Trayvon Martin aside, ’stand your ground’ law is stupid

Let’s acknowledge from the beginning that there are no grounds to believe that Florida’s “stand your ground” law can be blamed for the events leading up to the tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin.

George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch fanatic who shot Martin, may have had no idea that Florida even had such a law. And even if he did know, that knowledge might not have changed his behavior in any way. The only thing we know for certain is that Sanford police cited the law in explaining why they lacked probable cause to arrest Zimmerman.

So setting aside the Martin tragedy, what possible purpose does a “stand your ground” law serve in the first place? What good can it possibly achieve, particularly when implemented outside the home?

Dealing with an intruder inside the home is quite a different matter. And every person of course has the right to defend themselves and others from bodily harm. That right existed before passage of “stand your ground” laws around the country; it exists today in states that did not pass “stand your ground” laws.

We’re dealing instead with something very different than mere self-defense. “Stand your ground” laws state that if an armed person faces a choice between safely withdrawing from a scene or standing his or her ground and killing someone, that person “has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force,” as Florida law puts it.

That’s what I don’t get. I understand that there are macho fools out there who believe that backing down from a fight is a worse outcome than shooting and killing another person. I just don’t see why in a civilized country the law should validate and even encourage that mentality.

– Jay Bookman

905 comments Add your comment

Jared

March 28th, 2012
6:01 am

A scenario. So you are observing your neighborhood and notice someone suspicious, no matter race, like I tell my wife everyone is a suspect. It is late at night and he/she is about to enter a house of a neighbor that you dont really know. A.) Do you confront that person? B.) Do you call the cops in hopes they arrive in a timely manner, before something happens? C.) Do you stand by and do nothing? If you answered anything but A you need to really do some soul searching. We should be watching after one another, and be concerned about our neighbors as well as our own safety. If I am the one being confronted and I’m not doing anything wrong, I should have no problem explaining what I am doing. If I’m confronting someone, the hell if I’m doing it unarmed.

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
6:14 am

Bush really cares about Soldiers, while obama hates the military. What is hard for you to understand?

How does an ostensibly educated adult come up with sheer stupidity like this?

Jonah

March 28th, 2012
6:17 am

The choices you have aren’t “backing down and try to escape” or “kill the person.” The choices are “kill or hurt the person so they cannot hurt you” or “allow the person another chance to kill you.” Yes, you might be safe for a little while, but you do not know if that person is going to come after you or your family. If you have the chance to stop them, then stop them!

Normal, Plain and Simple

March 28th, 2012
6:31 am

Normal, Plain and Simple

March 28th, 2012
6:35 am

Normal, Plain and Simple

March 28th, 2012
6:36 am

willie lynch

March 28th, 2012
6:39 am

What you people seem to be missing is this “Stand your Ground” nonsense allows anyone to claim they were standing their ground. If you are shot and killed by someone they can claim they were defending themselves using the cover of standing their ground. How could you as a dead person prove otherwise?

middle of the road

March 28th, 2012
6:42 am

I don’t think the Castle Laws and Stand Your Ground Laws are stupid. They were written to keep a criminal from suing a homeowner or other victim of a crime after being shot by them. Prior to thee laws, there were cases of burglars breaking into occupied houses, the owner shot the burglar, and the court allowed a lawsuit under the guise of “the burglar had not demonstrated that he had placed the homeowner in jeopardy of his life”. Same thing when a carjacker steals your car, but doesn’t “threaten your life”. They give the victim the peace of mind that they will not be victimized again if they defend their life and property against criminals.

That being said, it is also clear that the Stand Your Ground law does not apply in this case. Zimmerman did not “stand his ground”, he was the clear agressor by leaving his car and confronting Trayvon Martin. He can’t start a fight and then claim self-defense when it starts to go against him,

Zimmerman CLAIMS that he was going back to his car when Trayvon Martin attacked him. That is his STORY. Let us ask Trayvon to give HIS side of the story. Oh, that’s right…

Zimmerman had no business getting out of his car and confronting “suspicious black persons”. That should have been handled by the police. It i a Neighborhood WATCH, not a Neighborhood POLICE.

