Let's talk about Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, and how unbelievably fucked up this all is

plz don't estimate the ignorance of north florida

underestimate*

Part of me was thinking this would lead to a self-selected jury group of people who just watch Fox news (since it's not being reported on there?); part of me feels many people tend not to interact w/the news.

troy davis might've been bigger than this and i'm pretty sure half the country still wouldn't be able to tell you who he is.

so the "fucking coons" thing, it certainly sounds LIKE that on the audio, but I have to be honest, it's not definitive by any means.

doesn't matter though. his repeating of the fact that Trayvon was black plus his statement to neighbors "watch out of young black males" indicates racial bias prior to his action.

probably in court

whoops, probably *not in court

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10791755-neighbor-comes-to-defense-of-trayvon-martins-shooter

IT'S THE BLACKS' FAULT THEY MADE ZIMMERMANN PARANOID!!

fuck this neighbor

"“I think he had fed-up issues. He was mad as hell and wasn't going to take it anymore.”"

o_0

I like how he criticizes those for rushing to judgment then clearly indicates he believes Zimmermann acted in self-defense

the "fucking coons" thing, it certainly sounds LIKE that on the audio, but I have to be honest, it's not definitive by any means

So, then you play it to a jury, have the lawyers explain it as best reflects on their case, and the jury decides what it hears. Then, according to jurisprudence, it becomes definitive.

^ yeah, this. i'm like 70-80% sure he says "fucking coons", but it's all ultimately up the the jury. hopefully...

yeah but he has black friends and he was an altar boy. clearly not racist.

BREAKING: Racist defends other racist (xp)

if you had a choice would you rather see

a) george z locked up

or

b) stand your ground law repealed

we shouldn't have to choose

Yeah Id like one to lead to t'other.

fuck anyone even interviewing the neighbor, it's not like he was a witness.

I'd like to see both, but god help the state of Florida if we see neither.

ok i listened to the audio and there's no 70-80% about it, he %100 says fucking coons

is it stupid of me in my searchings to expect zimmerman to give anything even vaguely like an apology or statement of regret?

as long as there is a possibility of him having any kind of charges against him, definitely

xxxpost I remember when we first passed this law and detractors were labeled as paranoid. Now, the statistics indicate a sharp and clear correlating rise in "justifiable homicides" in the state since its passage.

few would dispute someone's right to defend themselves from being under attack, but the problem is clearly, the populace of Florida is interpreting this law VERY loosely, and lawmakers and police are afraid to challenge anybody who uses the defense.

Get rid of it. Now.

The thing is, anyway, eve if Trayvon had robbed a house, and was, say, walking off from that, that fucker has no right to play cop and SHOOT HIM DEAD.

And if Im to believe that law means he legally can and it isnt murder then god help u all :/

well even the dude that drafted the law says it doesn't cover what Zimmermann did. The problem is how the law is interpreted by both citizenry and the law. It's given way too wide of a berth.

oh and Trayce otm

well i ask because i wish the nat'l dialogue was more abt the NRA's favorite fantasy (that if everyone was packing we'd be safer) and less about whether bernard goetz jr should go to jail

I think you're being mildly facetious, but let's be clear: there's a sizable difference between the circumstances surrounding George Zimmerman and those surrounding Bernie Goetz.

right, i'm just drawing the parallel because that was the last time i recall "vigilante justice" seized the nat'l headlines

bernie goetz was arrested and charged (and convicted, although not of much).

and the poor black victims of drive-by crossfire that the pretty white dallas columnist reminds us of (and would equate with) were victims of undoubted criminal activity.

this dude was neither arrested, nor charged, nor investigated, nor anything. it's one very bad thing when a racist jury perverts the law; it's wholly another when the law itself happily accepts perversion.

TPM, others: ALEC & the NRA wrote the 'stand your ground' law(s)

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/stand_your_ground_legislation_that_may_have_let_tr.php

I thought it was common knowledge that NRA sponsored the stand your ground laws?

this is also lol: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/21/george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin-_n_1371171.html

"You cannot provoke the confrontation. You cannot be the instigator and then claim 'stand your ground,' Sundby said.

funny, seems like that's exactly what george zimmerman did

the NRA yes, but ALEC having a hand in the drafts, transmission, prioritizing is a new factoid i think. and sick.

what else does ALEC do? I know they have a hand in privatizing prisons

have fun!

http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

looks like they have a finger in every pie

sorry, I just wanted to use that phrase

http://newsone.com/nation/elonjameswhite/how-occupy-wall-street-co-opted-the-million-hoodie-march/

i don't want to start another million post argument about OWS, but i think we can mostly agree that this is a bit fucked up? i'm reading a lot of personal accounts of the million hoodie march and i have yet to read one that wasn't lamenting Occupy's presence. and apparently a livestream caught Occupy protesters trying to redirect the march towards zucotti park.

Chief's out

that'll solve it

rmde

God forbid he should fucking arrest and charge Zimmerman before the door hits his ass on the way out.

According to the police, the police made an investigation, and the police found nothing to merit an arrest, so obviously the police need not take a second look, because the police are capable and fully to be trusted with this case.

Do you think the police chief who is taking "a tmeporary leave" is going to back down from that one inch? Not on your life, buster. He's the president of the club.

Yeah there was no doubt in my mind that with all this negative attention that some of the policemen were going to need to find a new line of work.

temporary resignation?

isn't that a 'holiday'?

Been stressful for the poor guy. If anybody deserves a holiday it's him.

that's fair, that's fair

So George Zimmerman once had a domestic violence complaint in which -- quelle surprise! -- he claimed that it was his ex-fiancee's fault and HE was the real victim.

But don't worry, Geraldo Rivera has gotten to the bottom of things: It's all the hoodie's fault.