"If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon."

[we vs us]

Ironically, had this been a confrontation between a white male and Zimmerman with Zimmerman at the wrong end of the muzzle, it would have been "racist" because Zimmerman is Hispanic.  Actually sounds like Jewish Hispanic, but I digress...

Who here honestly doesn't look twice when you see a young black male wearing droopy jeans and a hoodie walking toward you in a parking lot?  Is that racism, or simply being vigilant and aware of your surroundings?

In fact, you can be both vigilant and racist and I think you just nailed it.

[erfalf]

Who here honestly doesn't look twice when you see a young black male wearing droopy jeans and a hoodie walking toward you in a parking lot?  Is that racism, or simply being vigilant and aware of your surroundings?

You're not racist, you, like me, judge people based on how they present themselves regardless of race. If you dress like a gangster, I will assume you are until proved otherwise. It's just that dressing like this leads me not to want to get to find out what is the truth. If you were dressed professionally I am far more likely to converse with you. It is the way it is.

[we vs us]

You're not racist, you, like me, judge people based on how they present themselves regardless of race. If you dress like a gangster, I will assume you are until proved otherwise. It's just that dressing like this leads me not to want to get to find out what is the truth. If you were dressed professionally I am far more likely to converse with you. It is the way it is.

Now THAT'S a realistic expectation.

[DolfanBob]

Wonder were I can get me one of those "Pu**y A** Cracker" shirts with Zimmermans face on it. Their selling like hot cakes in Sanford & Son Florida. But thats Ok because thats not racist, just a black mans opinion, Right ?

Try printing "Punk A** Ni**er" and wear that around. See how far down the block you get ? And you can put Jackson, Sharpton or Farrakahn's face on there. Perfect examples of non racist this generation has ever seen.

Why has it taken a Month for all this to blow up ? And don't give me this he had a hundred pounds on him. Not all big guy's know how to fight. They list the kid at 6.2 140. G.Z. should be arrested and charged but not for murder. It will probably play out as second degree manslaughter.

[Gaspar]

Wonder were I can get me one of those "Pu**y A** Cracker" shirts with Zimmermans face on it. Their selling like hot cakes in Sanford & Son Florida. But thats Ok because thats not racist, just a black mans opinion, Right ?

Try printing "Punk A** Ni**er" and wear that around. See how far down the block you get ? And you can put Jackson, Sharpton or Farrakahn's face on there. Perfect examples of non racist this generation has ever seen.

Why has it taken a Month for all this to blow up ? And don't give me this he had a hundred pounds on him. Not all big guy's know how to fight. They list the kid at 6.2 140. G.Z. should be arrested and charged but not for murder. It will probably play out as second degree manslaughter.

They are going to get sued.  Trayvon's mother has trademarked his name and the "Justice for Trayvon" phrase as well as several others.

[Conan71]

Zimmerman had to be arrested.  There was enough (and still is enough) compelling evidence to necessitate an investigation.  We wouldn't have gotten to these possibly exculpatory witnesses without what's come before, which is mass protests.  That includes but is not limited to actions by your most despised black preachers.   

You are missing the first point that Zimmerman has rights as well as Martin did.  If all appearances and evidence suggested at the time that Zimmerman had been attacked and he reacted legally and appropriately according to the law, they had no right to arrest him.  Secondly, it's not for us to decide.  Unless you investigated the crime scene, it's impossible and very dangerous to convict someone through media accounts and racially-charged rhetoric. 

There obviously were exculpatory witnesses in the first place, which appears to be why Zimmerman has never been arrested.  Apparently those accounts helped form the basis for reasoning that this fell under Florida's Stand Your Ground law.

The reason this gained traction is someone squawked loud enough that this was the result of racial profiling in absence of looking at all the facts prior to making such a claim, therefore it MUST be profiling and racism!  What is becoming obvious here is $harpton and Jacka$$ need some sort of event like this every few months to keep them relevant.

If it's eventually determined Zimmerman instigated the confrontation and Martin was defending himself, I hope Zimmerman receives just and swift punishment. 

[Conan71]

They are going to get sued.  Trayvon's mother has trademarked his name and the "Justice for Trayvon" phrase as well as several others.