Normal, Plain and Simple

March 28th, 2012
6:43 am

As to my 0635…if you can’t grow it, buy a gun, right? A gun makes you feel like a real man, huh?

middle of the road

March 28th, 2012
6:48 am

Let’s change this scenario:

Zimmerman approaches Martin and demands to know what the h*ll he is doing there. They get into an argument and Zimmerman ends up on top of Martin. Martin has a legal carry permit and is carrying, so he pulls out a gun and shoots and kills Zimmerman. Now THIS is a clear case of self-defense, since Zimmerman still started the argument. But in this case, do you think the police would have let Martin go and believed his story. H*ll, no! That is why it is a case about race.

independent thinker

March 28th, 2012
7:05 am

I am glad tohear that Trayvon got a few good licks in without a gun before being shot. Maybe he hit Zimmerman over the head withe Skittles and Arizona Ice Tea also- good for him.

GT

March 28th, 2012
7:05 am

The states that have these laws are the usual suspects. The home of NASCAR makes the whole state of Florida its ground. Who needs police down there just shoot whomever ruins your day and the law will cover you. Make sure you kill em because if you just wound them the state has to pick up the tab to nurse them back to health, if they don’t have insurance.

You know the hospitals could use this law too. When a uninsured person shows up at their door, either send them away to die in the front yard, or be more merciful and just shoot them and call it “standing your ground”. Jack Kevorkian caught all that grief helping the sick kill themselves, for nothing. He could have just invited the poor souls over to dinner at his house and when the fail person stepped over the threshold of Kevorkian’s house blow him away with a gun short and sweet.

Now I see why Florida is challenging Obamacare, they actually have a better plan. “Stand you Ground” is their insurance plan. Nothing unconstitutional about this law and done right it saves the Feds a ton of money. Also the perfect answer to illegal immigration, shoot em in the street. It may put a damper on Disney World, or maybe not, let the kids take a shot, they will love it. Killing is fun and good for the country and we have lost our minds.

willydoit?

March 28th, 2012
7:11 am

“I am glad tohear that Trayvon got a few good licks in without a gun before being shot. Maybe he hit Zimmerman over the head withe Skittles and Arizona Ice Tea also- good for him.”

Looks to me like Trayvon brought a bag of skittles to a gunfight!

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
7:22 am

Executive summary of case made by defenders of “stand your ground laws”, in this thread, based on all the skimming I could stomach–

It’s a Good Thing when it’s easier and cheaper to kill other people. Yee haw. What a great country.

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

March 28th, 2012
7:24 am

Wore my hoodie last night and was reminded of the reason I don’t really care for them. They flatten ones coif.

That and the little thing about being made a target for nutballs….

Mighty Righty

March 28th, 2012
7:24 am

Many of you seem to over look or ignore the fact that Zimmerman is a Hispanic Democrat. Being a Democrat alone would make him exempt from being racist to say nothing of the fact that he is hispanic as well. Now I understand the law abiding Trayvon supporters are looting stores. Now isn’t that a surprise.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
7:25 am

…now that I think of it, I guess those who are all gung-ho for the death penalty, probably figure they’ll never be able to execute anyone cheaply and easily, so “stand yer ground laws” are the next best thing.

rampant a-holedness, jackassery, stupidity, call it what you like–needs to stop somewhere. I do hope to live to see the day when the majority of Americans who a) don’t carry guns around with them and b) support sensible gun regulations are able to win the day, rather than the stupid minority who are propped up by the likes of ALEC and the NRA.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
7:26 am

Being a Democrat alone would make him exempt from being racist to say nothing of the fact that he is hispanic as well.

This is a Gooper faithful’s notion of “empathy”, one presumes.

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
7:28 am

Being a Democrat alone would make him exempt from being racist to say nothing of the fact that he is hispanic (sic) as well.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Even if written in jest.

