Michael Dunn guilty verdict brings hope
The Jacksonville, Fla., case of Michael Dunn has returned a guilty verdict for first-degree murder.
Dunn was charged with murder after shooting into an SUV filled with teenage boys at a gas station after a verbal altercation over the loudness of the boys’ music. Despite Dunn claiming he only fired into the car out of fear for his life, the jury found him to be the aggressor, pointing out that he continued to fire shots into the vehicle after the teenagers attempted to flee the situation.
The parents of murder victim Jordan Davis were especially satisfied with the verdict. They claimed it sets a “shining example” for justice in a case where racial tensions were exceptionally high.
Jordan Davis, the victim, was African American, while Michael Dunn, the assailant, is Caucasian. They initially expected that Dunn would be acquitted of his crime due to his race and the fact the jury was mostly white, but were surprised to find justice was served regardless of race.
This case highlights two important issues: racial tensions and age conflict. It was obvious Michael Dunn acted irresponsibly by confronting the teens about how loud their music was, and he acted even more irresponsibly when he believed firing bullets into their vehicle was a suitable action to take.
Teenagers and young adults from all across the country listen to music at extremely high levels — students here on campus engage in the same activity. Often times the bass of a particular car’s music can be heard several blocks away, the vibrations felt in the walls and floor.
Should those students be shot at? Should those students be killed? Of course not. Even though older adults may find the practice unreasonable, annoying or even unbearable, taking such deadly action is not a logical way to deal with a situation such as this. Communication between the ages is key.
Race conflict plays a large part in this case as well. Would Dunn have fired into the vehicle had the teens been white? From what we know of the case, probably not. Dunn’s preconceived notions about the teens led to his use of his weapon; several of preconceived notions relied upon racial stereotypes.
Racial stereotypes run rampant in cases like this, brought about by misconceptions about particular races that lead to deadly consequences. Could this happen in Vermillion, a mostly-white Midwestern town? Perhaps. Let’s hope it does not happen anytime in the near future.
Overall, Michael Dunn’s conviction brings hope to those who feel as if racial discrimination has become a deciding factor in justice in America. It also highlights how differences between the ages can sometimes lead to deadly consequences. Hopefully this case will leave a moral message for people of all ages, races, genders and ethnicities to follow.
