Fjones
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2008
- Messages
- 3,326
If it were someone in a uniform, the best thing to do to avoid trouble, though, is to go and meet them.
I learned that the other week when I pulled out of a place where I picked up an oxygen machine, and a cop stopped and turned around, to follow me. I kept putting my hands up, like "what?!" and finally he just pulled me over. Made up a reason to detain me. When I asked him why he pulled me over, he didn't tell me at first- until I gave him my license, which I was holding onto because I hadn't done anything wrong (he had to threaten criminal charges for me to comply), but then he told me it was because I was pulling out of a place that was closed/after hours, and that I didn't signal 200 feet before turning, which I replied including that I was a courier and why I was there, that- "well, i don't even think there's 200 feet between the place you saw me pull out of, and the turn"- to which he did agree that that was a high possibility, so I basically caught him breaking the laws he's supposed to uphold, and bullshitting. He had already decided to pursue me... I was detained momentarily, and a patient had to go without their oxygen machine for another 15 minutes or so. I was pissed, but it could have been avoided had I just rolled up next to him when he slowed as he went by the place I was pulling out of, and said, "Hi...".
It really didn't matter that the officer was in the wrong to begin with, here... for me... It was at that point, to minimize the danger and impact on myself, I should have just known what was up, like "hey, man, i know you suspect me of something. look. nothing in my hands. am i clear? not a bad guy".
But, some of the facts are coming back. I remember now that he didn't really have authority to pursue this guy. I am not sure if he really detained him, though, or tried to. He should have at the very least identified himself (Zimmerman) to Trayvon. I probably have no right to an opinion, or stance, because I haven't paid a ton of attention to it, and wasn't there. I just know that he media portrayed Trayvon as a sweet, innocent "boy", showing pictures of him when he was 15 or so, and with recent things that came to light (and before, that he's not some little 15 year old), it warrants more thought.
But the fact that Zimmerman wasn't wearing anything to ID himself, and was just in regular clothing, following this kid... well, it doesn't look too good for Zimmerman. The only thing he should have done, is call the police, if he had suspicions. Perhaps keep the kid in eye-shot. And if an altercation happened then, then it would not have really been his fault.
My opinions change a lot. But recent information does show the kid wasn't on the greatest path. But, they don't know that the guns were his, do they?
I may have been wrong to say "he got what was coming to him", but if he was serious about being "gangsta", and there was anything to those guns, it could have happened sooner or later. Not to say it's right how it did.
But he may have, really been, acting suspicious. Not just because he was black, either.
Also, some other facts as I understand them:
Zimmerman reported that Martin was "suspicious." No reason was given. Presumably, the "suspiciousness" of martin was merely because he was a black youth hanging around outside a store. If I had been standing there reading a novel, as I sometimes do at night when I am waiting for someone or something, would I have been "suspicious?" I doubt it.
Zimmerman told the cops (when he called them) that the kid "was on drugs or something," a statement that has not been justified by anything other than Zimmerman's assumption.
The cops told Zimmerman to stand down. At this point, Zimmerman had already taken action that scared/worried martin, causing Martin to flee. In my opinion, if Zimmerman at this point does anything other than leave the scene and find a safe place to wait for the cops, he remains the aggressor and has lost his right to self-defense, especially since he is ARMED. Zimmerman tried to act like a cop, but without the training and knowledge, he completely fucked it up and ended up shooting someone. Also, as I understand the law, the moment you run at someone, you may have already committed an assault. I mean, if some large man charges at me, so I have to wait for him to physically strike me before I am allowed to defend myself? He could kill me with one blow or a knife or anything. Zimmerman should NOT be arming himself and CHASING AFTER PEOPLE!
You asked if the guns are his. What guns? All we have are text messages discussing guns. So far there exists no actual gun, and for sure we know that Martin was unarmed at the time of this incident. I fail to see ANY relevance of the content of these text messages. How many of us on this site would look good if our personal text messages were revealed to the public??????? Does that mean we should be Zimermanned by some hothead vigilante cop wannabe?