies show these laws lead to higher rates of aggression, violence, and homicide. Open Carry specifically allows white supremacists to intimidate and threaten their POC targets, and actively impede law enforcement’s ability to respond to very real dangers by confusing credible threats with legally supported rights to bear arms.

Stand Your Ground laws actively encourage individuals to use deadly force, even when non-lethal force or safe retreat is possible. They are a proven hazard to public safety with absolutely no impact on hindering crime – and in our criminal justice system, white-on-black homicide under Stand Your Ground is justified 281% more than white-on-white homicide. In other words: lawful lynching.

The combination of these laws embolden and justify white supremacists to carry out brutal violence against Black Americans, protected by our police forces and racially-charged judicial systems. We cannot bring back Ahmaud Arbery. But we will fight to bring Ahmaud’s murderers to justice – and work to prevent more hateful tragedy.

Check to see if your state has Open Carry and/or Stand Your Ground/Shoot First laws – chances are, it has at least one. Then, call or email your state legislators and demand they overturn them, a necessary step toward eradicating white violence against Black Americans.