And likely just a sophomoric way of deflecting from one’s own racism and bigotry…

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
7:31 am

So if I see a guy making this threatening gesture on the street, say, outside a church, and I feel threatened, I can just shoot him, right?

(Should change the ACA constitutionality dynamics quite a bit if that were to happen, one imagines.)

middle of the road

March 28th, 2012
7:32 am

I think we need to ask the important question here: since Zimmerman’s mother is Hispanic, is she legal? Does she need to be deported?

When someone mentioned the “evidence” of Zimmerman’s back being wet, I thought that was the prelude to some sort of joke.

George Walton

March 28th, 2012
7:34 am

Our Watch Captains in my gated-community are trained to “voice threaten” hooded intruders.
.
If that doesn’t work, we used non-lethal rock salt,12-guage. That ALWAYS works.
.
We NEVER call the cops.
.
The night Watch captain also has a collateral duty of smashing Obama/Romney 2012 campaign signs.
Not that we have any idiots living here anyways.

Mighty Righty

March 28th, 2012
7:35 am

Poor liberals, want so much to blame white conservatives for Trayvon’s death and the facts just don’t support that idiocy so they have fallen back on name calling. So sad, too bad.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
7:37 am

we used non-lethal rock salt,12-guage. That ALWAYS works.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot33_3.htm

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

March 28th, 2012
7:39 am

Mighty Righty

March 28th, 2012
7:35 am
Poor liberals, want so much to blame white conservatives for Trayvon’s death and the facts just don’t support that idiocy so they have fallen back on name calling. So sad, too bad.

BULL DOOKEY

All decent people want is justice.

And then you whimper about name calling.

Mr. Silly Pants

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
7:41 am

Righty suffers from the diseases of Hyper-Republicanism.

Though this very thread is overflowing with right wing racism and hatred, he refuses to see the first bit of it.

So he does what a good Party Man always does – deflects to seeing ONLY the racism of others not associated with his party.

This apparently makes him feel better…

George Walton

March 28th, 2012
7:43 am

Good video stands——–
.
Like I said, our method ALWAYS works.
.
Hoody-hooded intruders only show up in MY gated community…with a rake in their hands.

jack

March 28th, 2012
7:45 am

If you have any questions about the CWP law or training contact http://www.e2c.us or 1-866-371-6111 and the Instructors at Equip 2 Conceal will be happy to help you

willydoit?

March 28th, 2012
7:46 am

“That’s what I don’t get. I understand that there are macho fools out there who believe that backing down from a fight is a worse outcome than shooting and killing another person. I just don’t see why in a civilized country the law should validate and even encourage that mentality.”

It seems to me that the person without the gun that refuses to back down from a fight with a person that has a gun is the real macho fool!
Either Trayvon didn’t know Georgie had a gun or he was the macho fool (according to Jay).

MiltonMan

March 28th, 2012
7:48 am

“The home of NASCAR makes the whole state of Florida its ground.” GT place change your screen name. You are giving all GT graduates a bad name.

FYI: Clueless lib, North Carolina is home to NASCAR which voted for Obama. Care to make any other ignorant claims?

Jm

March 28th, 2012
7:49 am

I’ll be brutally honest for a moment

I don’t care about Trayvon

And any sensible reasonably busy person shouldn’t either

For 99.99% of America, he’s just become another political football over which people get to battle and joust over their usual hot button issues

Time to move on

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
7:50 am

Speaking of overflowing with right wing racism, check out the thread immediately following mine…

Kudos, George W. You too, are an excellent Republican…

Normal, Plain and Simple

March 28th, 2012
7:50 am

Give ‘em hell, Granny!
———————————

Where in the blue blazes has this macho mindset come from? These “Stand your ground” laws; Laws saying it’s OK to have a gun in College, restaurants, CHURCH, for God’s sake!

Where has the sanity gone? What good is this macho attitude? And lastly, this law wouldn’t be needed if States and their municipalities hadn’t laid off every other Police Officer. This is, in my mind, part of the blow back of “No New Taxes” you don’t see.

