Attorney General Eric Holder blasted “stand-your-ground laws” in the wake of the acquittal of George Zimmerman for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin—saying such laws cause more violence than they prevent. Here is the full text of his speech as prepared for delivery. 
 
 REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER AT THE NAACP ANNUAL CONVENTION 
 
 ORLANDO, Fla. 
 
 Thank you, Derrick [Johnson], for those kind words – and thank you all for such a warm welcome. It’s a pleasure to be in Orlando today. And it’s a privilege to join President [Ben] Jealous, Chairman [Roslyn] Brock, your National Board of Directors – and my good friends Secretary [Shaun] Donovan and Secretary [Kathleen] Sebelius – in celebrating the NAACP’s 104th Annual Convention, and recommitting ourselves to your important work. 
 
 I’m proud to be in such good company this afternoon – among so many friends, courageous civil rights leaders, and passionate men and women who have dedicated themselves to bringing our nation together, addressing common challenges, and focusing attention on the problems and inequities that too many of our citizens continue to face. 
 
 Even as this convention proceeds, we are all mindful of the tragic and unnecessary shooting death of Trayvon Martin last year – in Sanford, just a short distance from here – and the state trial that reached its conclusion on Saturday evening. Today, I’d like to join President Obama in urging all Americans to recognize that – as he said – we are a nation of laws, and the jury has spoken. I know the NAACP and its members are deeply, and rightly, concerned about this case – as passionate civil rights leaders, as engaged citizens, and – most of all – as parents. This afternoon, I want to assure you of two things: I am concerned about this case and as we confirmed last spring, the Justice Department has an open investigation into it. While that inquiry is ongoing, I can promise that the Department of Justice will consider all available information before determining what action to take. 
 
 Independent of the legal determination that will be made, I believe this tragedy provides yet another opportunity for our nation to speak honestly – and openly – about the complicated and emotionally-charged issues that this case has raised. 
 
 Years ago, some of these same issues drove my father to sit down with me to have a conversation – which is no doubt familiar to many of you – about how as a young black man I should interact with the police, what to say, and how to conduct myself if I was ever stopped or confronted in a way I thought was unwarranted. I’m sure my father felt certain – at the time – that my parents’ generation would be the last that had to worry about such things for their children. 
 
 Since those days, our country has indeed changed for the better. The fact that I stand before you as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States, serving in the Administration of our first African American President, proves that. Yet, for all the progress we’ve seen, recent events demonstrate that we still have much more work to do – and much further to go. The news of Trayvon Martin’s death last year, and the discussions that have taken place since then, reminded me of my father’s words so many years ago. And they brought me back to a number of experiences I had as a young man – when I was pulled over twice and my car searched on the New Jersey Turnpike when I’m sure I wasn’t speeding, or when I was stopped by a police officer while simply running to a catch a movie, at night in Georgetown, in Washington, D.C. I was at the time of that last incident a federal prosecutor. (laughter) 
 
 Trayvon’s death last spring caused me to sit down to have a conversation with my own 15 year old son, like my dad did with me. This was a father-son tradition I hoped would not need to be handed down. But as a father who loves his son and who is more knowing in the ways of the world, I had to do this to protect my boy. I am his father and it is my responsibility, not to burden him with the baggage of eras long gone, but to make him aware of the world he must still confront. (applause) This is a sad reality in a nation that is changing for the better in so many ways. 
 
 As important as it was, I am determined to do everything in my power to ensure that the kind of talk I had with my son isn’t the only conversation that we engage in as a result of these tragic events. 
 
 In the days leading up to this weekend’s verdict, some predicted – and prepared for – riots and waves of civil unrest across the country. Some feared that the anger of those who disagreed with the jury might overshadow and obscure the issues at the heart of this case. But the people of Sanford, and, for the most part, thousands of others across America, rejected this destructive path. They proved wrong those who doubted their commitment to the rule of law. And across America, diverse groups of citizens, from all races, backgrounds, and walks of life, are instead overwhelmingly making their voices heard – as American citizens have the right to do – through peaceful protests, rallies, and vigils designed to inspire responsible debate – not incite violence and division; and those who conduct themselves in a contrary manner do not honor the memory of Trayvon Martin. 
 
 I hope that we will continue to approach this necessarily difficult dialogue with the same dignity that those who have lost the most – Trayvon’s parents – have demonstrated throughout the last year – and especially over the past few days. They suffered a pain that no parent should have to endure – and one that I, as a father, cannot begin to conceive. As we embrace their example – and hold them in our prayers – we must not forego this opportunity to better understand one another. And we must not fail to seize this chance to improve this nation we cherish. 
 
