In other words it doesn't fit the narrative you've decided is true, you're just trying to appear less loony than some.
An interpretation is what you get from the totality of evidence. And an interpretation is invalid if it is contradicted by strong evidence. Two facts--Zimmerman's injuries and the best-situated witness backing his claims--contradict the idea that this was murder and support the idea this was self-defense. What contradicts the self-defense claim? Nothing, really. It isn't JUST that there's no evidence for murder, it's also that there's AMPLE evidence for self-defense.
I agree that at the moment he pulled the trigger, Zimmerman was acting in self-defense. That doesn't change the fact that he put himself in a situation he didn't need to be in, and someone died as a result. "He looks suspicious" is not, to my mind, a valid reason to call 911, let alone get out of the truck and initiate a chase. If you're so concerned about this strange kid in your neighborhood, why not simply go talk to him? What kind of chickenshit calls the cops over something like that? So while the jury got it right, I don't see anything to cheer about. There is no good outcome here, only the legally correct outcome.
Probably the right decision but I'm honestly surprised it was made. I figure the Justice Dept. was more worried about yet another verdict in favor of Zimmerman and the subsequent community reaction.
That woman in the skimpy dress and drunk in the biker bar put herself in that situation too... If someone posted the above I bet the same people who want to see George dancing at the end of a rope would lose their shit about "blaming the victim".
Zimdog wasn't exactly a victim. Zimdog won. @Archangel sure seems to be cheering, for whatever reason. Look at him getting all excitable! This is one of the ugly Americans I was referring to upthread.
Archangel believes Zimmerman was raped. Let's look at it this way -- Zimmerman got his ass kicked, something he didn't deserve, even though he could have avoided the confrontation. The parallel fails after that. Sorry, Archangel, try harder.
He's also a hot head, which works against him. He put himself in a situation where confrontation was inevitable. Adding in everything else leads me to believe he wanted to look the hero, and it backfired. Your mileage may vary.
You see no difference between having a good time in a bar, minding your own business, and playing neighborhood vigilante?
ohhh...emotion invoking words "vigilante". The go to tactic liberals use when their argument is as flimsy as a paper plate. So George putting himself in a bad situation is bad on George...But a woman putting herself in a bad situation is not her fault at all. The hypocrisy you guys demonstrate every single time you guys open your mouths is hilarious. But then again, it is all about the agenda. That determines fault in any given situation, not facts or reality. EDIT: And I'm done, not gonna waste more time on people not interested in facts.
Most likely (you never know) that if Trayvon was white nobody outside Florida would have heard about it. Or if Zimmerman was Wesley Snipes black nobody outside Florida would have heard about it. But Trayvon would be just as dead and Zimmerman would be just as not guilty of murder. Sorry, but the fact that Trayvon did not take the opportunity to run home to safety pretty much clinches the fact that Zimmerman was not a foaming at the mouth Terminator. The "take away" lesson here? Kids, if somebody seems like a threat to you, run home - don't call your girlfriend then confront the threat. Just sayin'
Zimmerman wasn't playing neighborhood vigilante, he was neighborhood watch and called 911 immediately about his suspicions, and was keeping the dispatcher updated so the police would know where to go. Trayvon, on the other hand, was going through his testosterone-fueled invincible-teen phase where young males are prone to initiate violent confrontations at the drop of a hat to establish their cred and defend their "manhood."
Ummm......because if Zimmerman didn't call the cops then he would in fact be playing vigilante. So let's say Zim didn't call the cops and confronted Trayvon and the same result happened. Now half the world would be screaming that he should have called the cops but he took the law into his own hands. He can't fucking win for losing! And BOTH THESE GUYS put themselves in positions that they could have avoided. Both are (were) dumb as dog-shit. Yes, I have a son - and if there was a an adult following him he would get on the fucking phone after he ran to safety. I guess he's a pussy like that.
Ok, so a woman dressing up and going to a bar is" putting herself in a bad situation" and totally her fault according to Archie. Yikes. I can see why he never got married and spends his adult years playing video games.
That generally worked fine 30,000 years ago. Hell it was a necessity, and is still hard-wired into us. But situational awareness trumps testosterone as the new "go to" successful evolutionary trait.
