There is nothing reasonable about shooting and killing an unarmed child. Period.

[Bjorn Against]

The Zimmerman defenders are out in full force insisting to us that Zimmerman was justified in shooting an unarmed black kid and if any of us try to say otherwise then we are ignoring the evidence that shows he may be innocent.

Sorry, but must of us are not that fucking stupid.

The law clearly states that in order to use deadly force the situation must be such that a reasonable person would take a life. It doesn't say that the killer must believe that taking a life is necessary, it says that a reasonable person would believe that taking a life is necessary and if the killer did not act reasonably then he should be found guilty regardless of his personal thoughts.

I am sorry but a reasonable person does not call the police at the mere site of a black kid walking down the street.

A reasonable person does not then chase that black kid down and personally confront them rather than waiting for police.

A reasonable person does not shoot and kill an unarmed person over a bloody nose and a couple of scratches on the head.

A reasonable person generally is able to make it through their entire lives without even thinking of killing an unarmed person, and a reasonable person would hold a very high standard as to what justifies deadly force against a child.

This is not just a question of whether or not Zimmerman lied about what happened, I personally believe Zimmerman is a chronic liar but even if he were telling truth he would still need to convince the jury that the level of force he used was reasonable. He needs to convince the jury that it was reasonable to shoot straight for the heart and take a life rather than shooting in the leg to disable but still allow to live. Even if the jury believes his story is 100% true but also believe that he could have reasonably done more to escape the situation without taking a life, then they need to convict him.

The people who are defending the murder of an unarmed child make me absolutely sick, Zimmerman's supporters are a stain on our nation and I strongly believe that if it were a white kid that were killed in the exact same circumstances they would be calling to lock the killer up and throw away the key. There is a long history of racism in this country and those who dismiss racism are either ignorant of history or they are racists themselves.

There is nothing reasonable about George Zimmerman's actions, I hope the jury can see that and votes to convict. If the jury does not see that then it is the duty of all of us to raise hell and demand the law is changed to crack down on racist gun nuts who shoot unarmed children and then try to pretend it is self defense.

[Just Saying]

1. Excellent post!

As I said on another thread, it's really not about what Zimmerman thought or did, it's about what a reasonable person would think or do.

I agree with you about changing the laws also. Florida is a big tourist state. If people begin to think its dangerous there, it could hurt their top industry. I think that could be used to work for stricter laws.

I'm really hoping the jury convicts Zimmerman of 2nd degree murder because that's what I believe he's guilty of.

Great post!

[Bjorn Against]

8. You are right about Florida being a big tourist state

People should be very vocal that they will not travel to Florida until the law is changed. If enough people are vocal about it there will be businesses demanding the law is changed, even in Florida there are few people who are so passionate about the right to murder unarmed children that they would risk harming the state's economy just to make the gun nuts happy.

[DonCoquixote]

19. sadly, that will not matter

This is the state that put the nation;s largest Dixie flag up because people tried to clean up the racist side of local festivals in time for the superbowl.

[snappyturtle]

2. This is the first zimmerman post I've opened. I fully agree.

To me it is so clear cut. A slight young man with a bag of Skittles......oh,it's just too sad....

[kelliekat44]

3. Thanks, but tell that to the local police who do it daily to young black kids, girls included. nt

[rhett o rick]

4. k&r thanks for posting.

[Blue Bike]

5. I agree, except for cases in which self-defense is necessary

You're right.

[CatWoman]

23. but what will Dan Abrams think?????

[Iwasthere]

6. Well said

Agree with all of it. In my opinion they do not shoot for a leg anymore or use any other means of control often enough. We have a police force in this country that is, in part, inexperienced, and afraid, and also underpaid. It's pretty easy to become an officer now, many are noble and good, however many are not, way too many bullys and are attracted to the profession. Then there are these wanabe cops that pull shit like this. CONVICT!

