Stevie Wonder boycotts Florida over “Stand Your Ground”
Recording artist Stevie Wonder performs on stage during the 2013 BET Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on June 30, 2013 in Los Angeles
By Lee Bailey’s EURweb.com
Stevie Wonder fans in Florida will have to pack a bag to see the singer perform for the time being.
In the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal, the singer said he would not be performing in the Sunshine State until its “Stand Your Ground” law is “abolished,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. He also said he would not be performing in any other state that recognizes the law, which some say contributed to Zimmerman’s acquittal in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, 2012.
“I decided today that until the “Stand Your Ground” law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again,” Wonder said Sunday while performing in Quebec City. “As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world.”
Some have argued that the law played no role in the acquittal. However, The Atlantic’s Ta-Nehisi Coates pointed out that it was cited in the jury instructions.
Meanwhile, Wonder also called for his fans’ support of his boycott.
“The truth is that — for those of you who’ve lost in the battle for justice, wherever that fits in any part of the world — we can’t bring them back,” he said. “What we can do is we can let our voices be heard. And we can vote in our various countries throughout the world for change and equality for everybody. That’s what I know we can do.”