Here are some facts you seem to have missed: I already said Zimmerman was acting in self-defense. I already said the jury got it right. As usual you are arguing against the voices in your head instead of what people are actually saying. Zimmerman isn't a murderer. That doesn't make him a hero.
No, he didn't. At least not knowingly, which is what guilt requires. Zimmerman did not confront Martin, Martin confronted Zimmerman. This is Zimmerman's claim, and it is backed by the location of their encounter, and the testimony of the girl on line with Martin. Yes, Zimmerman was following Martin because he thought him suspicious--a belief that seemed vindicated by Martin's actions--but that didn't lead to the confrontation. At the moment Zimmerman and Martin came into contact, Zimmerman was returning to his truck and Martin had doubled back after running off. Zimmerman believed that Martin was gone and was not IN ANY WAY pursuing him. Even at the point where the two met, all the evidence is that Martin threw down first. Indeed, Martin may have been the only one to throw a punch at all. So, you can with much stronger evidence say the same things about Martin--he was looking for a confrontation, he tried to play the tough guy and it back-fired--as you can about Zimmerman. If Zimmerman's guilty simply for being there, what about Martin--who chose to be there first and who, from all evidence, initiated the violence? He may well have. He may have simply thought he was looking out for his community. But that's a far, far cry from any intention to harm Martin or to cause a confrontation.
If I called 911 because I saw a teenager wearing a hoodie and walking slow in the rain, I would probably get arrested myself, and I would deserve it. And I don't think we ever got the clear story on Zimmerman's status with Neighborhood Watch. Regardless, chasing down perps is not part of what they're supposed to be doing.
So getting a closer look is "chasing down?" Then riddle me this Batman - what would you call doubling back to confront a suspected threat? Once I see a bear following me I don't circle around to see if it's hungry or not.
On your reading of the situation, the jury got it wrong. A person who initiates and escalates a confrontation without valid reason does not have the right to claim self defense. If you hunt someone down for no reason and a reasonable person in your victim's place would believe you were putting him in danger, tough shit if you feel the need to defend yourself later on. It's your own fucking fault if you get hurt or killed.
Zimmerman didn't initiate or escalate the confrontation. He didn't even want to be part of a confrontation, which is why he was just trying to provide the 911 dispatcher with the rough whereabouts of the suspect - from a distance. Then Martin spotted him, hollered at him, and charged him, all of which was confirmed by witnesses.
I agree. But in this case, the person who initiated and escalated the confrontation was MARTIN. Didn't happen in this case. "Hunt someone down" is loaded, provocative language and not even remotely the truth about this case. A more accurate description for what Zimmerman did is "followed someone who seemed suspicious." What if your reasonable person tells the person he's talking to on the phone that he's going to go back and confront someone HE finds suspicious. Indeed.
Pretty accurate summary, though I don't think Martin charged Zimmerman. He walked up to him and (apparently) punched him suddenly.
And as I've said multiple times, none of that matters. The narrative was set within hours and no amount of evidence otherwise will make a dent.
Oh good god, the zimmerman fanboys are still trying to defend his dirty spic ass? Guys, he was not white. You can calm yourselves down. He is not guilty as per the courts. He is guilty in reality. Contrary to certain idiots in this thread the court does not decide reality, and often is wrong or unable to determine reality. So basing your idiocy on the court's lack of omnipotence and declaring that the truth just shows you have your empty little skull screwed on ass backwards.
Treyvon was right on in being pissed some border hopper who got here by marriage had the nerve to give an american like treyvon shit. You can be all cool about one less nigger in the world, but at least be consistent. Zippy is not white. Zippy is here because of marriage. If he was in his home country his name would be jorge gonzales. I have to wonder what some of you people would do if some spic was noticeably following you in his SUV? You would put up with that crap? You would sit there and think it is OK in your upscale neighborhood that some spic was roaming around in a suspicious manner scoping out you, your homes, or your kids? You need to remember goerge is honorary white guy now and gets to beat up white women, and shoot niggers.
So Tererun knows more than all the jurors put together? But wait, there's more: knows more than the fucking Justice Department? Sorry, but if Eric Holder & The Holdettes don't think there is a case there probably isn't one. And the court DOES decide reality. Yes, our Justice Circus is FUBAR - but I still believe that ten guilty men should go free and all that. It's not Tererun versus George Zimmerman, it's The State Of Florida versus George Zimmerman.
