A.M. Links: Eric Holder, Lawmakers Continue to Link Zimmerman Case to Stand Your Ground, Bradley Manning Defense Attorneys Argue "Aiding the Enemy" Charge Meant to Scare Whistleblowers, Most Small Businesses Not Ready for Obamacare

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  • whatever you do don't try to stand your ground
    Runs With Scissors/Foter.com

    Eric Holder called for an end to "Stand Your Ground" laws because they encourage situations like the altercation between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, and the Congressional Black Caucus is preparing legislation that would end Stand Your Ground laws in states that have them, as well as legislation that would provide more training to neighborhood watch volunteers and legislation which would in some unspecified manner curb racial profiling. A commitment to the Constitution would be the easiest, and least likely way for Congress to deal with the problem.  Jimmy Carter, meanwhile, said he agreed with the verdict in the Zimmerman case, noting the prosecutor had "inadvertently" set a high standard for conviction, and that the court settled a legal question, not a moral one.

  • Bradley Manning's defense attorneys argued in court that his "aiding the enemy" charge was a slippery slope that would have a chilling effect on future potential whistleblowers.
  • More than two-thirds of small businesses in America say they're not ready for Obamacare.
  • Liz Cheney announced she's running for Senate in Wyoming. She will challenge incumbent Mike Enzi in the Republican primary next year.
  • Vladimir Putin doesn't think US-Russian relations will be damaged if Russia grants Edward Snowden temporary asylum.
  • This year's is shaping up to be the bloodiest Ramadan in Iraq since 2007, when U.S. forces were still in the country.
  • The UN says the refugee crisis in Syria is the worst since Rwanda's in the 1990s. About 6,000 people are fleeing war-torn Syria every day.
  • The Boy Scouts imposed a no fatties rule on their annual Jamboree, requiring both scouts and scout leaders to pass a fitness exam.

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