George Zimmerman declared not guilty of second-degree murder

[Awesoman]

Yes AM, agreed, I did see your post & it's NOT illegal to carry a gun.  (Perhaps I was overly snarky.)

But, in most states manslaughter is a crime.  I find it odd that Mr. Martin was not allowed to "stand his ground".  He was, afterall, being persued and harrassed by a suspect (GZ) with unknown intentions.  The State and the Prosecutor blew this one.  My guess is they didn't want to win.

I'm no expert on the law, but I don't think "Stand Your Ground" applies when you throw the first punch.  To make that argument work, the prosecution would have had to proven that Zimmerman started the violence or made specific threats toward Trayvon. 

[drbeachboy]

Again, since it didn't register for you the first time around, it is not illegal to carry a gun.  There are millions of responsible gun-owners out there that probably never have had to use one to defend themselves.  Zimmerman broke no laws having a gun on him.  And again, there is no evidence anywhere in this case that Zimmerman had any intent of shooting Trayvon.  Evidence does however conclude that it was Trayvon that started the violence; he threw the first punch and broke Zimmerman's nose.  It was only after this happened that the gun actually came into play.  

And before it is disputed, I'm not exactly criticizing Trayvon for trying to defend himself.  However it turned out his decision to confront Zimmerman with violence turned out to be a fatal one for him.

Yes AM, agreed, I did see your post & it's NOT illegal to carry a gun.  (Perhaps I was overly snarky.)

But, in most states manslaughter is a crime.  I find it odd that Mr. Martin was not allowed to "stand his ground".  He was, afterall, being persued and harrassed by a suspect (GZ) with unknown intentions.  The State and the Prosecutor blew this one.  My guess is they didn't want to win.

Whether in a good or bad way, it is not illegal to interact with anyone in a common area. What Zimmerman did was very stupid, and most people would have just reported it and let the police handle it. With all that being true, it still was not illegal.

[Heysaboda]

These may or may not be solid points, but you use them to rationalize and accept that a person died, needlessly.  You may not care about that person, but well........... his family might have.

Well, nevertheless, Zimmerman was armed, he instigated the conflict instead of walking away.  As I said earlier, and really without emotion, Zimmerman’s need to fear outweighed Martin’s need to live.  Just.  Ice.  This bloated, doughy pork-fed mooned-faced male bimbo Zimmerman will live to fight another day, apparently.  According to the comics, GZ will be wearing a hoodie now LOL

Life seems cheap these days.  The 2nd amendment is more important than people, I guess.

[drbeachboy]

These may or may not be solid points, but you use them to rationalize and accept that a person died, needlessly.  You may not care about that person, but well........... his family might have.

Well, nevertheless, Zimmerman was armed, he instigated the conflict instead of walking away.  As I said earlier, and really without emotion, Zimmerman’s need to fear outweighed Martin’s need to live.  Just.  Ice.  This bloated, doughy pork-fed mooned-faced male bimbo Zimmerman will live to fight another day, apparently.  According to the comics, GZ will be wearing a hoodie now LOL

Life seems cheap these days.  The 2nd amendment is more important than people, I guess.

What would you like done? We have been doing it this way for 237 years. Do you want someone to go shoot him to get YOUR justice?  So, you want someone to break another law to enforce justice for this one? You are a vigilante? It was a terrible thing that happened. I know of no other way than the justice system to try people for crimes committed.

[Awesoman]

These may or may not be solid points, but you use them to rationalize and accept that a person died, needlessly.  You may not care about that person, but well........... his family might have.

I'm simply trying to look at this case objectively, something you and countless others are failing to do.  No one is applauding the death of a teenager nor is anyone praising Zimmerman's actions.  But because no one seems capable of keeping their emotions under control these days, this story has taken a life of its own and various groups of people (political and racial factions) have used it to further their agendas.  It's not unfair to criticize Zimmerman for how he handled the situation, but did he *really* deserve NBC deliberately editing the 911 phone call to make him look racist?  Do you applaud the actions of those, including filmmaker Spike Lee, who attempted to post Zimmerman's home address (which turned out to be the address of an elderly couple named Zimmerman) on Twitter?  And you wonder why there's so much division in our society.

