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Original poster

Zimmerman found 'not guilty' of Trayvon Martin's murder

389 replies

Kveta · 14/07/2013 03:25

m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23304198

Bloody hell.

How utterly crap for Martin's family and friends :( and how dangerous for race relations in Florida :(

OP posts:
ChrissieTay · 15/07/2013 11:38

Ha ha Boomba can you please define my prejudice??!

I am NOT racist, but I DO have the opinion that this attack was NOT racial ...

Simples Wink

Boomba · 15/07/2013 11:39

my post at 1134 is to jessie

Trayvon had no idea that Zimmerman was 'neighbourhood watch' or that he had called the police

ChrissieTay · 15/07/2013 11:39

P.S. Boomba - You seem to have a real issue with people whose opinions differ to yours? Are these all racists too?

ChrissieTay · 15/07/2013 11:41

Boomba - I do actually agree that Z should have politely explained to Martin who he was but how are we to know that the fight broke out straight away? Maybe Martin didn't give him time and just pounced?

libertine73 · 15/07/2013 11:41

zimmerman is to get the murder weapon back!!??

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/07/15/george-zimmerman-gun-returned_n_3597013.html?ref=topbar

Boomba · 15/07/2013 11:42

no i have no problem with people who have different opinions to me. Thats people disingenious. I have issues with institutionalised racism and I have issue with people defending child murderers

ChrissieTay · 15/07/2013 11:43

libertine73 - I think he's already had it back now. See I'm not sure what I believe on this one? As he was found to be not guilty, why take his gun license away? But at the same time, yes it's strange in the US that they would give him the murder weapon back?! Hmm

yamsareyammy · 15/07/2013 11:46

Can all the posters who disagree with the verdict, prove beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty?

Or actually catergorically say that he was guilty beyond all reasonable doubt?

ChrissieTay · 15/07/2013 11:47

Boomba - Just because my opinion differs to yours does not make me disingenious or insincere! That's a little niave to claim that actually!

What really baffles me though is when white people are killed by black people and in some cases the race IS the issue, you don't see white people throwing massive protests and death threats etc ??!!

JessieMcJessie · 15/07/2013 11:47

Boomba, stop wittering on about Martin being a child. He was 17 years old. You are only using that term to dramatise your own false narrative.

If Martin genuinely thought that Z was out to kidnap or molest him, all he had to do was go home. However grom the evidence that I heard it is highly unlikely that martin thought anything other than that Zimmerman was accusing him of being up to no good. Now, this may have caused righteous indignation and pissed him off that he was possibly under suspicion just for being black, but violence was not the appropriate response.

SpecialAgentTattooedQueen · 15/07/2013 11:49

SpecialAgent - Would you not call somebody bashing somebody else's head a thug?? Would you not call somebody knowingly approaching trouble a thug ?? I'm sure you would actually if your child had been in Z's shoes!

Actually with Zimmerman's background of violence and racial profiling, I'd be bloody ashamed of him for stalking a teenager against police wishes because he thought He Knew Better.

Boomba · 15/07/2013 11:50

he didnt know he was under suspicion ffs. He didnt know why the guy was following him...maybe he wanted to batter him? maybe he wanted to rape him?...

so if your 17 year old boy was followed and shot dead by a 30 year old man, you wouldnt feel that there was a distinction to be made between adult and child?

SpecialAgentTattooedQueen · 15/07/2013 11:53

Agree Jessie that violence was not the appropriate response. Apologies, I'm so upset with this case I haven't made that clear. Trayvon was wrong to use violence.

What I'm trying to (clumsily) say is we all have a fight/flight response to frightening situations. Some people have it lower than others. Trayvon approached Zimmerman and that was wrong but I'm saying I can understand people acting irrationally in the face of fear. I have in a not too dissimilar scenario. I was also wrong but sometimes survival instincts kick in.

Like I said, Zimmerman should have been charged with manslaughter, which IMO could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt as he provoked the scenario. The fact he wasn't charged on that is what IMO has the public so upset.

JessieMcJessie · 15/07/2013 11:53

So I'm "prejudiced" Boomba? You think that I can't believe that Zimmerman wasn't guilty because I am predisposed to think the worst of black people? I must tell my Kenyan boyfriend, he'll be very disappointed in me.

SpecialAgentTattooedQueen · 15/07/2013 11:54

17 year old seems like a child to me? That's very young.

ChrissieTay · 15/07/2013 11:55

Ha ha nice one Jessie! Wink

Boomba - No, to reiterate Jessie, 17 is NOT a child!

Boomba · 15/07/2013 11:56

it is also very relevant that Trayvon was a child; because his response to be followed, may have been more child like...less 'correct'. He was not so worldly wise, and that is why he engaged with Zimmerman instead of running?

ChrissieTay · 15/07/2013 11:56

Wasn't Z like only 28 himself? So not exactly an old man!

Boomba · 15/07/2013 11:57

Haha yes Jessie, you cant possibly be prejudice if you have a Kenyan boyfriend can you now Hmm

SpecialAgentTattooedQueen · 15/07/2013 11:58

I'm not 28 and I still view 17 year olds as children Blush

Feels like a granny gray boots now

Boomba · 15/07/2013 11:59

but actually JESSIE I didnt accuse you of being prejudice...i accused chrissie of being prejudice

JessieMcJessie · 15/07/2013 12:10

OK Boomba, perhaps some confusion due to you replying to Chrissie when she asked you to define her prejudice that your post at 11:34 had been aimed at me- I presumed that was the one in which you accused someone of prejudice. my fault, should have checked. Did you ever answer Chrissie's question then? And in any event perhaps that little personal detail about me will help you understand that none of what I have said here is based on race.

And no, I don't see any particular disparity between 17 and 28- both adults, physically and mentally.

SpecialAgentTattooedQueen · 15/07/2013 12:14

Actually 17 year olds are not adults mentally, and in the case of a male, not physically either.

Not that that changes how sad this all is.

I'm glad Americans are protesting. He needs manslaughter (even if, IMO he's a murderer it can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt manslaughter at the least)

I hope this becomes a crux for policy or legislation changes in Florida.

Especially after Casey Anthony as well..

RedJeans · 15/07/2013 12:15

What I don't understand though, is why someone has the right to shoot and kill somebody who is punching them?? I would agree that you absolutely have the right to defend yourself in that situation but certainly not by killing the other person! And Zimmerman put himself in that position by following someone he believed to be suspicious.

Martin could also be seen as acting in self-defence, we have no idea what Zimmerman said to him before the fight - because he is now dead!

I also struggle so much with the fact that it is legal in the US for people to just carry guns around with them, the murder could never have happened if this wasn't the case.

Boomba · 15/07/2013 12:18

oh get over yourself jessie I know plenty of racists with black partners and MR kids

its the old 'my best friend is black dontchaknow' card