 Today – starting here and now – it’s time to commit ourselves to a respectful, responsible dialogue about issues of justice and equality – so we can meet division and confusion with understanding, with compassion, and ultimately with truth. 
 
 It’s time to strengthen our collective resolve to combat gun violence but also time to combat violence involving or directed toward our children – so we can prevent future tragedies. And we must confront the underlying attitudes, mistaken beliefs, and unfortunate stereotypes that serve too often as the basis for police action and private judgments. 
 
 Separate and apart from the case that has drawn the nation’s attention, it’s time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods. (sustained applause) These laws try to fix something that was never broken. There has always been a legal defense for using deadly force if – and the “if” is important – no safe retreat is available. 
 
 But we must examine laws that take this further by eliminating the common sense and age-old requirement that people who feel threatened have a duty to retreat, outside their home, if they can do so safely. By allowing and perhaps encouraging violent situations to escalate in public, such laws undermine public safety. The list of resulting tragedies is long and – unfortunately – has victimized too many who are innocent. It is our collective obligation – we must stand our ground – (applause) to ensure that our laws reduce violence, and take a hard look at laws that contribute to more violence than they prevent. 
 
 We must also seek a dialogue on attitudes about violence and disparities that are too commonly swept under the rug – by honoring the finest traditions established by generations of NAACP leaders and other nonviolent advocates throughout history; and by paying tribute to the young man who lost his life here last year – and so many others whose futures have been cut short in other incidents of gun violence that pass, too often unnoticed, in our streets: by engaging with one another in a way that is at once peaceful, inclusive, respectful – and strong. 
 
 As we move forward together, I want to assure you that the Department will continue to act in a manner that is consistent with the facts and the law. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that – in every case, in every circumstance, and in every community – justice must be done. 
 
 For more than a century – since this organization was founded, in 1909 – the NAACP has led efforts to do just that, standing on the front lines of our fight to ensure security, opportunity, and equal treatment under law. Especially in times of need and moments of danger, you have dared to seek opportunities for progress and growth – challenging this nation to aim higher, to become better, and to move ever closer to its founding ideals. 
 
 Under the banner of the NAACP, courageous men and women like W.E.B. DuBois, Walter White, Charles Hamilton Houston, Ida B. Wells, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. – and countless others whose names may be less familiar, but whose contributions are no less important – have raised their voices, and too often given their lives, to advance our common pursuit of a more perfect Union. Their stories prove that today’s civil rights leaders can best honor the progress of the last century by planning for the challenges of the next. Their examples remind us that – as recent events illustrate – our work is far from over. And it’s time to acknowledge, once again, that we have much more to do. 
 
 After all, we come together today in another moment of need, during a year defined by historic milestones – including, just last month, the 50th anniversary of the infamous “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door”– when two brave young students enlisted the advice of NAACP lawyers, the support of the Justice Department, and the protection of the National Guard to step past Governor George Wallace and integrate the University of Alabama. 
 
 One of those students, Vivian Malone, would much later become my sister-in-law. Although she passed away several years ago – much too soon – her courage made a strong impression on me when I was a young man. Her story, and others like it, drove me to dream of a career in public service – and led me to spend my first summer in law school working for the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund. And her memory inspires me to think often of the historic speech that President John F. Kennedy delivered on that fateful night – 50 years ago last month – when he addressed the American people; expressed his support for Vivian and her classmate, James Hood; and described the cause of civil rights as a “moral issue” that is “as old as the scriptures and . . . as clear as the Constitution.” 
 
 In that extraordinary moment, President Kennedy urged his fellow citizens to refuse to accept that anyone could be denied opportunity, denied education, or denied the future of their choosing just because of the color of their skin. And he called on Congress to pass sweeping civil rights legislation – outlining a series of proposals that would later be included in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. 
 
 Once signed into law by his successor, President Lyndon Johnson, these proposals affirmed – and codified into law – the greatest of American ideals: that all are created equal. They established protections for the rights to which every citizen, and every eligible voter, is entitled. And they came to represent nothing less than the foundation of modern civil rights law. 
 
 Unfortunately, last month, an important piece of this foundation was chipped away – when the Supreme Court invalidated a key part of the Voting Rights Act. 
 
