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The not-guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman case caused controversy across the country and world, and many public figures are using their platforms to speak out and share their opinion. Stevie Wonder is taking it a step further.
During his concert in Quebec on July 14, the 63-year-old Grammy-winning artist announced that as long as stand-your-ground law is in place, he will not perform in the state of Florida. Stand-your-ground law allows people to, as the name indicates, stand their ground and legally use force when there is reasonable belief of an illegal threat. Attorney General Eric Holder has also spoken out against this style of law, saying that the law undermines public safety and may cause violent situations to escalate unnecessarily.
Stand-your-ground law was not used by Zimmerman’s lawyers to dismiss his case, but it has come under fire as a possible reason for Zimmerman’s decision to kill Trayvon Martin instead of leaving the scene. It has become a hot topic of debate in light of the not-guilty verdict.
Watch Stevie Wonder announce his decision to boycott Florida below.