If States were properly financed by taxes and then could offer the protection their citizens deserve and expect, then you wouldn’t need to “stand your ground”.

You want to stand your ground? Get buried standing up.

TaxPayer

March 28th, 2012
7:50 am

Hoody-hooded intruders only show up in MY gated community…with a rake in their hands.

Stand your ground, dude. Don’t let that rake intimidate you.

Brosephus™

March 28th, 2012
7:51 am

Mighty Righty

Why try to play the victim after you come in here and kick up bullsh*t? I would call you names, but that’s exactly what you want so you can go crying and claiming to be the victim.

———————-

Seems that now the focus is on making the victim really look like a thug who was out for trouble that night. Some people’s logic never seems to amaze me. :roll:

willydoit?

March 28th, 2012
7:52 am

I see Rodney King written all over this!
No justice…no peace!!!
Innocent truck drivers beware!! There could be a brick to the head in your future!
Why can’t we all just get along???

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
7:56 am

Like I said, our method ALWAYS works.

You get to within four feet and blast them with this rock-salt filled shell?

Color me skeptical.

(I’m pretty sure you didn’t really read the Box o’ Truth site I’d linked, either, since the guy delights in putting to rest cliches people accept about what guns can do.)

Mighty Righty

March 28th, 2012
7:56 am

Black Panthers offering reward for the kidnapping of a hispanic male. Where is the Justice Department? Isn’t this a hate crime? Where is the liberal out rage? This is in effect a bounty on a member of an opressed minority. Where is the fairness gumbya?

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
7:57 am

to append my post @ 7.56–the bit about what’s involved in actually shooting off a padlock with a firearm is priceless…

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot5.htm

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

March 28th, 2012
7:57 am

Jm

March 28th, 2012
7:49 am
I’ll be brutally honest for a moment

I don’t care about Trayvon

And any sensible reasonably busy person shouldn’t either

tres de rigueur

GT

March 28th, 2012
7:58 am

Poor liberals is name calling. A kid is dead and the only person who cares is a liberal, is that what this is about. Maybe Mighty Righty has something there. You don’t hear many saying poor Christians because they aren’t here defending their ground, the sanity of life. I guess you can turn that stuff off and on like that and it is fine with your beliefs. Poor liberals are stuck with morality, what a handicap when they could be Christians and just blow whatever bothers them away.

George Walton

March 28th, 2012
7:58 am

“Kudos, George W. You too, are an excellent Republican…”
.
You sir, Jamvet, better be glad that you are not near MY ground.
I’ll do some Kosher on your azzzzz.
.
Those are fighten words.
.
Dang war-loving Republocrat.

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

March 28th, 2012
7:59 am

Mighty Righty

March 28th, 2012
7:56 am
Black Panthers offering reward for the kidnapping of a hispanic male. Where is the Justice Department? Isn’t this a hate crime? Where is the liberal out rage?

Where were you yesterday? La La land?

Huge D’UH.

Thomas

March 28th, 2012
8:00 am

Instead of blogging ridiculous items this morning why not go down and talk to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Adams about the less than 50% turn out for jury duty in and around the City of Atlanta.

We seem to have blogging and demonstrating down but fail to perform our jury duty.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:00 am

Mighty, I’m going to try to keep this civil for a minute. I may regret it, but I’ll try.

Do you not get that you are being spoon fed little teensy blips on the radar–”Black Panthers offering reward for the kidnapping” … “Trayvon supporters are looting stores”–I’m going to go out on a limb and imagine you also believe that OWS supporters are a bunch of rapists and murderers as well, am I right?

You’re deliberately not seeing the big picture here, and any credibility you might have in arguing for these ALEC-authored, NRA-financed “stand your ground” laws pretty much vanishes when you do that.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:01 am

You don’t hear many saying poor Christians because they aren’t here defending their ground, the sanity of life.

Ok, this made me laugh, and I am a bad person for saying so.

independent thinker

March 28th, 2012
8:02 am

JAY- The Orlando Sentinel reported a nearly triple reporting of self defense and stand your ground shootings after the law passed down there. As a reporter why are you not getting that information in Georgia????????????? The GBI must keep stats on the reporting of such shootings. What cases are being reported here??