 Over the years – and in the past 18 months – this provision, called pre-clearance, allowed the Department to take swift action against numerous jurisdictions that adopted rules or procedures with either a discriminatory purpose or effect. It served as a potent tool for addressing inequities in our elections systems. And it proved the effectiveness of a legal mechanism that puts on hold any new voting changes until they have been subjected to a fair, and thorough, review. 
 
 Let me be clear: this was a deeply disappointing and flawed decision. It dealt a serious setback to the cause of voting rights. And, like all of you, I strongly disagree with the Court’s action. 
 
 After all, as we’ve seen over the last 18 months, numerous successful decisions in the Department’s Voting Rights Act cases have proven that – far from being an antiquated relic of a bygone era – such a process frequently resulted in approvals for fair and impartial voting changes, while allowing the Department to work with jurisdictions to address problems wherever they occur. 
 
 For instance, just last year, a federal court noted the “vital function” that preclearance played in protecting black voters who would have been disproportionately impacted by a photo ID law in South Carolina. Because of the Department’s engagement with the state during the administrative review and later litigation, South Carolina officials changed how their new voting statute will be implemented in future elections – to eliminate what would otherwise have been a dramatic discriminatory effect. Another court cited the Voting Rights Act in blocking a Texas congressional redistricting map that would have discriminated against Latino voters – noting that the parties “provided more evidence of discriminatory intent than we have space, or need, to address here.” 
 
 These cases, and many others, illustrate that these problems are real. They are significant. They corrode the foundations of our democracy. And they are of today – not yesterday. In fact, despite last month’s ruling, every member of the Supreme Court has agreed that – as the Chief Justice wrote, “voting discrimination still exists: no one doubts that.” Therefore, the struggle for voting rights cannot be relegated to the pages of history. And this is why protecting the fundamental right to vote – for all Americans – will continue to be a top priority for the Department of Justice so long as I have the privilege of serving as Attorney General. 
 
 It’s also why – although I remain disappointed with this outcome – I believe we must regard it not as a defeat, but as a rare and historic opportunity: for Congress to consider new legislation restoring and even strengthening modern voting protections – in a manner that’s consistent with the record established by one of the most effective civil rights laws in American history. 
 
 After all, in the nearly half-century since its passage, the Voting Rights Act enjoyed broad, bipartisan support on Capitol Hill as well as in the executive branch. Its most recent reauthorization passed Congress with near-unanimous support in 2006, and was signed into law by President Bush – just as prior reauthorizations had been signed by Presidents Reagan, Ford, and Nixon. 
 
 This is because providing fair and equal access to the ballot box has never been a partisan issue. It’s an American issue. It’s about the core values that define us as a nation – and who we say we are as a people. 
 
 Whatever solutions our Congressional leaders consider, I urge them to bear in mind – as they move forward – that the right to vote is both a guarantee and a sacred duty, conferred by citizenship and protected by the United States Constitution. Quite simply, Congress must take steps to ensure that every eligible American has equal access to the polls. 
 
 In the meantime, the Justice Department will continue to monitor jurisdictions around the country for any changes that may hamper voting rights. We will not hesitate to take aggressive action – using every tool that remains available to us – against any jurisdiction that attempts to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s ruling by hindering eligible citizens’ free and fair exercise of the franchise. 
 
 We also will not wait for Congressional action to refine – and re-focus – our current enforcement efforts. In fact, I am announcing today that I have directed the Department’s Civil Rights Division to shift resources to the enforcement of Voting Rights Act provisions that were not affected by the Supreme Court’s ruling – including Section 2, which prohibits voting discrimination based on race, color, or language – in addition to other federal voting rights laws. 
 
 It is clear that our work is anything but complete. Our cause is not yet fulfilled. And, for all the progress we’ve made over the last 104 years – our nation’s journey along the road to equality and opportunity is far from over. 
 
 This journey goes on every day in the efforts of those who seek to extend the legacy that our predecessors have established – by combating violence and realizing America’s founding, and enduring, promise of equal justice under law. It goes on in the steadfast commitment of my colleagues throughout the Justice Department – and the entire Obama Administration – to prevent all types of civil rights violations. Most of all, it goes on in the passionate advocacy of concerned, dedicated, and ultimately hopeful men and women in – and far beyond – this room: the members and leaders of America’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. 
 
 Make no mistake – the NAACP’s work is not just historically relevant. It is, and will always be, a vital and contemporary part of what makes this country truly exceptional. 
 
