The so-called Democratic Majority in the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives has seemingly drunk the Qlaid and gone off the deep end (on the far right side) of the pool.

Can you believe Hawaiʻi Democrats would actually pass a “Stand your ground bill?
Well, the short answer is yes, HB2464 is it.

“Stand your ground laws overturn centuries of jurisprudence, allowing people to avoid criminal prosecution for the use of deadly force even when the person could easily and safely retreat. Research consistently shows that stand your ground laws increase homicides…” The Educational Fund To Stop Gun Violence.

“In short, Stand Your Ground laws encourage the use of deadly force. These laws open the door to a more dangerous world where everyone feels pressure to carry a gun – and if they feel threatened, to shoot first and tell their stories later.” Scholars Org

“Stand Your Ground laws – which limit or remove the expectation that lethal force in self-defense is only justified in situations where it does not seem safe to step away instead – deepen disparities in the legal system and disproportionately justify the use of violence by people who are white and male against people who are not. Moreover, research shows these laws lead to significantly more killing – in any given month, 30 to 50 people across the country are killed as a result of these laws – and have no deterrent effect on other crimes.” Southern Poverty Law Center

So who in the State House of Representatives actually voted for this dangerous, testosterone-fueled right-wing, and very dangerous piece of legislation? Unfortunately, that list is long, and it includes Speaker Scott Saiki and every member of the House Leadership faction – all of whom are members of the Democratic Party, I am embarrassed to say.

To end this on a positive note, I will list the NO votes here. Please take a moment to thank them for standing up to this madness. Representative(s) Branco, Ganaden, Kapela, D. Kobayashi, Lowen, Marten, McKelvey, Nakamura, Perruso, Sayama, Takumi, Tam, Tarnas, Wildberger voting no (14)

Complete contact information for all Representatives can be found here . If your Representative is not on the “No” list – I encourage you to give them a piece of your mind.