Jm

March 28th, 2012
8:02 am

Granny

Don’t go all frenchie on me

But thanks for the compliment :)

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:03 am

By the way, how many of you know what Rachel Maddow and her longtime companion Susan did on their first date?

Thomas

March 28th, 2012
8:03 am

94% of Black murders committed by Blacks

Hey GT- a little less estrogen and a little more brain use?

Not Blind

March 28th, 2012
8:03 am

The real problem is you libs think that a violent criminal element is right and proper in our society. The basic premise in the stand your ground laws is that you are about to be attacked by a violent person. You libs seem to think that the victim should just take his pounding [ or bullet ] and then call the cops [ if he can ]. What a bunch of nonsense.

The one known fact is that the 6′3″ black MAN was assaulting the much shorter hispanic man. The hispanic man AS A LAST RESORT killed the black man.

Brosephus™

March 28th, 2012
8:03 am

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/california-principal-suspends-entire-program-coach-threatened-172901629.html

An entire basketball program in Southern California has been suspended indefinitely after physical threats were made against the team’s coach and his wife, with the coach resigning from his long-held post in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

As reported by Los Angeles ABC affiliate KABC and a variety of other L.A. sources, longtime Newport Harbor (Calif.) High coach Larry Hirst resigned from his position at the school after he received physical threats against himself and his wife both at the school and their Huntington Beach home.

Sounds like some of those good ol’ fashioned hoodie wearin’ thugs, don’t it? Ya might wanna take a look at the team before jumping to conclusions.

http://www.newportharborbasketball.com/

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:04 am

The real problem is you libs

is there really any reason to read any further?

texaskev

March 28th, 2012
8:05 am

Why is George Zimmerman now a white hispanic, somebody is stretching that

George Walton

March 28th, 2012
8:06 am

By the way, how many of you know what Rachel Maddow and her longtime companion Susan did on their first date?
.
Did they tear up the old carpet at Maddows place in NYC?

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:06 am

take a look at the team before jumping to conclusions.

Their mascot is Popeye?

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:07 am

Did they tear up the old carpet at Maddows place in NYC?

they were hell and gone from NYC. try again.

JKL2

March 28th, 2012
8:07 am

jamvet- How does an ostensibly educated adult come up with sheer stupidity like this?

Truth hurts I guess. Maybe you should try looking past the color of his skin.

Brosephus™

March 28th, 2012
8:07 am

The basic premise in the stand your ground laws is that you are about to be attacked by a violent person. You libs seem to think that the victim should just take his pounding [ or bullet ] and then call the cops [ if he can ]. What a bunch of nonsense.

I tell you what, run up on me at night claiming that I’m suspicious. When I stand my ground and you end up lying on it, maybe you’ll get some sensibility right before the bright white light engulfs you. There is no way you should be able to claim to stand your ground when you’re pursuing somebody who you think is suspicious. If you are not a cop, don’t pretend to be one. There is a reason that cops carry multiple defense tools, guns, and wear body armor. Those are not just fashion accessories.

Normal, Plain and Simple

March 28th, 2012
8:08 am

George Walton

March 28th, 2012
8:06 am
Why in the hell does it matter?

godless heathen©

March 28th, 2012
8:09 am

GT got up with a real case of the stupid this morning.

“The states that have these laws are the usual suspects. The home of NASCAR makes the whole state of Florida its ground.”

States with SYG laws:
Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Lousiana, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennslyvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:09 am

ok, I know you’re all waiting for the answer, so here ’tis.