 So let us pledge that we will honor heroes like Dr. King, Medgar Evers, Vivian Malone – and so many others who have struggled, sacrificed, and died for the freedoms we now enjoy – by zealously guarding the progress they achieved, and matching their contributions with our own. 
 
 Above all, let us act – with optimism, and without delay – to seize the breathtaking opportunities now before us. To see that justice is done, and strengthen our nation’s long tradition of increasing opportunity and inclusion. And to continue the work that constitutes our shared purpose, and must always remain our common cause: the enduring pursuit of a more equitable, more just, and more perfect Union. 
 
 Thank you. ||||| Parents of Trayvon Martin who was fatally shot by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in Florida, mother Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin hold hands as they watch a news conference with special prosecutor Angela Corey in Sanford, Fla., announcing charges against George Zimmerman April 11, 2012 in Washington, DC.. (Photo by Evan Vucci-Pool/Getty Images) 
 
 The Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue Department is investigating a Facebook post by one of its captains that seems to blame the shooting death of Trayvon Martin on the "shi*tbag parents" of "our urban youth," and the "ghetto hoodie look" of young black men like Martin. 
 
 The entry was posted on the personal Facebook page of Miami-Dade fire captain Brian Beckmann. The Facebook page bears the same profile picture as the entry, which appears to have been deleted, but which was captured in a screengrab sent to theGrio. 
 
 The page's profile entry lists Metro-Dade Firefighters Local 1403. 
 
 The entry appears to have been created on Wednesday, the night State Attorney Angela Corey announced she would file second degree murder charges against George Zimmerman over Martin's shooting death. 
 
 "Listening to Prosecutor Corey blow herself and her staff for five minutes before pre-passing judgment on George Zimmerman," it read. 
 
 "The state seeks reelection again, truth aside. I and my coworkers could rewrite the book on whether our urban youths are victims of racist profiling or products of their failed, sh*tbag, ignorant, pathetic, welfare dependent excuses for parents, but like Mrs. Corey, we speak only the truth. They're just misunderstood little church going angels and the ghetto hoodie look doesn't have anything to do with why people wonder if they're about to get jacked by a thug." 
 
 Beckmann responded to questions about the page in a Facebook message, saying, "I am a private citizen and have the same right to freely express an opinion on any subject that anyone else does. I choose not to embellish or alter the facts as your employer chose to do." 
 
 He offered to contact theGrio when he was "off duty" for further comment. 
 
 The source who provided theGrio with the Facebook entry expressed concern that the comments reflected "the thoughts of someone who responds to the homes of the very people" being denigrated in the post. 
 
 A Miami-Dade Fire Department spokesman issued the following statement: 
 
 Captain Brian Beckmann has been with Miami-Dade county since 1997. The post on his personal Facebook page is being investigated by Miami-Dade fire rescue. The department's only official Facebook page is: www.facebook.com/MiamiDadeFireRescue. 
 
 Follow Joy Reid on Twitter at @thereidreport ||||| Attorney General Eric Holder Eric H. HolderSam Clovis is a terrible pick for the USDA Holder: Obama never asked me to consider dropping a case Schumer: Trump must withdraw USDA nominee to show he doesn't 'tolerate hate' MORE faces a crucial decision on whether to press federal civil rights charges against George Zimmerman, after the neighborhood watchman was acquitted Saturday in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin. 
 
 The NAACP and other leading civil rights groups are pressing for Holder to open a federal case against Zimmerman, after he was found not guilty on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges by a Florida jury. 
 
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 The public pressure leaves Holder, the nation’s first African-American attorney general, facing a difficult decision on a controversial case that has grabbed the nation’s attention and sparked renewed debate about racial profiling. 
 
 In a statement from NAACP President Ben Jealous, the civil rights group said they were “not done demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.” 
 
 “The most fundamental of civil rights—the right to life—was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin. We ask that the Department of Justice file civil rights charges against Mr. Zimmerman for this egregious violation,” said the group in a petition unveiled Saturday night. “Please address the travesties of the tragic death of Trayvon Martin by acting today.” 
 
 On CNN Sunday, civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson also demanded that the Justice Department “intervene” and “take this to another level.” 
 
 
 
 
 
 Many Democratic lawmakers are also joining those calls, with Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) tweeting a message from Jealous asking for the DOJ to act. 
 
 Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) tweeted he was “deeply saddened” by the verdict, but was “pleased that DOJ is continuing to evaluate evidence.” 
 
