Open Thread on Zimmerman Verdict

[styrgwillidar]

Yes and on shot can kill a man as well.

Yes, one shot can kill an innocent, or one shot can kill someone attempting to seriously injure you or kill you.

 

[livingwordunity]

All nonsense. He did not take the law into his own hands. He called the police. He monitored the suspect as best he thought. He was attacked and savagely beaten. He defended himself. If TM was so worried he could have ran home or sought help rather than jumping him and beating his head.

And if GZ premeditated the shooting (which is what the prosecution had to prove for it to be murder) he would have just started shooting from a distance. But only one shot was fired, and it was at point-blank range when GZ was getting his head beat into concrete. GZ had no way of knowing when TM was going to stop. And if GZ were a racist (another thing that was unprovable) he would have called TM the “N” word instead of calling him a “punk”. The prosecution might have had a chance for a conviction on a lesser charge than murder, but they were greedy and wanted to appease mob justice.

 

[fix]

And if GZ premeditated the shooting (which is what the prosecution had to prove for it to be murder) he would have just started shooting from a distance. And if GZ were a racist (another thing that was unprovable) he would have called TM the “N” word instead of calling him a “punk”.

One of the interesting facets of this case is the way people very much want to minimize the grave attack on GS by claiming it was his fault he was there. Now imagine saying that under other circumstances(crimes) in this culture??? Imagine how that would be viewed by the enlightened ones?

 

[styrgwillidar]

I can’t help but think of a line from the Batman movies,

Zimmerman should have left his gun in the car. He likely would have been killed by Martin, the case would have stayed local-- black/hispanic male killed in fight with another black male. Local folks who knew Z would have talked about how wonderful he was, always willing to look out for his neighbors, advocate for the homeless black guy, tutor to black youth. selfless volunteer etc. etc.

Instead the event is twisted, misrepresented not just at the local level but villifying him on a national level.

You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

 

[BroomWagon]

I heard commentary addressing Jesse Jackson saying something like Trayvon Martin didn’t have a jury of his peers, correct, Martin wasn’t on Trial, George Zimmerman got a jury of his peers, that right we are guaranteed. So, if one doesn’t like the jury makeup, I’m not sure how this can be redressed.

 

[Robert_Sock]

And Chicago’s gun laws make it easy to be a victim, a deceased victim.

Your characterization of the event and gun owners is unwarranted and unsubstantiated by either this specific incident or Floridas experience with CCW holders.

CCW holders are far less likely to be involved in crime than the average citizen. In fact, they are arrested for criminal violations at a lower rate then the members of MAIG (Mayors Against Illegal Guns-- Bloombergs group).

Choose LOVE, follow the Gospels, and all will be well. No need to worship guns.

LOVE, not guns!

 

[LisaA]

One of the interesting facets of this case is the way people very much want to minimize the grave attack on GS by claiming it was his fault he was there. Now imagine saying that under other circumstances(crimes) in this culture??? Imagine how that would be viewed by the enlightened ones?

Good point! Rather like the bad old days when women were told they were responsible for being raped because they wore a short skirt or were walking alone at night.

Lisa

 

[styrgwillidar]

…

No need to worship guns.

Agreed. I don’t know anybody who does. I do know of a lot of folks who don’t respect life.

 

[LisaA]

Okay, this was not a hate crime ! Zimmerman obviously stereotyped this young man and now Trayvon is dead because he wore a hoodie on his head. Lord have mercy on us all.

Very sad for all concerned. Let us pray.

Why do you ignore the facts? Tell me what leads you to believe Martin was shot for wearing a hoodie?

Lisa

 

[livingwordunity]

One of the interesting facets of this case is the way people very much want to minimize the grave attack on GZ by claiming it was his fault he was there. Now imagine saying that under other circumstances(crimes) in this culture??? Imagine how that would be viewed by the enlightened ones?

Isn’t that the same as when people say that a rape was the woman’s fault for being at a party or club or for the clothes she wears, etc.?

