Zimmerman carried a gun to protect himself - as a result,

[hedgehog]

his life is ruined. Regardless of the outcome of the trial, his life is ruined.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Not as ruined as Trayvon's life, though. nt

[hedgehog]

7. I was pointing out that if you carry a gun for self protection,

you're more likely to wreck your life than save it.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. Very true. nt

[Bake]

39. Very true FOR ZIMMERMAN.

Not for everyone. Zippy made a series of bad decisions--getting out of the car, following Trayvon, etc.

Not everybody does that.

Nice try, though.

Bake

[sarisataka]

10. It is quite the irony

in saving your physical life you will likely loose your normal life. It is one of many factors that a person needs to consider if they are thinking about carrying a gun.

[Poll_Blind]

17. I took a class on firearms safety and the instructor had had to use his firarm to legally defend...

..himself, killing another man.

I found this out because there was a guy in class who seemed hell-bent on finding out what the minimum requirements were in order to use deadly force and the instructor, in a move I respect greatly, stopped the class for about five minutes and briefly went into how he had been in a genuinely life-threatening situation and had to draw his firearm and fire at a man who was robbing him, also with a firearm.

He killed the man and stopped the crime. He was found completely innocent, exonerated of any wrongdoing and his use of deadly force was found completely legal and justified.

And then he said, with look on his face that I'll never forget, that the last thing someone with a firearm should ever want to do is to draw it and shoot it at someone, even if their life is in danger. That it is truly to be an option of absolute last resort. Because between the investigation over the initial shooting and failed civil cases brought against him by the criminal's family, it had taken a huge toll on his life and ruined many years of it.

All, he explained, for a completely justified use of deadly force to defend his life.

The dude who'd been asking all the questions seemed to have a glimmer of realization, quieted up, and the course continued.

PB

[Robb]

18. The instructor obviously didn't think his life was ruined.

Obviously he believed it a preferable outcome to going unarmed. Witness him teaching people to follow in his footsteps.

[chemenger]

20. Your experience just proves that there are those out there

among the general public that are looking for a legal way to hunt other people and kill them. And I would include George Zimmerman among the hunters.

[hedgehog]

21. Years ago, I was in a self defense class - a couple of the young guys

asked the instructor for the best moves to use in case they were in a bar and someone threatened them - he looked them in the eye and said - "guys, the best move is to stay out of the kind of bar where you're going to be threatened!"

[melm00se]

23. When I took the course for my CCW permit

the instructor hammered home the point:

Regardless if you are right or wrong, if you drop the hammer on someone you must be prepared to have your life unalterably changed.

If you are not prepared to take on that risk, do yourself a favor and leave your gun at home.

[Rod Walker]

25. Good advice. It's an enormous responsibility.

[Lizzie Poppet]

32. People sometimes do both.

That is to say, that even in cases of legitimate self-defense, your life will change if you use deadly force against another human being. You will have just begun a long, expensive, and probably nerve-wracking involvement with the criminal justice system. You may be sued by your attacker's survivors. Unless you are a sociopath, you will suffer from the serious psychological shock that a person feels after killing (no matter how justified).

Choosing to carry a weapon for self-defense is a monumental decision, and one to be made only after careful consideration of the ramifications and honest self-examination.

[Bake]

40. You can't draw that inference from Zippy's case only.

He made a series of bad decisions.

Nice try, though.

Bake

[Chisox08]

2. Who fault was that?

He ruined his life but he ended Trayvon's life. I have no pity for Zimmerman.

[onehandle]

3. He carried a gun to hunt humans.

Mission accomplished.

[premium]

4. Yep.

Whether acquitted or convicted, his life as he knew it is over, if convicted, he'll have a rough time of it in prison with the black convicts, if acquitted, he'll be facing a civil lawsuit, and everyone in the country will know his face and story.
Life ain't looking too good for him right now.
Of course, if he's acquitted, someone will probably want to do a movie about him, just like Casey Anthony, Jody Arias and Drew Peterson.

[uponit7771]

5. There's none of Zimmermans blood or DNA on the hands of TM...NONE, Zimmerman lied about being

...attacked by TM IMHO

[Bay Boy]

30. The defense will have to address that issue...

...and if they don't do it effectively that could be very helpful for the prosecution.

