(Don't know why the article had to refer to the victim and the culprit by race; that's annoying.) However, I do think that this Zimmerman fellow seems like a bit of an instigator here. I don't buy the whole "self-defense" excuse simply because the kid was UNARMED; I can't find any plausible reason to justify the shooting. If they got into a physical altercation, Zimmerman should have been the bigger man and LET IT GO rather than shoot the kid. Very unfortunate situation for the victim's family.
He was staying with his father. Nobody even knows if there was a fight with the guy. For all you know, the kid was walking from a convenient store back to his house. I don't know how that is avoidable by the kid.
Gated community+Black teenager = Suspicious activity Certainly how this article reads. I can't help but think this was a result of racial profiling.
Stay on topic. FWIW, I have been critical of many Israeli policies and most of my posts about Israel are in response to glynch's one-sided nonsensical ramblings and copy/pasta.
Clearly, this story hits a nerve with you. I said blatant community racism combined with double standards was a pet peeve of mine. This crap rings true in many places in America. The other side has had multiple days now to come out with their story. If you would have read the first line in my second paragraph: "With that being said, this article seems one-sided and doesn't portray the other side of the story" Perhaps presbyopia is kicking in early for you so I enlarged it.
This sounds like something that could happen in my neighborhood. I live in a middle class subdivision in Spring where the people couldn't be nicer to us (we are white) but there is a real "old south" flavor to the place. I think we are the only folks that don't love the rebel flag and own guns.
Repped. I think some folks are jumping to conclusions concerning "facts", but the double standard pointed out by Kwane is true. The situation in Israel is 10x as bad.
Agree there are red flags all over the place, however it bothers me that folks are jumping to conclusions and assuming facts. I hope the matter is investigated, or if it has been investigated all the facts are exposed. I find the known acts of the perpetrator and I find the police response puzzling, leads me to believe there is more to the story... Racism, even if it is assumed, isn't enough to off set the civil suit the police department and individual officers would face.
[rquoter]Chief Bill Lee of the Sanford Police Department on Thursday evening said the account given by Martin’s family and attorney is correct, that Zimmerman saw the young man walking home from the store. He said that Zimmerman did indeed call 911 and report a suspicious person, and that he was told not to follow him. “For some reason he felt that Trayvon, the way that he was walking or appeared seemed suspicious to him,” Lee said. “He called this in and at one part of this initial call [the dispatcher] recommends him not to follow Trayvon. A police officer is on the way at that point.” Lee said that Zimmerman instead followed Martin. “I believe that Mr. Zimmerman was trying to, by his account, find an address to give the officers and also trying to keep Trayvon in eyesight.” Zimmerman told the police that Martin noticed that he was being followed and asked, “what’s your problem?” That's when a physical confrontation ensued, Lee said. And moments later, Martin was shot. Lee said that Zimmerman has a legal permit to carry the weapon used in the shooting, and that he told police that he shot Martin in self-defense. “He felt the need to defend himself,” Lee said. “ I don’t think it was his intent to go and shoot somebody” that night. The chief said the police have met with Zimmerman on two to three separate occasions, and that their investigation should be wrapped up this week. He said all of the evidence in the case will be delivered to the Seminole County State Attorney’s Office soon after. “We’re going to present all the information and if they feel that based on all of the evidence that we’re able to produce that Mr. Zimmerman has satisfied the requirement that he shot in self defense, they may, but if not, he would be charged with some type of homicide or manslaughter,” Lee said. “It is certainly and absolutely a tragedy, especially for the Martin Family,” Lee said. "No one expects their teenage son to go the store and never come back.”[/rquoter] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/08/family-of-trayvon-martin-_n_1332756.html Even with the explanation from the police, I'm wondering how he wasn't arrested. Told not to follow, and then follows bringing a gun with him. At some point, he decides to exit his SUV to confront the teenager. Who knew self-defense was so easy of an excuse?
Once again, another post off topic. You don't see rocket fire from black neighborhoods into white neighborhoods. But if you would like to remain one sided, please keep it up. This will be my last response to any post about Israel as it has nothing to do with the topic. If you would like to discuss what you are talking about, please bump another thread or create your own.
It's hilarious to see bigtexxx thinking he's winning this argument. I don't see how they don't in good conscience bring charges. If he wins on the phony self-defense argument in court, fine. But, you have to make him make the argument before a jury before you say he did nothing wrong. I have to think that there will be enough pressure brought to bear on the town that eventually they will file charges. I'm trying to think what could have happened to justify a self-defense argument, so lets give Zimmerman every possible benefit of the doubt. Say he saw the kid looking through people's windows as he walked, and testing the doors on parked cars. So, he was very suspicious. He gets too close and he's spotted. The kid confronts him. Zimmerman gets out of his car to smooth things over. But, the kids gets belligerant and punches him in the nose. And, he can clearly see the kid has an expert fighting form, and a bulge in his pocket that he thinks is a gun. He apologizes for hitting this kid's fist with his nose and that he'll be leaving now but the kid says he's going to shoot him, cannibalize him and use his skull for a bowl. As he menacingly approaches, Zimmerman has no choice but to draw and fire. Yeah, still not feeling it. He should have taken the police's advice and stayed away.
the Sanford Police and Mayor will hold a press conference this afternoon. so that we get more facts...
so you would say the same thing about Kobe Bryant, who was not convicted of rape, right? wait... that's all I need to see. I knew I could find something like this as easy as doing a "kobe bryant rapist" advanced search. now I'm done.
I'd welcome more facts, as I've stated since the beginning. Was Trayvon high on crack, lean or some other drug? Was he casing homes in the neighborhood? Was he verbally threatening others? Running like he just stole something? I'd like to know more
Good grief. Again, I was asking questions. I don't have all the facts. Neither do you. The responsible thing to do is to get all the facts on the table.