[hypehat]

When you say 'edited the phone call to make him sound racist', do you mean 'they played the parts where he's being racist'?

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

It's obvious if you spend 20 minutes reading anything about Zimmerman not created by the mainstream media that he isn't a racist.

He killed a kid, he was keeping an eye on a kid who looked like a threat, the kid attacked, he shot. He went to trial, and was declared not guilty.

Guess what, he's not going to jail, tough sh*t. Just because it's right doesn't mean its happening, even in Kate-land things don't always go "peachy-keen"

Let me know when you can get a gallon of gas for less than a fu*cking meal, every country has problems, the death of one kid who attacked a man he called a "creepy ass cracker"
on the phone to his little friend minutes before attacking him isn't going to end the world. If anything, the kid is a racist and he shouldn't be a "hero" for attacking a stranger.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

When you say 'edited the phone call to make him sound racist', do you mean 'they played the parts where he's being racist'?

Find me one line, literally just one WORD that sounds even mildly racist in that call. It's funny because, until after he leaves the car, he wasn't even able to confirm Martin was black.

[Heysaboda]

It's not unfair to criticize Zimmerman for how he handled the situation, but did he *really* deserve NBC deliberately editing the 911 phone call to make him look racist? 

Well, seriosuly, what is your proof of this?  I've heard this accusation made about NBC (by people who watch Faux Gnus), but I've not seen the proof that NBC did this.  Let's hear it.  GZ's comments were basically racist,  right?  So it's hard to believe that any "editing" was needed.

No, I am also trying to look at the case objectively, perhaps you have your own agenda?  One person dead; one alive.  Just. Ice.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

It's not unfair to criticize Zimmerman for how he handled the situation, but did he *really* deserve NBC deliberately editing the 911 phone call to make him look racist? 

Well, seriosuly, what is your proof of this?  I've heard this accusation made about NBC (by people who watch Faux Gnus), but I've not seen the proof that NBC did this.  Let's hear it.  GZ's comments were basically racist,  right?  So it's hard to believe that any "editing" was needed.

No, I am also trying to look at the case objectively, perhaps you have your own agenda?  One person dead; one alive.  Just. Ice.

Did anyone even listen to the call? Seriously?

[Heysaboda]

He killed a kid, he was keeping an eye on a kid who looked like a threat, the kid attacked, he shot. He went to trial, and was declared not guilty.

"they all get away" right?

I understood that he used the F-word and code words for.......?

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I listened to the whole call, I heard the first one that has nothing to do with him being black, he's referring to the last times people robbed a house, and easily got away before police arrived.

When did he say the other quotes?

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I understood that he used the F-word and the N-word in the call.

I don't think so. Certainly not the latter in any version I know.

[hypehat]

It's obvious if you spend 20 minutes reading anything about Zimmerman not created by the mainstream media that he isn't a racist.

He killed a kid, he was keeping an eye on a kid who looked like a threat, the kid attacked, he shot. He went to trial, and was declared not guilty.

Guess what, he's not going to jail, tough sh*t. Just because it's right doesn't mean its happening, even in Kate-land things don't always go "peachy-keen"

Let me know when you can get a gallon of gas for less than a fu*cking meal, every country has problems, the death of one kid who attacked a man he called a "creepy ass cracker"
on the phone to his little friend minutes before attacking him isn't going to end the world. If anything, the kid is a racist and he shouldn't be a "hero" for attacking a stranger.

I haven't listened to the call since the furore started over a year and a half ago, but he blatantly called him a 'coon'. I heard that plain as day. I remember it clearly, and I took that away with me. And you know I don't get NBC.

I also really don't trust Zimmerman's testimony anyway because he makes Trayvon sound like an actor in a B-movie in the words he attributes to him. And this testimony is coming from a guy who was obviously paranoid based on the evidence from the police, who said he'd made similar phonecalls about 'suspicious people' in his neighbourhood with absolutely no basis in fact other than to G. Zimmerman, and was stalking a teenager who went to the corner shop apropos of nothing.