If this guy approached any one of you in the Promenade parking garage, would you not be on point?

Explain to me how that's racist. 

[DolfanBob]

Yep. Upstanding citizen in the community and I'm sure he's gainfully employed.......Whoops, that's racial profiling

[Gaspar]

If this guy approached any one of you in the Promenade parking garage, would you not be on point?

Explain to me how that's racist. 

I don't know anything about this guy.  He could be a youth minister.  Unfortunately, because I don't know anything about him I must rely on my instincts, experience, and habituation.  At first glance, I would regard him with caution. 

[Teatownclown]

It would be a more appropriate tee shirt if it had a picture of the Sanford PD badge on it....

[we vs us]

If this guy approached any one of you in the Promenade parking garage, would you not be on point?

Explain to me how that's racist. 

That guy has nothing to do with what actually happened and has nothing to do with what I'm talking about.  He's just a dude with a t-shirt.

Zimmerman actually approached Martin. In fact, he followed Martin for quite a ways.  Martin was wearing a nondescript hoodie, not some crazy epithet-strewn protest shirt.  I don't know if his pants were saggy or if he was wearing a sideways Oakland cap.  I don't know if he was smoking a blunt or sipping malt liquor or carrying a boombox or wearing bright orange Timberland boots or doing anything else that might be quintessentially "urban" or "gangster."  It's actually immaterial.  Zimmerman followed him and then engaged. 

There is no law anywhere in the United States that allows an armed neighborhood watch captain to stalk and then engage with someone because they look suspicious.  That's not standing your ground, that's vigilantism. 

But that's just my take from what I've read, and I've not examined all the evidence nor am I law enforcement or a lawyer so I'm limited in what I know.  But I can tell you that even contradictory witnesses (some of which are exculpatory) should not allow the police to let Zimmerman go when there's a dead boy involved.  There should be a trial because it's obvious that one is warranted. Notice I didn't say "there should be a hanging," or "there should be a witchhunt."  There should be a trial to determine if Zimmerman did in fact do what it seems he did.  If he didn't, so be it.  Let him free.  If he did, he should pay for it.   

[patric]

The question I have been wondering about this whole thing is, who the HELL goes on neighborhood watch with a gun?

Someone like this?  

"He had enrolled, dropped out and re-enrolled in Seminole Community College classes, seeking to earn an associates degree that he hoped would lead to employment as a law enforcement officer.  Witnesses also have said that he'd gone around the neighborhood warning residents to be on the lookout for "young black men who appear to be outsiders." http://www.thebradentontimes.com/news/2012/03/25/opinion/sanford_tragedy_highlights_new_problems_with_stand_your_ground_law

Unfortunately, because I don't know anything about him I must rely on my instincts, experience, and habituation.  At first glance, I would regard him with caution.

...which sounds perfectly reasonable, however, the killer apparently went beyond "caution" by chasing the victim down with a gun.

[nathanm]

I'm sure debate about what actually happened will rage on for some time. However, the police report states that Zimmerman was attacked, and provided evidence as to why they came to that conclusion. That is why he wasn't arrested.

That evidence being Zimmerman's accounting of the facts, which is contradicted by both reason (he got out of the car to check the name of the street in his own neighborhood?) and the eyewitness testimony of the people who live at the residence behind which Martin was shot.

As for the rest, pretty much what wevus said.

[custosnox]

That evidence being Zimmerman's accounting of the facts, which is contradicted by both reason (he got out of the car to check the name of the street in his own neighborhood?) and the eyewitness testimony of the people who live at the residence behind which Martin was shot.

As for the rest, pretty much what wevus said.

I've had to look at the street sign to see where I was at in my own neighborhood when calling things in.  Just because you know every street in the neighborhood by what houses are on it, who lives there, what is going on and what is usual for it doesn't mean you know the name of the street.

[erfalf]

That evidence being Zimmerman's accounting of the facts, which is contradicted by both reason (he got out of the car to check the name of the street in his own neighborhood?) and the eyewitness testimony of the people who live at the residence behind which Martin was shot.

As for the rest, pretty much what wevus said.

So by reason, you mean your reason over the police's reason. I'll still take first hand accounts over what you think should be any day of the week.