[Terri] GROSS: So, there’s just one question I want to ask about your relationship with your partner, and that’s about your first date, which I read was at an NRA ladies’ day on-the-range event.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

GROSS: And I thought like, was that supposed to be ironic? Because I can’t imaging Rachel Maddow on a date at an NRA event.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

MADDOW: I’m actually kind of a good shot. My partner, Susan, her sister is a lifetime NRA member and a real gun enthusiast. And when Susan and I first met and I wanted to take her out on a date, she said, well, I’m doing this thing to support my sister at her club. And I thought, at her club? You’re not really like a country club type person. What kind of – like some sort of dining club? What is this? No, no. Her rod and gun club. And I said sure. And so it was ladies’ day on the range. It was an NRA event. And the idea was to make the various shooting sports more fun for the ladies. And so, Susan and I turned up. It was the best possible first date in the entire world.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

MADDOW: Turns out she was really good with a shotgun and I was really good with the AR-15. And you know, despite my gun politics, I’m perfectly happy with shooting at a gun club and then leaving the weapons there and driving home. So it worked great. I worked great. And I think Susan’s sister was given a lot of gun-club credit for having brought in some newbie liberals.

Brosephus™

March 28th, 2012
8:09 am

dB

I was looking for a mascot. Based on their behavior, I’d guess Bluto over Popeye.

JKL2

March 28th, 2012
8:12 am

granny- All decent people want is justice.

Too bad that has nothing to do with this case.

Did you make you bounty payment to the black panthers yet?

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
8:14 am

Seems that now the focus is on making the victim really look like a thug who was out for trouble that night

Yep, Bro.

Ask Scout, he is a good Party Man. He can tell us again how this kid had uncombed hair with a pick in it, pants down so low that you could see his butt crack and tattoos all up and down his arms and neck. All while going to a job interview.

Oh, and wearing hooded sweatshirts while it is drizzling is ignorant…

Call it like it is

March 28th, 2012
8:14 am

Hmmmm If I’m Jay and I need to get my numbers up, but I’m depressed that Obama care is getting ready to be destroyed, what should I do? I know talk about guns, then tomorrow I will hit on the Rebel flag. Yeah that’s the ticket.

independent thinker

March 28th, 2012
8:14 am

Zimmerman was previously arrested for assault on a police officer and had some mental issues -does anyone truly believe that he is someone you want carrying a gun? Oh I forgot the NRA does not want any restrictions on who can own a gun. After all he needed one to defend himself against Blacks with hoodies, Skittles and Arizona Ice Tea- it is in the Constitution.

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
8:15 am

Truth hurts I guess.

Sure does. Ask those third graders if your witticisms do…

But in the world of adults? You are laughably averse to the “truth”…

Mighty Righty

March 28th, 2012
8:17 am

stands for decibels, I am not supporting “stand your gound” laws. I am pointing out the hypocracy of those who were not there so sure about Zimmermans guilt and so sure about Trayvon’s innocence they fail to speak out against the Black Panthers reward which is a clear violation of law. In addition the gumbya crowd is suddenly silent when it comes to Zimmerman’s rights. Meanwhile, the Justice Department that was so quick to insert itself into the Trayvon/Zimmerman incident has not uttered a peep about he Black Panters. Why?

gm

March 28th, 2012
8:17 am

I wonder how many whites out there who are saying zimmerman was justified in killing this kid,how you would feel if it was your kid? How many of you would be outrage if your kid body was not reported for 3 days, and you have no clue of the where abouts of your child.

When this does not happen to white kids, its hard to understand this, I bet if this kid was playing basketball at some of these whites schools, whites would be outrage and in the streets, blacks need to stop entertaining white Americans and maybe a regular black child life would be taking seriously.

Lee

March 28th, 2012
8:17 am

They want all the protesters that gather for Trayvon Martin to bring bags of Skittles, would they also like them to bring the burglar tool that Trayvon Martin had in his book bag?

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
8:17 am

stands @8:04, I certainly didn’t.

There is only so much childish drivel that I can stomach in the morning!

George Walton

March 28th, 2012
8:18 am

Hey Stands———

Try going into Rachel Maddow’s neighborhood.
You’ll soon be Martinized.
.
SHE doesn’t need to use a gun.
She HIRES that kind of work out.

