ScooterSissy wrote:howdy wrote:I learned and always taught that the sure sign of a great Pilot is someone who uses his superior brain to avoid situations where you might have to use your superior skill.
As a CHL Instructor, I have been using the Zimmerman case as a "teaching moment" to show where you can be doing everything legally and still find yourself in a very difficult position. I was taught in my initial CHL class and again during CHL Instructor school that we should avoid as much as possible situations where the use of my handgun might be required. I won't go to River Oaks this week-end even though it would be perfectly legal.
As a CHL holder, I hold myself to a higher standard when it comes to obeying the law. The State of Florida's entire case was Z's " following, getting out of his car, confronting and killing TM. We know that it was all legal, but Z almost went to jail for the rest of his useful life and he will never walk the streets like you and me. Argue these points all you want. The proof is in the pudding. What Z did was not very bright and I for one will not imitate it.
If you had normal business needs in River Oaks this weekend, would you cancel them?
More to the point, if you had normal business needs (and we'll count "volunteer work" as business needs) in River Oaks going forward, would you quit whatever activity it was permanently, so as to never have to be in that dangerous area again?
That is what the Zimmerman critics are stating - that because he had a CHL, he should have given up being a neighborhood watch member.
That was the legitimate purpose had had for following Martin. That alone puts one in an elevated position of danger because face it, thugs don't like to be followed and/or identified.
Putting himself in that particular elevated position of danger was not illegal, it wasn't wrong, and it wasn't stupid.
I don't blame anyone for choosing not to do so, but nor should Zimmerman be "blamed" for doing it!
Where they are marching is in a subdivision, so that question and my statement stand. I would cancel a visit there for a social event but my chances of being invited there are slim and none. I do understand your question and it would be like a bad weather day, I would not go.
River Oaks is anything but dangerous. It is the most exclusive area of Houston and they have their own patrol.
This is a one time event, so NEVER going back is not relevent.
I haven't heard anyone say that being a neighborhood watch volunteer and having a CHL is not compatable. He was armed on the way to Target, not patroling as a neighborhood watch.
I am a 911 Volunteer Paramedic. I purposely do things with elevated danger, are perfectly legal, and sometimes not too bright. I try to minimize the not to bright things. I see people in EMS, both volunteer and paid, do some incredibly stupid things that are all very legal.
I am glad we have people who volunteer to be neighborhood watch, Firefighters, EMS, Police Officers, etc. It makes for better communities. I agree that Z should not be blamed for doing what he did. Sometimes we don't live in a fair world.