How about that Zimmerman trial?

[DonnieS]

It seems to me is that since blacks were mistreated - and that was wrong - then the only way to solve the issue or as they say "get justice" is to mistreat this generation of whites - and as evidenced by the overwhelming acceptance by the Sharpton/Jackson blacks of OJ's right to kill white people and walk, that mistreatment is right and makes Sharpton/Jackson blacks happy though that is wrong. But to the Sharpton/Jackson blacks, this is now ok, since its being done to whites.

[DonnieS]

Zimmerman had already called the cops. To say he was protecting the neighborhood is a stretch. Martin didnt break the law until he hit Zimmerman, who was an idiot for ignoring the advice of 911 to stay put and confronting someone he thought dangerous enough to justify carrying a gun.

Bottom line - this was avoidable if Zimmerman follows the advice that law enforcement always gives - which is to let them do their job.

The world is making this about race. Im making it about stupidity.

I know a few on this board that if I confronted them as Zimmerman confronted Martin, they would hit me.

He carries a gun, because he carries a gun. He put the gun on before he went out that night. He had no idea he was going to run into a drugged up thug. I know plenty of people who carry guns - not because they know they are going to run into a drugged up thug, but usually because they have in the past and they know that there are some times - I know that this is going to be difficult to follow - but try - but calling 911 and getting help - doesn't happen fast enough to save your life.

I saw with my own eyes the incredible conversion of a kennedy loving, democrat forever, "guns are the epitome of evil" Bostonian - many years ago, when he and I were confronted by two people - he exercised racial profiling at its worst - two white guys (evil already) walked out in front of us with hands and arms bloody up to their elbows. This was in the just post-Jeffery Dahmer days - this friend of mine assumed these two individuals were evil - by making judgements about them totally unfounded (I was so embarrassed by him) that these guys might be mass murderers. He leaned over to me as we stood about 10 feet apart from these bloody individuals - as I said "howdy", my friend whispered "please tell me you have that pistol on you". I being the rational calm person I am, knew I didn't need to draw my weapon, I recognized a poacher when I saw one, but it made me laugh that someone who said they would never go anywhere with me when I was carrying a gun, suddenly transformed right before my eyes by the real world. I asked him later why he suddenly didn't trust 911 - he said, "Well how long would it have taken for them to get here?" I said, "Now you know why I carried a weapon." And that's why hell will freeze before people, who understand that they may have to take care of themselves at some point, will stop carrying, law or no law.

[ontheblack]

You cant have it both ways with regard to personal liberty and justify a "neighborhood watchdog" confronting people because he is uncomfortable with their presence in your neighborhood. Martin should have kept going. Zimmerman should have listened to 911.

I am not saying the verdict should have been different. I agree with it. The moment Martin attacked Zimmerman, it was self defense.

When I was 21, I was in Chicago and worked in conjunction with a group run by the Quakers in Cabrini Green, the projects that was the setting for the sitcom "Good Times". At the time it had the highest murder rate in the US. I dont know what its like to be black or latino in a white neighborhood, but I know what its like to one of a few whites in a ghetto.

After I moved back home 6 months later, my best friend was gunned down in the parking lot of a San Diego restaurant while taking out the trash. The same year my cousin was stabbed while helping a lady fend off a purse snatcher, and my girlfriend was raped at knifepoint after getting cash from an ATM. It was a bad year.

So lets be clear - I am not some sheltered, naive bleeding heart liberal. But I am very much anti-stupid and the earlier description of Zimmerman as Barney Fife is just as accurate as the punk, thug description of Martin. Zimmerman jacked up his life the minute he got out of the car because he didnt listen to good advice. The fact that he says has no regrets for creating a "tragic situation" that should not have happened is the epitome of stupid.

[DonnieS]

The fact that he says has no regrets for creating a "tragic situation" that should not have happened is the epitome of stupid.

Where did this come from ? I thought I had read most of the available testimony and statements, I hadn't read this and think this doesn't sound like something Zimmerman would have said.

