The Trayvon Martin shooting

[wart57]

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.

I don't know what you are disagreeing with. I said all along Zimmerman was a nut job with a gun. But he can't be convicted of murder due to the dumb ass law in Florida. The only thing I believe in Zimmerman's defense was that it was not a race issue. I am sure he would have followed a white or Hispanic person under the same circumstances; the race issue is enflaming the whole thing, my hope is the race issue has brought the case out in the open so that the stupid law in Florida can be changed.

It sounds like we agree on everything.

But the way your OP read, it was as if Zimmerman did nothing wrong. When, even if not legally, he clearly did things wrong. If the law defends those wrong actions, I really hope the law is changed.

That law and similar ones need to be changed. Self-defense is one thing, but it being legal to put yourself in to a situation where you may need to lethally defend yourself is ridiculous.

[TheoSqua]

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

What would have happened had Zimmerman turned his car around, drove to McDonalds for some food and been killed in an accident?

I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm just wondering if Trayvon would have been convicted if he had beat Zimmerman to death. Let's assume that Zimmerman didn't have a gun, but followed Trayvon Martin. Would it be OK for Martin to beat him to death, in the name of self-defense?

I believe self defense only applies when your life is in peril, or you need to actually defend yourself. Once you beat a guy to the point that he's no longer a threat to harming you, continuing to beat him until he is dead is no longer self defense.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

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

What would have happened had Zimmerman turned his car around, drove to McDonalds for some food and been killed in an accident?

I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm just wondering if Trayvon would have been convicted if he had beat Zimmerman to death. Let's assume that Zimmerman didn't have a gun, but followed Trayvon Martin. Would it be OK for Martin to beat him to death, in the name of self-defense?

I believe self defense only applies when your life is in peril, or you need to actually defend yourself. Once you beat a guy to the point that he's no longer a threat to harming you, continuing to beat him until he is dead is no longer self defense.

What if Zimmerman confronted him, MArtin hit him, Zimmerman tripped and fatally struck his head on the curb? What if Martin beat him until Zimmerman was unconscious, then took Zimmermans gun and shot him in the face, execution style?

[wart57]

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

What would have happened had Zimmerman turned his car around, drove to McDonalds for some food and been killed in an accident?

I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm just wondering if Trayvon would have been convicted if he had beat Zimmerman to death. Let's assume that Zimmerman didn't have a gun, but followed Trayvon Martin. Would it be OK for Martin to beat him to death, in the name of self-defense?

I believe self defense only applies when your life is in peril, or you need to actually defend yourself. Once you beat a guy to the point that he's no longer a threat to harming you, continuing to beat him until he is dead is no longer self defense.

You mean the "creapy ass cracker was following me" isn't a good defense strategy?

[go birds]

A lot of things about this are unfortunate. A known killer walks, a "child" is dead and the race war just had more fuel doused on it.

[Socnorb11]

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

What would have happened had Zimmerman turned his car around, drove to McDonalds for some food and been killed in an accident?

I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm just wondering if Trayvon would have been convicted if he had beat Zimmerman to death. Let's assume that Zimmerman didn't have a gun, but followed Trayvon Martin. Would it be OK for Martin to beat him to death, in the name of self-defense?

I believe self defense only applies when your life is in peril, or you need to actually defend yourself. Once you beat a guy to the point that he's no longer a threat to harming you, continuing to beat him until he is dead is no longer self defense.

I definitely understand that, but "life in peril" seems to be a pretty blury line right now.

[wart57]

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

What would have happened had Zimmerman turned his car around, drove to McDonalds for some food and been killed in an accident?

I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm just wondering if Trayvon would have been convicted if he had beat Zimmerman to death. Let's assume that Zimmerman didn't have a gun, but followed Trayvon Martin. Would it be OK for Martin to beat him to death, in the name of self-defense?

I believe self defense only applies when your life is in peril, or you need to actually defend yourself. Once you beat a guy to the point that he's no longer a threat to harming you, continuing to beat him until he is dead is no longer self defense.

What if he is still twitching?

[Freed Roger]

Not that we need a tangent here, but the ever widening discrepancy in basic laws depending on what state you are in is problematic. One Nation, one constitution, same rights, but how this plays out depends on the state border and which special interest group holds sway. Its [expletive].

[wart57]

What can we say about race relations in this country when it seems like most African Americans believe this was race motivated and many Whites think it wasn't. Do most African Americans think all whites are inherently racist?

[cardsfansince82]

What can we say about race relations in this country when it seems like most African Americans believe this was race motivated and many Whites think it wasn't. Do most African Americans think all whites are inherently racist?

Do most white people live in denial?