Mick

March 28th, 2012
8:19 am

The turning point

Notice how this case completely turned when obama commented that “trayvon would look like his son if he had one”. The people that dislike this president just went ballistic, including our very own typically sour con blog artists, there would be no turning back…

Mighty Righty

March 28th, 2012
8:19 am

independent thinker, something wrong with your story. If Zimmerman assaulted a police officer as you said he would now be a felon and unable to own a gun.

GT

March 28th, 2012
8:19 am

Thomas are we now showing respect to blacks by capitalizing the b in their race or is there a family name Black going around killing lots of other Blacks. Before we know it we are going to be having human killing human, or is it Humans killing Human, either way that figure is 100% Thomas which is higher that 94% if you are asking.

James Thomas

March 28th, 2012
8:20 am

Hahahah.. Jay, you’re a born victim…We should have signs posted identifying neighborhoods filled with those of you who share Jay’s beliefs. LIves will be saved that way. The thugs can come rob you while walking down the street and not having to worry about getting blown away in my neighborhood.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:20 am

“Rachel Maddow makes valid arguments that our country has been drifting toward questionable wars, draining our resources, without sufficient input and time. People who like Rachel will love the book; people who don’t will get angry but aggressive debate is good for America. Drift is a book worth reading.”

–Roger Ailes

Mick

March 28th, 2012
8:22 am

james

It started out with skittles and iced tea, it ended up with life lost. Some thug, eh?

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:22 am

Try going into Rachel Maddow’s neighborhood.
You’ll soon be Martinized.

…the hell?

Do you even know where Maddow lives? I don’t. I know she has an apartment somewhere in NYC, and she spends weekends in some rural place in western MA, last I’d heard.

Anyway, why would I be afraid walking around unarmed in NYC? Particularly in a neighborhood fit for an MSNBC anchor who surely pulls down a seven figure annual salary?

TaxPayer

March 28th, 2012
8:23 am

Republicans do scare easily. I think it was Jon Stewart that pointed out that a bag of Skittles could sound like a bag of rattlesnakes and a Republican would instinctively stand his ground.

Peadawg

March 28th, 2012
8:23 am

“Notice how this case completely turned when obama commented that “trayvon would look like his son if he had one”.”

He’s done this before a year or two ago…can’t remember the case. I think it was something a cop going to someone’s house or something, can’t remember.

Obama needs to stick to politics and let the authorities handle this.

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
8:24 am

If Zimmerman assaulted a police officer as you said he would now be a felon and unable to own a gun.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

ONLY in the GOP Alternate Universe is it even debatable that Zimmerman was arrested for battery on a police officer and resisting arrest near the University of Central Florida in 2005.

This is the magnitude of the willful stupidity problem with Party Men…

JKL2

March 28th, 2012
8:24 am

jamvet- Sure does. Ask those third graders if your witticisms do…

No clue what you mean there. I do have a bunch of college students I could use if you need me to take a poll for you.

Save Our Youth

March 28th, 2012
8:24 am

gm says,
When this does not happen to white kids, its hard to understand this, I bet if this kid was playing basketball at some of these whites schools, whites would be outrage and in the streets, blacks need to stop entertaining white Americans and maybe a regular black child life would be taking seriously.

but what about the kids that are being abused at home. Is there any hope for them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISvMS6s41vY&ob=av2e

Brosephus™

March 28th, 2012
8:24 am

Ok, I’ve been a bit harsh on the Sanford PD in regards to their investigative skills, so this makes me feel a bit better. Maybe they’ll eventually force my hand into baking a humble pie. I really hope they do.

http://news.yahoo.com/trayvon-martin-investigator-wanted-manslaughter-charge-151838720–abc-news-topstories.html

The lead homicide investigator in the shooting of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin recommended that neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman be charged with manslaughter the night of the shooting, multiple sources told ABC News.

But Sanford, Fla., Investigator Chris Serino was instructed to not press charges against Zimmerman because the state attorney’s office headed by Norman Wolfinger determined there wasn’t enough evidence to lead to a conviction, the sources told ABC News.