Edited to add: I am not surprised what I found. I went back and goggled that comment - what he said was that he had no regret that he did what he had to do to save his life. Why when "facts" are being brought out, do you people not talk about that Zimmerman only pulled his gun when the thug saw it and reached down toward Zimmerman's belt to try to get to it first saying "You going to die tonight " to Zimmerman. Why do you not bring out that when questioned about these events, Zimmerman offered to and did take and passed a lie detector test about these events? And why would Zimmerman have said "thank God" when the investigating detective told Zimmerman that there is a video of the entire incident if he was lying about any of this. Are these "facts" too uncomfortable? And why do you refer to Zimmerman as a Barney Fife ? Because he carries a gun ? Not that this matters to anyone , but there are one hell of a lot of people whose credibility is gone.

[PDad]

... and the earlier description of Zimmerman as Barney Fife is just as accurate as the punk, thug description of Martin. Zimmerman jacked up his life the minute he got out of the car because he didnt listen to good advice. The fact that he says has no regrets for creating a "tragic situation" that should not have happened is the epitome of stupid.

I agree that Zimmerman went too far in tracking Martin. However, you keep saying something that is not accurate - listen to the call at the 2:07 mark (http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/raw-911 ... ice/vGZq9/). He got out of his truck when Martin started running (listen for door chime in background) and the police asked him which way Martin was headed. The police then asked him if he was following the person, he replied yes, they told him they didn't need him to do that, he replied "OK" and apparently started returning to meet the police.

At the end of the call, Zman asked the police to call him when they got there - I believe that was because he wanted to locate Martin instead of waiting in his truck for the police. Zman was obviously frustrated about others that got away and probably feeling the effects of an adrenaline rush from when Martin started approaching him earlier in the call (:58). Ideally, he would have gotten back in his truck and waited for the police to arrive.

[Sftbll4ever]

I agree that Zimmerman went too far in tracking Martin. However, you keep saying something that is not accurate - listen to the call at the 2:07 mark (http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/raw-911 ... ice/vGZq9/). He got out of his truck when Martin started running (listen for door chime in background) and the police asked him which way Martin was headed. The police then asked him if he was following the person, he replied yes, they told him they didn't need him to do that, he replied "OK" and apparently started returning to meet the police.

Everyone misses this part. Again, not very many people listened to the trial. They only heard what they wanted to hear.

In the end, only one person will hold judgement on Zimmerman.

[ontheblack]

Code: Select all

George Zimmerman, accused of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, told a television interviewer Wednesday that he would not have changed the circumstances leading up to the shooting and that he viewed the entire incident as "God's plan."

At the very end of the interview, however, after commercial breaks and with his lawyer by his side, Zimmerman asked "to readdress on whether I'd do anything differently."

"I do wish that there was something, anything I could have done that would have put me in the position that I wouldn't have to take his life," Zimmerman told Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel. "I'm sorry that this happened. I hate to think that because of this incident, because of my actions, that it's polarized and divided America."

Earlier in the interview, when Hannity asked Zimmerman if he regretted the specific actions of carrying a gun or getting out of his car to follow Martin that February night, the neighborhood watchman said that he didn't.

"I feel that it was all God's plan, and for me to second guess it or judge it," he said, trailing off.

Asked, "Is there anything you might do differently?" Zimmerman said, "No, sir."

If he truly had remorse, he would have said so when initially asked, unless he did so at the direction of his attorney. Once you tell the world you wouldnt do anything differently, you cant take it back and expect anyone to believe you.

God's plan? Really? I believe God expected him to use his brain and stay in the vehicle.

[exD1dad]

Hot off the AP wire

[Dugout Dad]

Hot off the AP wire

And he should also claim the gun he used came from Fast and Furious. Gun, what gun?

[Stubby63]

If you are not guilty of something you don't run. Had the punk not ran he would probably be alive. I have heard this racial profiling crap enough. Every time something like this comes up all you hear is he was a good boy. He was a nice young man. He just happened to smoke a little dope. He was a product of his environment. BS!!! Call it what it is he was a peice of crap thug punk. Had he not gotten shot that night it would have been some other time more than likely. I ride an Ambulance and hear this crap all the time. All I was doing was minding my own buisness. When asked if they were selling drugs when they were shot and they almost always say only a little. If you are a dope headed thug punk more than likely this is going to be the outcome. Only difference is Zimmerman is not black and 95-98% of the time the person is.