 

[Robert_Sock]

Agreed. I don’t know anybody who does. I do know of a lot of folks who don’t respect life.

The NRA! Vigilantes! Many of the NRA members place too much faith and trust in guns, and little or no faith and trust in God.

LOVE, not guns!

 

[stinkcat_14]

I think it had more to do with Martin beating Zimmerman’s face in than the hoodie.

I think if someone is trying to bash your face in, it seems reasonable to suspect that they are up to no good. Now of course, I am stereotyping that behavior.

 

[styrgwillidar]

…

LOVE, not guns!

So, your interpretation of love is that it would have been preferable and more morally acceptable for Zimmerman to allow Martin to kill him?

 

[sw85]

I swear the Zimmerman case is a stunning vindication of the Dunning-Kreuger effect if ever there was one. Inevitably the people complaining about it the most are the ones who have zero familiarity with it.

 

[SwizzleStick]

The NRA! Vigilantes! Many of the NRA members place too much faith and trust in guns, and little or no faith and trust in God.

LOVE, not guns!

Here’s a thought. Why don’t you have faith and trust in God and accept that His perfect justice will prevail with Zimmerman and stop insulting and questioning the faith of people who disagree with you?

I’m sure that if both young men had the benefit of hindsight, both would have acted differently that night. But, the evidence at trial supported Zimmerman acting in self-defense against a violent assault by Martin. So, the jury found him not guilty. That is the bottom line.

 

[Robert_Sock]

So, your interpretation of love is that it would have been preferable and more morally acceptable for Zimmerman to allow Martin to kill him?

No, my contention is the GZ should never have been following him in the first place. Why can’t people on this thread see that? The dispatcher clearly told him not to follow. Because GZ was negligent, and choose to take matters into his own hands, an innocent 17 year old boy is dead.

Worship God, not guns!

 

[Carlan]

Isn’t it very racist to assume that when he was referring to criminals he was also talking about black people?

Well for those in denial,to so many racism is still alive and well in America, how can there still be any doubt about that ? Sure there has been progress since the 60‘s, however, we have a long, long way to go here in America.

 

[Jeanne_S]

No, my contention is the GZ should never have been following him in the first place. Why can’t people on this thread see that? The dispatcher clearly told him not to follow. Because GZ was negligent, and choose to take matters into his own hands, an innocent 17 year old boy is dead.

Worship God, not guns!

GZ,was attacked by TM,after being told not to follow him.GZ was on his way back to his car was the physical altercation took place.

 

[styrgwillidar]

No, my contention is the GZ should never have been following him in the first place. Why can’t people on this thread see that?

The dispatcher clearly told him not to follow.

What the dispatcher did was asked Zimmerman to provide information, Zimmerman got out of his car and started following Martin to answer the dispatchers question-- an action the dispatcher testified that while unintended by the dispatcher, was reasonable given his request. When the dispatcher told him-- ‘We don’t need you to do that’, Zimmerman by all evidence presented complied. See, we can’t see a fictional account that isn’t based on the actual evidence and witness testimony.

Because GZ was negligent, and choose to take matters into his own hands, an innocent 17 year old boy is dead.

Again, your statements constitute a fictional scenario not supported by the evidence. Where was Zimmerman negligent, by calling the police to deal with the suspicious person, by walking in his own neighborhood, by attempting to get the info the dispatcher requested, where is the negligence? If by innocent, you deem a violent assault to be innocence, I don’t know what to say
Worship God, not guns!

You keep putting a tag line stating guns are incompatible with love. Again, I ask you the question in another way.

Does love demand you not defend yourself against an attacker?

 

[SwizzleStick]

No, my contention is the GZ should never have been following him in the first place. Why can’t people on this thread see that? The dispatcher clearly told him not to follow. Because GZ was negligent, and choose to take matters into his own hands, an innocent 17 year old boy is dead.

Worship God, not guns!

And I don’t see why you can’t accept that Zimmerman could not be prescient! How could he have known or even begun to guess the outcome of his choices that evening? You want to hold him responsible for not knowing someone was going to try to beat him to death.