If you say (as others have)  'well, apparently his neighbourhood had been robbed by black kids before', that ABSOLUTELY does not give you the right to suspect every black kid you see of robbery. What the f***. That is racist.

I don't want to get into base name-calling with you, mate. Although I don't think much of Kate Middleton either...  

[Heysaboda]

I don't think so. Certainly not the latter in any version I know.

Okay, you could be right, but as I understand the call was heavy on profanities and also "they all get away" is basically code for..... , well, we know what that is.

But, I'll try to keep emotions in check.

"Kate-land??"

[hypehat]

He is trying to be funny with regards to The United Kingdom, my place of birth/residence 

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I haven't listened to the call since the furore started over a year and a half ago, but he blatantly called him a 'coon'. I heard that plain as day.

Oooh, I don't know. I know what you're talking about but I think it's really difficult to know for sure what he's saying there.

If you say (as others have)  'well, apparently his neighbourhood had been robbed by black kids before', that ABSOLUTELY does not give you the right to suspect every black kid you see of robbery. What the f***. That is racist.

There is definitely something to that. Whether or not Zimmerman was thinking to himself "all black people are inherently suspicious" is hard to say though I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt even though he is on record as saying blatantly that all Mexicans are violent, so it certainly wouldn't be too far outside of his own previous statements. Nevertheless, the generally racist construction of black men in America more than likely led to Zimmerman's assumption that Martin was dangerous enough to call the police, despite the fact that Martin was just walking and looking around.

[Heysaboda]

He is trying to be funny with regards to The United Kingdom, my place of birth/residence 

"I couldn't possibly comment!" -- Francis Urquhart

[hypehat]

I haven't listened to the call since the furore started over a year and a half ago, but he blatantly called him a 'coon'. I heard that plain as day.

Oooh, I don't know. I know what you're talking about but I think it's really difficult to know for sure what he's saying there.

I remember the backlash being that he was saying 'punk'?

But yes, regardless of that quibble, and it is one - posting in haste, it's what i took away from the audio i heard - he is on record being racist as you say. And again, he clearly thought a black kid in a hoodie was enough of a threat to follow in his car and then approach with a gun.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I haven't listened to the call since the furore started over a year and a half ago, but he blatantly called him a 'coon'. I heard that plain as day.

Oooh, I don't know. I know what you're talking about but I think it's really difficult to know for sure what he's saying there.

I remember the backlash being that he was saying 'punk'?

But yes, regardless of that quibble, and it is one - posting in haste, it's what i took away from the audio i heard - he is on record being racist as you say. And again, he clearly thought a black kid in a hoodie was enough of a threat to follow in his car and then approach with a gun.

Yes, that's the certainly the part of it that I find problematic too.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Okay, whew calmed down I was a bit tense lol... sorry 'bout that.

But anyway, I think a fine line between racism and stereotyping needs to be drawn. Racism can be stereotyping, but stereotyping isn't always racism.

[hypehat]

Okay, whew calmed down I was a bit tense lol... sorry 'bout that.

It's cool. 

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Okay, whew calmed down I was a bit tense lol... sorry 'bout that.

But anyway, I think a fine line between racism and stereotyping needs to be drawn. Racism can be stereotyping, but stereotyping isn't always racism.

No stereotyping isn't always racism but if a particular race is conventionally stereotyped as dangerous, then I would call that racist.

[hypehat]

But anyway, I think a fine line between racism and stereotyping needs to be drawn. Racism can be stereotyping, but stereotyping isn't always racism.

It is when a white male who has been racist on record calls 911 because a black teenager is walking slowly down a street.

Or, half of mine and half of rockandroll's post...

[drbeachboy]

But anyway, I think a fine line between racism and stereotyping needs to be drawn. Racism can be stereotyping, but stereotyping isn't always racism.

It is when a white male who has been racist on record calls 911 because a black teenager is walking slowly down a street.

Or, half of mine and half of rockandroll's post...

He is not white, he is hispanic, just like President Obama is black and not white.