 The DOJ launched a review of the shooting earlier this year and Holder said that they would take proper action if they had evidence of a civil rights crime. 
 
 “If we find evidence of a potential federal criminal civil rights crime, we will take appropriate action, and at every step, the facts and law will guide us forward,” said Holder in a speech in April to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. 
 
 But Holder had cautioned in subsequent remarks that the DOJ faces a “very high barrier” when seeking to bring federal criminal charges in such cases. 
 
 The decision to act against Zimmerman after a jury acquitted him could also put Holder again at odds with Republican lawmakers, with whom he has had a contentious relationship. 
 
 The House voted him in contempt last year after he failed to turn over documents subpoenaed in a probe of the ATF’s botched gun-tracking program, Operation Fast and Furious. 
 
 Holder has also faced congressional anger over the DOJ’s probe of journalists over national security leaks, including questions about whether he lied when testifying before Congress that he was unaware of efforts to prosecute reporters. 
 
 Holder spoke in April about the shooting death of Trayvon Martin personally, saying that “as a parent, I reacted to it.” 
 
 “This is a pain that no parent should have to endure. The notion of having to bury a child is something that is, I think in some ways for a parent, the ultimate pain,” Holder said. 
 
 “The primary responsibility we have in the Justice Department is to support the state in its ongoing investigation, to do our own thorough and parallel investigation which we are in the process of doing and try to resolve this matter in as fair and complete a way and as quickly as we can.” ||||| More than a year after an FBI report indicated there was no evidence of racial bias in George Zimmerman's history, the Justice Department is trolling for email tips on the former neighborhood watch volunteer as it weighs a possible federal civil rights case against him. 
 
 Amid pressure from the NAACP and several Democratic lawmakers to pursue Zimmerman, the department has set up a public email address asking for any tips or information regarding the case. The move appears to mark an expansion of the probe, after Attorney General Eric Holder said in an address Tuesday to the NAACP that his department would "consider all available information" before deciding whether to move forward. 
 
 The department also held a conference call with civil rights leaders on Monday. 
 
 The conference call included DOJ officials, along with representatives from the FBI and federal prosecutors. They spoke to civil rights leaders from Sanford, Fla., as well as others from around the country. 
 
 The call was convened by Tom Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division. 
 
 A Justice official told Fox News that both the conference call and the email address asking for tips and information are fairly standard procedure when dealing with a high-profile investigation such as this one. The department has used such tip lines in the past, including in a probe last year of the Albuquerque, N.M., police department. 
 
 Some attorneys and analysts have cautioned that Holder would have a difficult time bringing a civil rights case against Zimmerman, particularly since the investigation so far is thought to have turned up no evidence or claims that Zimmerman exhibited racial bias. Martin was black. 
 
 But other lawmakers appear to have already made up their mind. 
 
 "We do know that Mr. Martin's civil rights have been violated," Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., said, as other members of the Congressional Black Caucus voiced similar views. 
 
 Holder has meanwhile gone beyond pursuing the investigation in the wake of the acquittal. On Tuesday, he also criticized "stand-your-ground" laws, which allow individuals to use lethal force when they believe their lives are in danger -- even if they have the option of fleeing. 
 
 The NRA criticized Holder for the comments, saying self-defense is a "fundamental human right." 
 
 Holder also, in his address to the NAACP, recounted his own past experiences with racial profiling. 
 
 Jake Gibson is a producer working at the Fox News Washington bureau who covers politics, law enforcement and intelligence issues.
– The Justice Department is asking for the public's help in its investigation into George Zimmerman, Fox News reports. A public email address (Sanford.Florida@usdoj.gov) is up and running, and ready to collect any tips you may have on him; Eric Holder previously said the DOJ will "consider all available information." Officials tell the Washington Post the email was set up "because of interest in this matter," and the paper calls the move an "unusual" one. But Fox News reports it's pretty much standard procedure when it comes to highly publicized cases like Zimmerman's. Still, don't expect a response if you write in. "Unfortunately, the Department will not be able to respond to all messages received," the DOJ said in a statement. But police are still responding to those angered by the case: The Los Angeles Times reports that 17 people were arrested last night after a Victorville rally unraveled. And this morning, Trayvon Martin's parents spoke out in their first post-verdict interview. Mom Sybrina Fulton tells CBS This Morning she was "stunned" Zimmerman wasn't found guilty of second-degree murder. To President Obama: "make sure all the Ts were crossed and the Is were dotted," requests Fulton.