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

[RecycleMichael]

I read today that Zimmerman had personally called the cops 41 times in 2012 alone. That is some neighborhood watch. 

[we vs us]

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.

You're going to some pretty extreme lengths to argue that justice WOULDN'T be served by a trial.  You seem to think Zimmerman is entirely innocent regardless of some of the inconsistencies and fishiness of what happened.  

[DolfanBob]

I read today that Zimmerman had personally called the cops 41 times in 2012 alone. That is some neighborhood watch. 

Damn. I never heard of a gated hood.

[nathanm]

I'll still take first hand accounts over what you think should be any day of the week.

I applaud you. So many people are too busy listening to bullshit about this and everything else. You might want to listen to the 911 tapes. Or hear the account of the women who live in the condo behind which Martin was shot, in which they heard no fight prior to the gunshot. Or the other witnesses who stated that they had been coached by the police the night of the shooting.

custosnox, there are 3 streets in the neighborhood.

http://g.co/maps/na62k

[Teatownclown]

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.

Pee Eye GEE! Zimmerman hunted and killed a child. After being specifically told NOT to pursue him. He handled his duty to the neighborhood by reporting "suspicious" behavior to the authorities. The facts are in. A grown donkey man hunted and murdered a child in cold blood against the order of a police dispatcher who passed the information along to the proper authorities. The (disputed) fact that Trayvon (may or may not) have gotten some blows in on his predator are irrelevant. Very simply stated, don't start no sh!t, won't be no sh!t. Call 5-0, go back in the house. Period. End of story.



watch out for these hoods....

[nathanm]

New news: http://abcnews.go.com/US/trayvon-martin-detective-wanted-charge-george-zimmerman-manslaughter/story?id=16011674#.T3IMRl50loc

Mind the stupid auto-playing video ABC seems to love so much.

[erfalf]

I applaud you. So many people are too busy listening to bullshit about this and everything else. You might want to listen to the 911 tapes. Or hear the account of the women who live in the condo behind which Martin was shot, in which they heard no fight prior to the gunshot. Or the other witnesses who stated that they had been coached by the police the night of the shooting.

custosnox, there are 3 streets in the neighborhood.

http://g.co/maps/na62k

I guess I am just tired of everyone voicing their opinion as fact. Give the cops the benefit of the doubt. If the rules are flawed, it's not their fault. Zimmerman probably is a screw loose, but if he didn't do anything illegal, he didn't do anything illegal. If you don't like the rules, try to change them. The cops operate within the bounds of the law, whatever they may be. I think everyone on here just needs to reserve judgement.

Do you see that because I say what I said I am somehow for Zimmerman/against Martin. I said nothing to indicate that. I just said we need to trust law enforcement over the network news.

[nathanm]

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.

Missed this gem earlier. You might want to read up about the evolution of this case. Your unfavorite black preachers had nothing to do with it. It was pretty much immediately a "thing" in Florida.

As far as racist shirts go, it's a lot different being called a cracker when you're not subject to mundane racism week in and week out than being called a n-word when you are. I wonder how many of the dismissive folk would be dismissive if it were a 17 year old white kid. What's even more amazing is how many people have fallen for Stormfront's fake pictures. This victim blaming smile is getting old.

erfalf, I don't trust law enforcement in cities that have a history of having a racial component to their policing. Nor do I trust law enforcement when they try to change witness' stories. Nor do I trust law enforcement when they drug test the dead guy but not the one that shot him. Is it not possible in your worldview that police sometimes don't do the right thing despite all the evidence to the contrary, even right here at home?

[Teatownclown]

I guess I am just tired of everyone voicing their opinion as fact. Give the cops the benefit of the doubt. If the rules are flawed, it's not their fault. Zimmerman probably is a screw loose, but if he didn't do anything illegal, he didn't do anything illegal. If you don't like the rules, try to change them. The cops operate within the bounds of the law, whatever they may be. I think everyone on here just needs to reserve judgement.

Do you see that because I say what I said I am somehow for Zimmerman/against Martin. I said nothing to indicate that. I just said we need to trust law enforcement over the network news.

Don't trust law enforcement....there's no benefit of the doubt for them because they work for the public good (supposedly)that's the reason the right wingnuts/NRA came up with these new wave laws....

btw, last time I checked murder is illegal.

( I just heard Zimmerman was going to change his name and identity....to Dylan)

[erfalf]

erfalf, I don't trust law enforcement in cities that have a history of having a racial component to their policing. Nor do I trust law enforcement when they try to change witness' stories. Nor do I trust law enforcement when they drug test the dead guy but not the one that shot him. Is it not possible in your worldview that police sometimes don't do the right thing despite all the evidence to the contrary, even right here at home?

I understand, that is why we pay attention, and bring up what we think are injustices. However, you have got to agree that this has gotten way, way, WAY out of hand. But in general, I do give them the benefit of the doubt. I know several, and they are all above reproach. Maybe I am a bit jaded and believe that most people are good. Maybe that is my blinder.

[nathanm]

I understand, that is why we pay attention, and bring up what we think are injustices. However, you have got to agree that this has gotten way, way, WAY out of hand. But in general, I do give them the benefit of the doubt. I know several, and they are all above reproach. Maybe I am a bit jaded and believe that most people are good. Maybe that is my blinder.

