I'm a liberal that would have done the same as Zimmerman

[Bullitt]

I'm a conservative. In fact I am a Paleo-Conservative. I would not have done what Zimmerman did. I call the cops if there is suspicious activity, and then I move on.

He did call the cops and watched were he went.

And then he did more, like getting out of his car. Zimmerman is innocent of murder, but he is guilty of being stupid.

[cb1000rider]

And then he did more, like getting out of his car. Zimmerman is innocent of murder, but he is guilty of being stupid.

I agree with him being innocent of murder and/or the various lesser charges that he never should have been charged with.
Personally stupid, perhaps... We'd all be calling him a coward if he got back in his car and moved on if some later crime occurred.

It's just one of those situations where you're going to get the wrong end of the stick either way...

[Cletus]

I'm a liberal that would have done the same as Zimmerman

I read somewhere that George Zimmerman was a registered Democrat.

[Bullitt]

...We'd all be calling him a coward if he got back in his car and moved on if some later crime occurred...

No, I don't think I would be calling him a coward if he reported the activity to the police and just moved on. In fact we wouldn't even know about any aftermath if he had just moved on.

However, this does bring up the question of where an individual feels his duty stops, or even starts. Mine stops with my person, my immediate family, my close friends, and any who are directly around me when there is a threat to a group of which I am in, like in a bank robbery or a Luby's type shooting. But if I see some suspicious looking dude tooling down the street, I will just call the cops and leave. If I see somebody breaking into a house while I am driving down the road, then I just call the cops and leave. At one time I would interfere if I saw a man beating a woman, not anymore! She turned on me, didn't want the protection/interference. One can never tell these days what type of scum you are coming to rescue, and white knights are no longer really appreciated, even here in Texas.

[MaxBerlin]

But if I see some suspicious looking dude tooling down the street, I will just call the cops and leave. If I see somebody breaking into a house while I am driving down the road, then I just call the cops and leave. At one time I would interfere if I saw a man beating a woman, not anymore! She turned on me, didn't want the protection/interference. One can never tell these days what type of scum you are coming to rescue, and white knights are no longer really appreciated, even here in Texas.

You do realize the cops rarely come? It takes 20 minutes to see a cop in sleepy little Coppell Texas. In KC a few years ago there was a rolling shootout, when we called 911 it was busy for the first 15 and took another 15 before the first cops showed up. 30 minutes when the local precinct is less than a mile down a major street that had no traffic at the time.

It was Zimmerman's role to patrol and observe as well as his right and until Martin attacked him that's all he did.

Most of the rest of what you wrote, I agree with. Not my business and help isn't always welcome but it depends on the situation. You can observe from a distance until the cops actually show and at least act as their eyes. (that's all Zimmerman was doing) But if a girl or child or anyone is getting beaten and it looks like they be hurt, I think we have an obligation to step up. Not step out. Isn't that why we got CHLs in the first place?

[A-R]

Zimmerman is innocent of murder, but he is guilty of being stupid.

Can someone please explain this to all the lemmings who follow the media, the race baiters, and the opportunistic leftists?

[Oldgringo]

I'm a senior {read old guy} conservative who would have absolutely NOT DONE the same as Zimmerman.
One can get old and be stupid; however, one does not get old by being stupid. YMMV.

[Poldark]

Zimmerman Verdict part 1

http://backwoodshome.com/blogs/MassadAy ... ct-part-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

part 2 and 3 are linked at the top of article.

[ScooterSissy]

...We'd all be calling him a coward if he got back in his car and moved on if some later crime occurred...

No, I don't think I would be calling him a coward if he reported the activity to the police and just moved on. In fact we wouldn't even know about any aftermath if he had just moved on.

However, this does bring up the question of where an individual feels his duty stops, or even starts. Mine stops with my person, my immediate family, my close friends, and any who are directly around me when there is a threat to a group of which I am in, like in a bank robbery or a Luby's type shooting. But if I see some suspicious looking dude tooling down the street, I will just call the cops and leave. If I see somebody breaking into a house while I am driving down the road, then I just call the cops and leave. At one time I would interfere if I saw a man beating a woman, not anymore! She turned on me, didn't want the protection/interference. One can never tell these days what type of scum you are coming to rescue, and white knights are no longer really appreciated, even here in Texas.

I daresay a neighborhood watch volunteer is a bit more invested than you would be then.
Personally, I'm tired of hearing that Zimmerman was "stupid". I disagree. He followed at a distance. He didn't confront, he didn't pursue. He followed so he could answer the questions he was being asked. Then, he headed back.

Unknown to him, his attacker circled back and ambushed him. That doesn't make Zimmerman "stupid", it makes him an involved neighbor.

I understand why you feel the way you do for your personal reasons, and I don't fault you for it. Nor do I fault Zimmerman for deciding to be more involved than you.

That said, were I to have a choice between a Zimmerman as a neighbor, and a "me and mine" as a neighbor, I'd pick Z.

[Bullitt]

I daresay a neighborhood watch volunteer is a bit more invested than you would be then.

You are correct. His "investment" really paid off, didn't it.

Personally, I'm tired of hearing that Zimmerman was "stupid". I disagree. He followed at a distance. He didn't confront, he didn't pursue. He followed so he could answer the questions he was being asked. Then, he headed back.

If you are tired of hearing it, then you must be getting pretty tired, 'cuz a lot of people agree. Z didn't have to follow any "instructions." He got out of his car and followed and therefore didn't think. He was stupid. At that time Martin was a threat to nobody.

Unknown to him, his attacker circled back and ambushed him. That doesn't make Zimmerman "stupid", it makes him an involved neighbor.

