General Discussion

Quixote1818

(28,989 posts) Sun Jul 14, 2013, 11:21 PM Jul 2013

The more I think about it the more I think as a whole we came out ahead on Zimmerman

1. The main thing anyone wanted was a trial which wasn't going to happen but did because of public pressure. If a trial had not occurred it would have been a great injustice.

2. I always knew getting a conviction was going to be extremely difficult simply because the two key moments were empty holes. We don't know who started the fight and we don't know what occurred at the end when the trigger was pulled. Based on self defense laws, it didn't matter how crazy and idiotic Zimmerman was leading up to the fight, the jury was instructed to only look at his state of mind during the fight. With those two key moments missing they had to guess. A guilty verdict simply was not in the cards. It was close but just short.

3. Zimmerman became a pariah because of the exposure. His life will be hell for quite a few years. Can you imagine him trying to just do something as simple as getting gas or going out to eat? He will have to wear a disguise. Before this hit the media, no one knew who he was.

4. Hopefully police departments across the country learned from this. Just because it's a black kid in a hoodie doesn't mean he is a thug and they should do everything they can to collect evidence and look at the shooter with suspicion and have a trial especially if the defendant acted like Zimmerman. Almost any death deserves a trial.

The one big negative I see is that now everyone in the country has a really good understanding of how easy it is to get off on a self defense claim. If there are no witnesses and there is some evidence of a struggle then you are in the clear. This could be bad news for a lot of innocent people, especially young black boys and men.

On edit I can think of one other big negative. The right wing really used this to polarize and now most Fox News viewers think Trayvon was nothing more than a thug. This is extremely sad.

All in all we ended up with more than we would have if no attention had been called. Not by much but a little. The haters will forget about Trayvon but Zimmerman's life is hopefully in the crapper. I suggest we chalk it up for the good that came out and move on.

9 replies

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The more I think about it the more I think as a whole we came out ahead on Zimmerman (Original Post) Quixote1818 Jul 2013 OP

One HUGE positive: More and more people are talking about American Legislative Exchange Committee Liberal_Stalwart71 Jul 2013 #1

We'll see if we're better off. NightWatcher Jul 2013 #2

We do know what started the fight apples and oranges Jul 2013 #3

I agree 100% but the jury's instructions were to basically ignore that. nt Quixote1818 Jul 2013 #7

Surely, you jest? kelliekat44 Jul 2013 #4

My point is not that police departments care but that they won't want the bad exposure Quixote1818 Jul 2013 #8

It's true that people will be talking about this longer than if there had been a conviction. arcane1 Jul 2013 #5

Nice silver lining.Too bad it's not nearly enough. MichiganVote Jul 2013 #6

I'm sure Trayvon's family disagrees. GeorgeGist Jul 2013 #9

Liberal_Stalwart71

(20,450 posts)

1. One HUGE positive: More and more people are talking about American Legislative Exchange Committee

Reply to Quixote1818 (Original post)

Sun Jul 14, 2013, 11:23 PM

Jul 2013

More people know what it is. And more people are getting involved politically and understanding that we must support Democrats at the state and local levels!!!

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)

2. We'll see if we're better off.

Reply to Quixote1818 (Original post)

Sun Jul 14, 2013, 11:24 PM

Jul 2013

Coming up is the trial of Jordan Davis' killer. A guy named Dunn who shot Davis at a gas station parking lot here over loud music in Jacksonville, just a couple hours north of Sanford.

We'll see if we get this one right.

apples and oranges

(1,451 posts)

3. We do know what started the fight

Reply to Quixote1818 (Original post)

Sun Jul 14, 2013, 11:29 PM

Jul 2013

Z's racial profiling.

Quixote1818

(28,989 posts)

7. I agree 100% but the jury's instructions were to basically ignore that. nt

Reply to apples and oranges (Reply #3)

Sun Jul 14, 2013, 11:39 PM

Jul 2013

kelliekat44

(7,759 posts)

4. Surely, you jest?

Reply to Quixote1818 (Original post)

Sun Jul 14, 2013, 11:29 PM

Jul 2013

You are entitled to your opinion. but my opinion is that your points are laughable at best. Especially #4. I am speechless that you could even think the "police departments" even care about learning anything from this except that now they can have a multitude of company that can now shoot to kill young black males and claim self-defense as the many police have claimed when they have shot and killed unarmed, and sometimes critically ill black males and females. I really think you post is hurtful.

Quixote1818

(28,989 posts)

8. My point is not that police departments care but that they won't want the bad exposure

Reply to kelliekat44 (Reply #4)

Sun Jul 14, 2013, 11:42 PM

Jul 2013

if the spotlight comes upon them. Hopefully this trial will make them think twice about cutting corners. Maybe, maybe not, just trying to come out of this with something hopeful.