I agree that individually most police officers are perfectly fine people. The problem is generally a few bad apples making use of the institution for corrupt ends. The other problem is the unintentionally racist effect of policing decisions that are generally made without racist intent, but that's not really relevant to this particular conversation.

Well, that and jackasses like Zimmerman who seem to think all black people are threatening.

Edited to add: Again, I think Zimmerman should get his day in court. The problem is that, thus far, there's been no interest on the part of prosecutors to actually take this thing to a court of law, where it belongs. People absolutely should have the right to defend themselves, even with deadly force if necessary. I have no qualms about that. It does disturb me that some people think that there should be no consequences at all for such an action, though. Clearly, in any such case a thorough investigation needs to be made and in most cases where it's not completely clear cut, a trial probably needs to take place.

Yes, that's a hassle. I expect people who kill other people to have to deal with some amount of hassle. It kinda comes with the territory. It seems that prosecutors in Florida pretty much don't prosecute cases that have even a remote chance of being covered by the SYG law.

[Gaspar]

I guess I am just tired of everyone voicing their opinion as fact. Give the cops the benefit of the doubt. If the rules are flawed, it's not their fault. Zimmerman probably is a screw loose, but if he didn't do anything illegal, he didn't do anything illegal. If you don't like the rules, try to change them. The cops operate within the bounds of the law, whatever they may be. I think everyone on here just needs to reserve judgement.

Do you see that because I say what I said I am somehow for Zimmerman/against Martin. I said nothing to indicate that. I just said we need to trust law enforcement over the network news.

Exactly.  

I am willing to bet that both parties engaged in activities that were not within the bounds of the law.  Like most, this is not a black & white issue (no pun).  

There is indeed an interesting case study on racism here though.  Taking sides in this case without adequate information indicates a belief that inherent traits in a racial group justifies discrimination for or against that group.  In this case we see a large group of people immediately siding with one group regardless of contrary information or due process of law. For them, this case has already been decided on the basis of race, and no evidence to the contrary will change that.  

As the days pass and more evidence unfolds, we may indeed see violence. Racism equals ignorance, and when a racist is confronted with facts that contradict his/her justification for discrimination and interpretation of justice based on that discrimination, anger is the typical response, and in the absence of reason becomes violence.

[Conan71]

OUCH!!

Former NAACP leader C.L. Bryant is accusing Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton of "exploiting" the Trayvon Martin tragedy to "racially divide this country."

"His family should be outraged at the fact that they're using this child as the bait to inflame racial passions," Rev. C.L. Bryant said in a Monday interview with The Daily Caller.

The conservative black pastor who was once the chapter president of the Garland, Texas NAACP called Jackson and Sharpton "race hustlers" and said they are "acting as though they are buzzards circling the carcass of this young boy."

Jackson, for example, recently said Martin's death shows how "blacks are under attack" and "targeting, arresting, convicting blacks and ultimately killing us is big business."  (SEE ALSO: Jesse Jackson says Trayvon Martin 'murdered and martyred')

George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain, killed Martin, a 17-year-old black man who was unarmed at the time of his death, last month. Zimmerman has claimed to have shot Martin in self-defense and has not been charged with a crime.

But Bryant, who explores the topic of black-on-black crime in his new film "Runaway Slave," said people like Jackson and Sharpton are being misleading to suggest there is an epidemic of "white men killing black young men."

"The epidemic is truly black on black crime," Bryant said. "The greatest danger to the lives of young black men are young black men."

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/26/former-naacp-leader-accuses-sharpton-and-jackson-of-exploiting-trayvon-martin/#ixzz1qLa8V52Z

And more ridiculousness from Nate's source:

About 200 to 250 protesters gathered in front of the Justice Department today to demand the Justice Department to charge Zimmerman with a federal hate crime.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/trayvon-martin-detective-wanted-charge-george-zimmerman-manslaughter/story?id=16011674#.T3IU8mCUfr-

Aren't we, in a civilized nation, against mob justice?

I definitely want the cops to exhaust every effort to either clear Zimmerman's name or bring justice for Martin's death.  I have yet to read or hear anything made public which makes this clear cut either way, so I'm pretty surprised at all the people drawing finite conclusions.  

Wevus, if the prosecutors say Zimmerman was justified under stand your ground and that there's not enough evidence for first degree manslaughter, then there simply is not enough.  God only knows the pressure these people are under.  I'm sure they would just as soon bring charges to get the angry masses to calm down, but that is not a just nor legal reason to bring charges on someone under our system of law.  

[Teatownclown]

Exactly.  

I am willing to bet that both parties engaged in activities that were not within the bounds of the law.  Like most, this is not a black & white issue (no pun).  

There is indeed an interesting case study on racism here though.  Taking sides in this case without adequate information indicates a belief that inherent traits in a racial group justifies discrimination for or against that group.  In this case we see a large group of people immediately siding with one group regardless of contrary information or due process of law. For them, this case has already been decided on the basis of race, and no evidence to the contrary will change that.  

As the days pass and more evidence unfolds, we may indeed see violence. Racism equals ignorance, and when a racist is confronted with facts that contradict his/her justification for discrimination and interpretation of justice based on that discrimination, anger is the typical response, and in the absence of reason becomes violence.

GRUNT!

[Teatownclown]

Conan, when there is no justice how can you say "mob justice?"

Everyone's starting to show their true colors....again!