Yes, it does make him stupid. He has no common sense. Think law of the jungle instead of this crap that's written on paper. An unknown person is stalking you, fight or flight or both? If Martin also had a CHL, then this incident becomes a Mexican standoff.

That said, were I to have a choice between a Zimmerman as a neighbor, and a "me and mine" as a neighbor, I'd pick Z.

You don't get to pick your neighbors. I count on myself, not my "neighbor," which is why I carry.

[RoyGBiv]

But if a girl or child or anyone is getting beaten and it looks like they be hurt, I think we have an obligation to step up. Not step out. Isn't that why we got CHLs in the first place?

No.

I got mine for SELF-defense.

I may or may not decide to come to the aid of an unrelated third-party, depending on the circumstances. But, that is most certainly not the reason I got a CHL.

[ScooterSissy]

I daresay a neighborhood watch volunteer is a bit more invested than you would be then.

You are correct. His "investment" really paid off, didn't it.

Which, of course, could be said of someone breaking in your house and you shooting them. No, in this particular instance, him taking on the responsibility of being concerned about his neighborhood didn't pay off.

That makes him unlucky, not stuipd.

Personally, I'm tired of hearing that Zimmerman was "stupid". I disagree. He followed at a distance. He didn't confront, he didn't pursue. He followed so he could answer the questions he was being asked. Then, he headed back.

If you are tired of hearing it, then you must be getting pretty tired, 'cuz a lot of people agree. Z didn't have to follow any "instructions." He got out of his car and followed and therefore didn't think. He was stupid. At that time Martin was a threat to nobody.

You're right, they are a lot of people that think he's stupid. That doesn't make it true.

I might also point out, many of those people also think you and I are stupid for having a CHL and carrying a gun (I'm assuming you're a CHL holder). That opinion also doesn't make it true.

Unknown to him, his attacker circled back and ambushed him. That doesn't make Zimmerman "stupid", it makes him an involved neighbor.

Yes, it does make him stupid. He has no common sense. Think law of the jungle instead of this crap that's written on paper. An unknown person is stalking you, fight or flight or both? If Martin also had a CHL, then this incident becomes a Mexican standoff.

I don't need to think of the "law of the jungle". We don't live by the law of the jungle. If an unknown person is following me (your use of the word "stalking" is incorrect), I do not have the legal right to attack them, no matter how much my instinct might encourage me to (mine wouldn't). The "stupid" act was Martin's. He acted stupidly when he chose to attack an armed man.

That said, were I to have a choice between a Zimmerman as a neighbor, and a "me and mine" as a neighbor, I'd pick Z.

You don't get to pick your neighbors. I count on myself, not my "neighbor," which is why I carry.

Of course you don't, which is why I used the word "if".
God forbid though, you ever have to use your weapon, and find yourself faced with people who believe in the "law of the jungle", and that you disrespecting someone is deserving of a beatdown, and that you don't have the right to defend yourself against a beatdown.

Again, stupid is an opinion. I disagree with it, and you've done nothing to convince me otherwise.

[Bullitt]

But if a girl or child or anyone is getting beaten and it looks like they be hurt, I think we have an obligation to step up. Not step out. Isn't that why we got CHLs in the first place?

No.

I got mine for SELF-defense.

I may or may not decide to come to the aid of an unrelated third-party, depending on the circumstances. But, that is most certainly not the reason I got a CHL.

That's my perspective on the matter as well.

[Bullitt]

...I might also point out, many of those people also think you and I are stupid for having a CHL and carrying a gun (I'm assuming you're a CHL holder). That opinion also doesn't make it true.

No, they think we are wackos and borderline criminals. Zimmerman certainly didn't add to the cause of CHL. In fact he has set it back.

I don't need to think of the "law of the jungle". We don't live by the law of the jungle. If an unknown person is following me (your use of the word "stalking" is incorrect), I do not have the legal right to attack them, no matter how much my instinct might encourage me to (mine wouldn't). The "stupid" act was Martin's. He acted stupidly when he chose to attack an armed man.

Unfortunately we do live by the law of the jungle. Don't know about you, but I don't need a 2nd Amendment to tell me how I can protect myself. Like I said, if TM had a CHL, then this whole incident would have been a Mexican standoff. The law can't address all issues, though the writers of law foolishly believe that it can.

...that you disrespecting someone is deserving of a beatdown, and that you don't have the right to defend yourself against a beatdown.

I carry for that very reason, but unlike Z, I'm not pursuing someone because I want to be the cowboy in the white hat.

Again, stupid is an opinion. I disagree with it, and you've done nothing to convince me otherwise.

Not trying to convince you of anything. However, stupid can measured by the outcome, "Stupid is as stupid does." In this case, Z was indeed stupid as evidenced by his own outcome. He could have proceeded on, then this conversation never happens.

[ScooterSissy]

Again, stupid is an opinion. I disagree with it, and you've done nothing to convince me otherwise.

Not trying to convince you of anything. However, stupid can measured by the outcome, "Stupid is as stupid does." In this case, Z was indeed stupid as evidenced by his own outcome. He could have proceeded on, then this conversation never happens.

I'm not going to belabor the point (anymore than I have). You're entitled to your opinion, I disagree.

I'm proud of what Zimmerman did. Were I in his place, I very well might have done the same thing. He chose not to stick his head in the sand and let his neighborhood succumb to the "law of the jungle". Yep, he paid a price for it. So did Martin and his family. Sometimes, that happens when one person chooses to obey the law, and another chooses not to.

Small side-note
I wonder how many break-ins have occurred at Twin Lakes since this happened.

Also, one final note. If you believe that just sticking to the "me and mine" will make you immune to the type of persecution that Zimmerman has faced, you're fooling yourself. All it will take is a prosecutor that is determined to ignore the law and mount a crusade. That's all it took in this case.