I'm sure you are aware of the killing of Treyvon Martin, the non-arrest of his killer George Zimmerman, and the unbelievable media frenzy that is covering the incident.
Most recently the argument has turned to "Is Treyvon Martin really this sweet pre-teen looking boy this picture shows"
"Or this gold teeth, wife beater wearing teenager almost full grown man."
People want to know: Did George Zimmerman shoot a defenseless teen in the back while running away with only a pack of Skittles for a weapon? Or was Zimmerman attacked in his own neighborhood and did the only thing he could think of to defend himself...shoot the attacker?
Is there a cover up conspiracy? The police say when Zimmerman was brought in, it looked like he had been beat up. Yet a video surfaced where Zimmerman is at the station looking calm with no visible wounds.
One expert says the cries for help on the 911 call are definitely Zimmerman. Another expert says it is clearly not Zimmerman.
Here is what I have to say (I will never know all of the details of this case, especially not if I have to rely on the media to give me "facts" so I will have to go on the facts I know combined with my own gut logic and opinion): This was no self-defense.
Fact: George Zimmerman was in his own house when he spotted a "suspicious" black man walking in his neighborhood.
Fact: Zimmerman called 911 to report the suspicious person.
Fact: Zimmerman LEFT his property to pursue the suspect.
Fact: The 911 operator directs Zimmerman to NOT follow the suspect, and tells him police are on their way.
To me, it really doesn't make a difference to me whether Martin attacked Zimmerman or not. Martin might have been a suspicious character. (I have never heard an explanation why he was walking at night through a gated community in which he did not live.) But Martin did not go onto Zimmerman's property. He did not break into Zimmerman's house. He was trailed by Zimmerman, carrying a gun. So to me, Zimmerman went looking for a fight that night.
Here is the definition of self-defense from Wikipedia.com
Self-defense, self-defence (see spelling differences) or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one'sproperty or the well-being of another from harm.[1] The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely.[2] To be acquitted of any kind of physical harm-related crime (such as assault and battery and homicide) using the self-defense justification, one must prove legal provocation, meaning that one must prove that he was in a position in which not using self-defense would most likely lead to death or serious injuries. The threat of damage or loss of property alone is not enough.[citation needed]
First of all, the reason the neighborhood watch had been vamped up was because there had been break-ins. But killing a man due to a perceived threat of damage or loss of property is not enough to protect you under the laws of self-defense.
Second, the best self-defense for George Zimmerman would have been to LISTEN TO THE 911 OPERATOR AND STAY AT HOME! Zimmerman claims he killed Martin because he was afraid for his own safety. I call B.S! People who are afraid for their safety don't run around chasing unknowns in the dark. They call 911 and sit their scared butt at home waiting for the cops to show up.
Third, what bothers me most about this situation is the vigilante justice implications. This man thought he had a right to not only bear arms and protect himself against intruders looking to harm him or his family (which he does have a right to), but to then take those arms and run down the street playing crime fighter (which he doesn't). People need to leave police work to the police.
If George Zimmerman had made the 911 call and then just stayed at home that night, holding his gun in his lap and waiting for the police to do their jobs, Treyvon Marin would most certainly still be alive today.
In conclusion: I do not know if Martin attacked Zimmerman. I will never know if Zimmerman shot Martin simply for daring to be a black kid out of place in his neighborhood. But I do know that Zimmerman never should have been running around the neighborhood with his gun. He should have been at home, allowing the police to do their job. And the fact that he was not sitting at his house, but rather out pursuing the man he was supposedly afraid of, says to me that this is not a case of self-defense. And I do feel there should be very heavy repercussions for taking a young man's life during an episode of neighborhood vigilante justice.
Dear Amber,
Many things about this case are bothersome:
1. Why in the hell does Florida have this "Stand your ground" law? (Probably a great big 'Thank You' to the NRA is in order) This law opens up a whole other can of worms, giving people permission to act like hooligans, weilding weaponry throughout residential areas. It's not bad enough that almost anyone can have a concealed weapon??
2. If this community is a gated community, don't they have security? Could Mr. Zimmerman have called the community's security personnel?
3. Guess, what? When I look out my window and see a fight or see something "suspicious," I don't go outside! I call the police if someone else in our neighborhood hasn't done that already and the "popo" are rolling up.
4. It terrfies me that anyone thinks it's ok to shoot someone just because you're "scared" of them.
5. Perhaps Trayvon was visiting a friend, or using their neighborhood as a short cut to the 7-11?? We used to trample through people's yards regularly in Aragona to get to the closest 7-11: this in and of itself does not consititute suspicious behavior.
6. The fact that some are saying this isn't a "race" issue....um..duh, yes it is. If Mr. Zimmerman were a black man who shot a white teenager, you bet your butt the black Zimmerman would've been guilty until proven innocent. We can no longer pretend that the stereotypes being fed by the media that black males are thugs, who are looking for trouble haven't negatively effected our society's views of young black males.
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