Trayvon Martin.

[Straight Success]

I'm not sure if anyone posted anything about this yet. Also, I'm not sure if the members here are aware of what has happened, but here it is:

Trayvon Martin

[Straight Success]

More media coverage. It's everywhere.

[Jarrett]

I'm white and admittedly I get really uneasy when I feel like a lot of situations get turned into racial issues that I don't think were in the first place. But this one I strongly feel like it was just some self-righteous white guy who profiled this kid walking home. Of course the kid may have mouthed off or something, but we'll never know. I can't think of anything that someone armed with candy and soda cans could be doing though that would warrant be shot and killed though. This was truly a sad situation. It's even more upsetting that more details aren't out. It just gives the vibe that the shooter is being protected. If he did it for a justified reason he shouldn't have anything to need protecting from in my opinion.

*Take all of this with a grain of salt as my opinion is based off of news outlets a thousand miles away that's just as biased as the next guy.

[ChIoVnIdCa]

But this one I strongly feel like it was just some self-righteous white guy who profiled this kid walking home

Guy isn't white... Not saying it not a racial thing BTW



My thoughts.


17 y/o kid walking home with no weapon in a gated community
Guy thinks black kid walking = suspicious
Guy calls 911
Guy said "these" blank always get away
Guy was told to back off, by 911 op
Guy said the kid was RUNNING (being black, getting followed by some crazy white looking guy in the SOUTH, who wouldn't run?)
Guy was in his SUV and got out to fight?
Kid is dead

Guy is not arrested? Sounds odd.

[8ball]

I hate when people do racist crime. This is why I always run away like a little bitch unless I have my gun. I refuse to fight any one. If they want to hurt me at all then Im willing to hurt them ALOT!

It sounds like some Zimmerman wanted to kill a black guy. Only way to tell who was intox would be with blood samples immediately after the indecent but shit I guess its too late now. Hope real justice is served. Stoopid racist.

Like today. I have an All latino staff except one white and one african (from africa). We all get along except for the white guy cause hes 40 and hasnt learned the smelling like an anus and arm pit is not professional . Any way. So we had 4 black people today ask for corporate number because they felt that our services wasn't up to par. Hell we had one black chick throw a fit for not being open any more at 9:57pm when we close at 10pm, she called corporate too. I give them the number and my name because I'm never biased. And when they rewind the tapes and audio they'll see that I'm courteous and equal to all customers regardless of choices or the way they look. examples ugly hobos or cross dressers fat people druggies etc I just do my job no preference. But i feel that they were being ignorant because we aren't black that's just how i feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel. rant

[GeoffM]

Guy is not arrested? Sounds odd.

Claimed self defense. There had also been many crimes in the area.

[Pandemic]

Florida teen shot, shooter claims self defence.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/justic...html?hpt=hp_t1

Let's keep it civil.

Zimmerman, 28, called police around nightfall on February 26 to report a suspicious man in his neighborhood.
"Something's wrong with him. Yep. He's coming to check me out," Zimmerman told a police dispatcher in a 911 call released Monday. "He's got something in his hands. I don't know what his deal is. Send officers over here."
The teen started to run, Zimmerman reported. When he said he was following, the dispatcher told him, "We don't need you to do that."
Shortly afterward, neighbors began calling 911 to report a fight, then a gunshot. By the time police arrived, Trayvon lay dead. He was carrying a bag of Skittles and an iced tea that he had purchased at a nearby convenience store, and was headed back to his father's fiancee's home.
Martin said he's "positive" that it's his son's voice that can be heard screaming for help in the neighbors' calls.
"It's heart wrenching, because those actually were my son's last words," he said. "And to hear his last words being cries of help, is devastating. It tears me apart as a father."

It's pretty clear cut for me. I'll wait for others responses before I chime in.

[Ralphie]

Well it's clearly murder.

He shot someone who was fleeing.....

The saying goes, "how can you fear for your life if the suspect is fleeing"?

And I don't really think a neighborhood watchmen should be armed.

He should have tried to make contact first and see if he could talk to him and find out what he was up too.

If he then decides to run(while it is suspicious and cops would pursue) as a neighborhood watchmen, he should have called police, gave a description, and left it at that.

[Bullhorn7]

Another classic example of an asshole that should have never have been allowed a gun. It was obviously murder.

[Pandemic]

I'd also be interested in hearing what you guys think he did wrong (why) and what he should have done.

[deevergote]

I agree with Ralphie that Zimmerman had no business chasing and shooting a fleeing man. That was in no way self defense, and he was even instructed by the 911 operator not to follow. Martin was clearly not attacking with deadly force as he fled unarmed. Suspicious behavior is no reason to used deadly force, especially if it's just on neighborhood watch rounds (if he was breaking into Zimmerman's home, then MAYBE such force could be called self defense... MAYBE.)

He called 911, which was the right thing to do. Honestly, that's all a neighborhood watchman should EVER do.


It was murder, plain and simple.
I don't agree with all the racial accusations people are making, as there is no evidence of this being racially motivated. It may very well have been, but there is nothing in the situation as it has been reported that even suggests it. Just because a man of one race (Hispanic) killed a teenager of another race (Black), doesn't automatically make it a hate crime. Jumping to that conclusion does far more harm than good, and it happens all too often, I feel.

[deevergote]

I think the racial aspect has been blown out of proportion. It MAY have been due to Martin's race, or it may not have.

It was clearly murder, though. Zimmerman followed, even after being instructed not to do so by the 911 operator. Martin did nothing wrong, other than 'looking suspicious'. He was unarmed and fleeing. Hardly cause for deadly force.

I really do wonder how the police let Zimmerman go free, with those two facts alone... he chased and killed an unarmed man in 'self defense', after being told not to follow by the 911 op.
A claim of self defense requires you to have exhausted EVERY means of escape. Only when you are left with no options will deadly force be accepted as a reasonable way out. Chasing someone that hasn't even attacked you is NOT self defense!


There is another thread on this topic active at the moment as well. I may merge them later, if someone doesn't do it first.

[Hopeless]

I think the racial aspect has been blown out of proportion. It MAY have been due to Martin's race, or it may not have.

It was clearly murder, though. Zimmerman followed, even after being instructed not to do so by the 911 operator. Martin did nothing wrong, other than 'looking suspicious'. He was unarmed and fleeing. Hardly cause for deadly force.

I really do wonder how the police let Zimmerman go free, with those two facts alone... he chased and killed an unarmed man in 'self defense', after being told not to follow by the 911 op.
A claim of self defense requires you to have exhausted EVERY means of escape. Only when you are left with no options will deadly force be accepted as a reasonable way out. Chasing someone that hasn't even attacked you is NOT self defense!


There is another thread on this topic active at the moment as well. I may merge them later, if someone doesn't do it first.

exactly my sentiments.

you cant claim self defense on an OFFENSE.

Racially charged or not, theres no way this guy should be able to claim self defense AFTER he called 911 from his vehicle and was told NOT to intervene or come into contact with the kid.

lock the guy up and put him away, because id bet theres a possibility he'll do it again if he gets out scotch free

[8ball]

I agree he should be locked up.

If he gets away it will be like that prick that killed that girl in aruba. Drank coffee had a danish etc. I think once he was caught he admitted to more murders. You never know how many people are there like that in the world.

I think they are trying to make it a racial issue to turn it into a hate crime. Like in LA when black gangs dominated the 80's and the murder rate was high it was all good. The hispanics dominated the 00's and now its a hate crime? Lol its gangs idiots.

[mappyCB7]

He's probably an informant or has got some deep connections. I really see no other reason for this guy to still be free.