Police brought Zimmerman into the station for questioning for a few hours on the night of the shooting, said Zimmerman’s attorney, despite his request for medical attention first. Ultimately they had to accept Zimmerman’s claim of self defense. He was never charged with a crime.

Serino filed an affidavit on Feb. 26, the night that Martin was shot and killed by Zimmerman, that stated he was unconvinced Zimmerman’s version of events.

The lead investigator is off the hook with me. The State Attorney’s Office has now assumed the hot seat.

godless heathen©

March 28th, 2012
8:24 am

“Oh I forgot the NRA does not want any restrictions on who can own a gun.”

Not intended to be a factual statement.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:27 am

He’s done this before a year or two ago…can’t remember the case. I think it was something a cop going to someone’s house or something, can’t remember.

Yes. A friend of his was hassled by a local cop. Obama had the temerity, when asked what he thought, to say in defense of his friend, that he though the police had acted “stupidly.”

Millions of wingnuts cried out in unison that our Uppity Preznit had once again overstepped and didn’t know his place.

Then Obama, Biden, his friend and the cop held a beer summit.

The end.

Brosephus™

March 28th, 2012
8:28 am

Peadawg

That people would change their attitude based on what Obama says/does is more indicative of their hatred for all things Obama overruling their common sense in day to day living. Expecting the President to not comment on leading news is like asking a stripper not to dance when the music is playing.

sheepdawg

March 28th, 2012
8:28 am

NRA + idiot GA gop legislators = stand your ground legislation (and other “right to carry” nonsense legislation)

godless heathen©

March 28th, 2012
8:28 am

“Republicans do scare easily. I think it was Jon Stewart that pointed out that a bag of Skittles could sound like a bag of rattlesnakes and a Republican would instinctively stand his ground.”

I read that Zimmerman was a Democrat.

Peadawg

March 28th, 2012
8:28 am

point is, sfd, Obama like many many many others, need to let the legal system play out and let all the facts come out before jumping to conclusions.

Keep Up--Te gusta losing woofinpoofs?

March 28th, 2012
8:28 am

Bro, I agree. I was surprised to hear that myself last night. There are still a lot of questions on the investigation/prosecution side that needs some answers.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:28 am

The people that dislike this president just went ballistic

They seem to hate it when Obama acknowledges that he and his family are… you know… black.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:29 am

…I mean, if he’d just keep his blackness to himself!

George Walton

March 28th, 2012
8:29 am

Stands—–
.
My point was that the Network NBC supplies Maddow with “gun-toting” bodyguards.
And her diggs in Conneticutt I believe, is a gated community armed with “gun-toting” security personell.
.
The hypocrisy is astounding.
.
Regardless, Maddow has been relatively decent to Ron Paul, therefore, I give her a break.
.
But all the books she wrote, the advice she gives, and/or her anecdotes on the “Drift” ……mean NOTHING…if….she again….votes for Obama/Bush 3.
.
She is a tool.

Jim

March 28th, 2012
8:30 am

It appears that the only person to have done anything illegal is Trayvon Martin.

stands for decibels

March 28th, 2012
8:33 am

But all the books she wrote

um, she’s written exactly one (1) so far.

and I have no idea what’s behind your rant, save for a depressingly familiar meme that, somehow, liberal pols and pundits should implicitly take a vow of poverty and are fair game for screams of “librul hypocrisy!!!” whenever it’s revealed that they… I dunno, windsurf.

Peadawg

March 28th, 2012
8:34 am

“Expecting the President to not comment on leading news is like asking a stripper not to dance when the music is playing.” – I missed where Obama commented on this headline

“Three Black Men Murder White Mississippi State University Student”

JamVet

March 28th, 2012
8:35 am

JKL2, at times, you are dumbfoundingly uninformed about the most basic of matters. So you sling your made up crap like “Bush loves soldiers and Obama hates them”, as though you are some sort of quantum physicist who has made some startling new discovery that advances the knowledge of mankind.

When in reality you are just regurgitating Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Coulter and Hannityesque pablum and dipstick opinions that you proffer as “truth”.

Otay…