[Auntie Bush]

7. Good post Bjorn! I agree with you 100%

[quinnox]

9. K&R

[The Straight Story]

10. Zimmerman should have a used a drone, then most would not have an issue with it at all

[niyad]

11. k and r

[Taft_Bathtub]

12. I agree

I find it quite disgusting that people are rationalizing shooting someone who was walking home from the convenience store. It's so sad.

[DLevine]

13. Agreed. Hope the jury does the right thing. nt

[ReRe]

14. Haven't run into any of those SOBs yet....

... and it's a good thing. I hope those six women jurors show how justice is done and GZ is in the slammer by this time tomorrow night...

[UTUSN]

15. Yip, the Z "self-defense" sounds like the MENENDEZ bros being orphans

When does self-defense begin? What if the need for self-defense was precipitated by Z when he followed and encountered the other person? The other person was feeling threatened himself.

I've Googled to pin down whether the MENENDEZ bros actually asked for leniency based on their being "orphans" (after they killed the parents; instigated the orphaning). There were scattered references, some saying it was one of the juries asking for leniency on that basis. Couldn't pin it down.

Is there a parallel?

[yardwork]

16. There is something seriously wrong with George Zimmerman.

I am convinced that if he is acquitted, he will kill again.

And there's something seriously wrong with the people who defend Zimmerman.

[targetpractice]

18. I believe he has narcissitic personality disorder.

The numerous lies, the complete lack of accountability (belief that he acted according to God's plan), and the fact that he WENT TO THE BEACH the weekend after killing another human being… I agree, there is something seriously wrong with him.

[targetpractice]

17. Great post… I remember when hollow-point bullets were called "cop-killer bullets"...

…because they broke into fragments upon penetrating the body to do maximum tissue damage to the target.

But, guess what? During this trial, I learned that Zimmerman's use of hollow-point bullets was actually very reasonable of him. By loading his gun with eight hollow-point bullets, he could shoot a "suspect" whenever he needed and avoid potentially injuring someone else, because those bullets would disintegrate in the "suspect's torso." That's reasonable, right?

[AllINeedIsCoffee]

20. A lot of people fit Zimmerman's profile.

And they are looking for an excuse to kill.

[Skittles]

21. I am SICK of these RACIST GUN HUMPERS

THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED

[lindysalsagal]

22. If he were afraid for his life, he'd have driven alway. End of case.

Nothing else to say. You don't exit your car to engage a "suspicious" person. And walking down the street with your hood up in the rain isn't suspicious.

I think both sets of lawyers have missed the point. He got out of the car. It was his choice. The gun was not visible. It was all zimmerman from the beginning.

This child did nothing wrong.

[hfojvt]

24. "People who disagree with me make me absolutely sick"

Well, thank goodness you are the reasonable one, eh?

How do you know THIS happened, again?

"A reasonable person does not then chase that black kid down and personally confront them rather than waiting for police."

[Crepuscular]

25. Nice rant

but there is nothing "reasonable" about the absolutist nature of your premise. There are any number of scenarios where using lethal force in self defense that results in killing an unarmed "child" may meet the legal standard for being "reasonable".

Let's say a 17 year old male "child" breaks into the apartment of a single female and try's to rape her, after hitting her a few times. If the victim can get their hands on a knife or a gun or some other weapon and used it to stop the assault by killing her attacker, my guess is that most people would find the killing of an unarmed "child" to be a pretty reasonable response in that scenario.

Whether or not Zimmerman's actions reach the level of reasonable self defense is up to the jury to decide.

[TBF]

26. "George, why did you get out of the car?"

That is the most pertinent question in this whole sad affair. Why did he exit the vehicle? The authorities told him to stay put, told him officers were on the way, but he wanted to play vigilante. Fucking ridiculous.

[noiretextatique]

27. there is nothing resonable about ANY of zimmerman's actions

including lying about what actually happened. if he had come clean, shown some remorse, etc., said is was a tragic mistake...
but instead he concocted a lie and hoped a bunch of racists would buy it. they did, but they are the only ones.