[uponit7771]

34. +1...I'm curious on this point alone on how they address it. Blood doesn't clean away from hands

...like other chemicals IINM

[Lizzie Poppet]

35. And even if Martin did fight, it doesn't excuse Zimmerman, IMO.

I don't think it would have been at all unreasonable for a person in Martin's situation to believe they needed to defend themselves. If a person is following you for blocks, you're going to be suspicious of their intent. When that person confronts you, then continues to follow you after you try to walk away from the confrontation (as apparently was the case), you're going to be more than just suspicious, you're going to be in fear for your safety. Martin had the right to "stand his ground," too.

[uponit7771]

36. +1, Z stalked a kid through a dark neighborhood with a loaded gun for no reason with bad intentions.

...the reason the guy wasn't locked up the first night when the police saw no defensive wounds on his arms or hands is well...

we know why....

[Rod Walker]

6. And some people carry a gun to protect themselves and as a result their lives are saved.

The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".

[hedgehog]

11. Agreed, the pllural of anecdote is not data:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=people-kill-with-guns-more-than-any-other-weapon

[Rod Walker]

12. And more people in the US die in car accidents more than they do in train accidents.

Um...so? I don't know that anyone is denying that firearms are the "go-to" weapon of choice if you need to kill someone.

[hedgehog]

14. Check the second chart - about who gets killed with guns!

[Rod Walker]

15. I'm not surprised that many murders involve people known to the murderer.

[hedgehog]

16. If you need a gun to protect yourself from the people you know,

you need to get to know some new people!


Before someone brings up the subject - the solution to women threatened by former husbands/boyfriends is not to arm the women, but to go after the men threatening them!

[Rod Walker]

19. I don't think there's the slightest chance that anyone I know will shoot me.

That having been said, I do keep one loaded firearm in the house to protect against home invasion, while cognizant that the risk of such an event in my area is small.

[hedgehog]

22. From what I've read, you are the threat to the people you know,

not the other way around. After all, you're the one with a gun!

[Rod Walker]

24. Well, most of my friends are armed to the teeth as well.

So I guess we're all threats to each other!

How did we survive this long? We get together every weekend (for the last 30 years, mind you) for our regular gaming session (typically Call of Cthulhu), and some of them even carry concealed! Talk about beating the odds, it's a wonder that all of us are still here!

[darkangel218]

28. Dont give into their rethorics.

This OP wasn't about Trayvon, is just another anti gun post. Ignore them.

Trashed & ignored.

[Rod Walker]

41. Anti-gun posts seem to be all too common here.

[NM_Birder]

33. A gun is still just a tool.

I've been collecting, using, selling and modifying firearms of all kinds my whole life, along with most of my friends.

I would no sooner mishandle a firearm, than I would drive with a bottle of scotch in my lap. Both a car and a firearm are capable of killing people if misused, why are drinkers who own cars given a pass, but firearm enthusiasts are shown in statistical charts everywhere to be more prone to violence ?

[Bay Boy]

31. Isn't that victim blaming...

...and if yes, isn't that a bad thing to do?

[Ikonoklast]

37. Rule #2: Immediately Try To Mis-Direct.

The conversation is about armed individuals killing others.

Nice try, though, but no style points.

[Rod Walker]

38. Rule #3: Using an analogy is not misdirection.

I've been speaking of armed individuals in this entire sub-thread.

Nice try, though.

[Lint Head]

9. I have never carried a gun. I have been shot at and threatened with a gun but never shot.

I have also never shot anyone. Nor do I want to.

[Bandit]

13. I don't believe that was why he carried a gun

He carried a gun to intimidate people. He deliberately went out looking for trouble..That was his mission. He could have stayed at home and read a good book or something but no, he chose to go out looking for trouble. He was armed and felt he could deal with any trouble he found...He killed a young boy that was doing absolutely nothing wrong. He should go to jail and ask himself if it was worth it...

[darkangel218]

26. BS.

Many others carry guns, and they don't end up shooting innocent people. Stop equating legal gun owners with criminals!

[WinkyDink]

29. The operative word's being "life"----as directly opposed to "death," as in "TRAYVON MARTIN."

So yes, I get your point, but I disagree with your emphasis.