The Trayvon Martin shooting

[cardsfantx]

yep, i would say/do the same thing, and not think twice about it.

i do have a question about this whole case though regarding the race issues everyone seems to be having in this shooting.

i could see the "angle" if zimmerman" was white, since there are stereotypes/views out there where white people apparently are "scared" or "suspicious" of young black males (according to the media). but zimmerman is hispanic. he calls himself/identifies himself/fills out forms as a hispanic, so he's hispanic (regardless if he's half white). obama is half white, but identifies himself as black, so he's black.

is there something between hispanics/blacks that i'm unaware of? seems like both groups would have an argument that they are stereotyped as "suspicious" in the eyes of society.

[cardsfantx]

btw, after reading that, i'm not sure my question comes across like i want it to. but hopefully someone knows what i'm getting at.

[Vidor]

I would have posted more in this thread, but it's too depressing. That a-hole walks. And gets his goddamn gun back. Jesus. We as a country have some serious problems.

[JackofDiamonds]

[/youtube]

Start at 2:20 if you want the relevant information.

[wart57]

Simple Question, everyone seems to think Zimmerman is lying about what went down, but what if he is telling the truth? He saw an unfamiliar person strolling through the neighborhood were there have been a string of burglaries lately, it is raining and he is slowly strolling along. Zimmerman gets out of his car to see where the guy is going and what he is up to. He is confronted, and then attacked by the unknown person; in the ensuing fight the guy sees his gun and goes for the gun, making Zimmerman fear for his life. Are we saying that Zimmerman put himself in that situation, so therefore he deserves whatever happens to him?

In my personal opinion, I think Zimmerman would have followed any unknown person no matter what the skin color. He saw himself as law enforcement in the community, and he was going to catch the punk responsible for the burglaries in his community in the act, and then be the hero or the neighborhood.

I don't believe Zimmerman’s entire story either, but it is tough to blame the jury, they need to go off of the info given to them, and there was just not enough evidence to dispute Zimmerman's account. Unfortunately, we will never know the entire true story.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Wart, comeon, man!!

So, it's okay to presume Zimmerman's innocence. But, for Zimmerman to presume Martin's guilt, and hence the ensuing confrontation, is also okay?

[wart57]

Wart, comeon, man!!

So, it's okay to presume Zimmerman's innocence. But, for Zimmerman to presume Martin's guilt, and hence the ensuing confrontation, is also okay?

I didn't say that.

I said all along Zimmerman was wrong for following him. Only bad things could come of that, leave law enforcement to the Police.

I am just asking what people would think if it was proven that Zimmerman's account was true, say a video came out showing the whole thing.

I don't believe Zimmerman either, but there is no proof to dispute his account, and in our court system, proof is needed for a conviction, not beliefs.

[Jocephus]

You can stand your ground if you’re white, and you can use a gun to do it. But if you stand your ground with your fists and you’re black, you’re dead.

In the state of Florida, the season on African-Americans now runs year round. Come one, come all. And bring a handgun. The legislators are fine with this blood on their hands. The governor, too. One man accosted another and when it became a fist fight, one man — and one man only — had a firearm. The rest is racial rationalization and dishonorable commentary.

If I were a person of color in Florida, I would pick up a brick and start walking toward that courthouse in Sanford. Those that do not, those that hold the pain and betrayal inside and somehow manage to resist violence — these citizens are testament to a stoic tolerance that is more than the rest of us deserve. I confess, their patience and patriotism is well beyond my own.

Behold, the lewd, pornographic embrace of two great American pathologies: Race and guns, both of which have conspired not only to take the life of a teenager, but to make that killing entirely permissible. I can’t look an African-American parent in the eye for thinking about what they must tell their sons about what can happen to them on the streets of their country. Tonight, anyone who truly understands what justice is and what it requires of a society is ashamed to call himself an American.

http://davidsimon.com/trayvon/

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I'm just taking your account as gospel here and here's what I see as wrong with that (his) account:

Zimmerman gets out of his car to see where the guy is going and what he is up to

He saw himself as law enforcement in the community, and he was going to catch the punk responsible for the burglaries

Especially this last one. He's not a cop. He's not law enforcement. People can't just assume the power of cops whenever they so desire. As a matter of fact, it should be a crime to do so lest we have a ton of trigger happy vigilantes out wandering the streets.

[Socnorb11]

What would have happened if Trayvon Martin had beat Zimmerman to death?