Trayvon Martin Case

Classic case of racial profiling. It seems "Stand Your Ground" should apply to Trayvon Martin, not George Zimmerman.

D.C. had a strong showing at the Trayvon rally last weekend.

Assuming Zimmerman initiated the physical confrontation, it certainly would.

I am glad there are some many people gifted with retroactive telepathy and can clear up, beyond any reasonable doubt, what Zimmerman's thought processes were as this confrontation unfolded. ... I was just guessing about it.

Prove Zimmerman wouldn't have done the same thing to a tattoed, white (hispanic, asian blah blah blah) kid dressed and acting in the same manner as Martin and I'll buy the profiling argument as a factual conclusion that can be stated with certainty. Otherwise everyone is just speculating about Zimmerman's state of mind.

Again, so my position is clear, although legally allowed to do so, Zimmerman was wrong to be toting a gun around while on a Neighbor Watch patrol. He exercised bad judgment in following when the dispatcher said it was unneeded. The law as written is letting a potential illegal and unjust action go unpunished. ... and most importantly, even if he started the physical altercation, Martin's death is a tragic event and the law's failure to provide for a satisfactory and just result compounds the tragedy.

I mean, this Zimmerman character once called police to report "a suspicious black male, 7-9 years old, skinny build." That's not normal and here we are assuming that he's normal, justified, and acted in self-defense when in fact the only person that can reasonably claim self-defense is Trayvon.

Ive reported suspicious persons once before in my life. A old girlfriend had about 5 or so homeless people set up camp in an alley directly behind her house. She lived in a kind of bad section of Richmond, but this was pretty unusually even for this neighborhood. Several girls lived in the house and they were all pretty terrified by the idea of homeless people creeping around their house and where the park their cars so I called the non-emergency police number to report the issue for the girls.

When I spoke to the dispatcher I told them that there was about 5 homeless people setting up camp in the alley behind 311 S. Laurel St. The person asked me what they looked like, I said “like your typical indigent persons”. No other fitting description crossed my mind at the time, as its pretty easy to identify a 5 band homeless camp in an alley. But they said something like no we need a description of their race, sex and build. I told the dispatcher that there was 1 female, and about 4 males, everyone was white except for one black guy, and that they were all average build.

My point is the police want to know the race of people you call to report for whatever reason. Zimmerman likely knew this considering the 40+ calls he made to police over the last year. It just so happens race is one of the most physically descriptive unchangeable characteristics a person posses, and police find it particularly helpful in identifying people.

And honestly you’ve never seen a 7-9 year old acting “suspicious”. If I see a young kid that’s not playing, not riding a bike, that’s just wondering around by himself/herself, or out at night im going to be concerned. And its pretty easy to tell when little kids are up to no good, as most have no skills hiding it.

If I see a little kid ive never seen before doing something “suspicious” around a neighbor’s property, with no other little kids or parents in sight, im probably gonna make my presence known or call the police. And although saying a little kid acting suspicious or a group of 5 homeless people in an alley is the only identifier guys like me and you need to pinpoint the person(s) in questions, guess what the police are going to ask no matter what the circumstance….. race, sex and build.

Ill let you guys know im not Black. Maybe its impossible for me to understand why there are people saying this is a clear case of racial profiling. Is it just a gut feeling some of us have about this guy? Or is there something im just completely missing? If someone thinks someone of a different race is acting suspicious, is it always racial profiling in this country?

Rush to judgment in Trayvon Martin case - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/30/opinion/bennett-trayvon-martin/index.html)

Ive reported suspicious persons once before in my life. A old girlfriend had about 5 or so homeless people set up camp in an alley directly behind her house. She lived in a kind of bad section of Richmond, but this was pretty unusually even for this neighborhood. Several girls lived in the house and they were all pretty terrified by the idea of homeless people creeping around their house and where the park their cars so I called the non-emergency police number to report the issue for the girls.

When I spoke to the dispatcher I told them that there was about 5 homeless people setting up camp in the alley behind 311 S. Laurel St. The person asked me what they looked like, I said “like your typical indigent persons”. No other fitting description crossed my mind at the time, as its pretty easy to identify a 5 band homeless camp in an alley. But they said something like no we need a description of their race, sex and build. I told the dispatcher that there was 1 female, and about 4 males, everyone was white except for one black guy, and that they were all average build.

My point is the police want to know the race of people you call to report for whatever reason. Zimmerman likely knew this considering the 40+ calls he made to police over the last year. It just so happens race is one of the most physically descriptive unchangeable characteristics a person posses, and police find it particularly helpful in identifying people.

And honestly you’ve never seen a 7-9 year old acting “suspicious”. If I see a young kid that’s not playing, not riding a bike, that’s just wondering around by himself/herself, or out at night im going to be concerned. And its pretty easy to tell when little kids are up to no good, as most have no skills hiding it.

If I see a little kid ive never seen before doing something “suspicious” around a neighbor’s property, with no other little kids or parents in sight, im probably gonna make my presence known or call the police. And although saying a little kid acting suspicious or a group of 5 homeless people in an alley is the only identifier guys like me and you need to pinpoint the person(s) in questions, guess what the police are going to ask no matter what the circumstance….. race, sex and build.

Ill let you guys know im not Black. Maybe its impossible for me to understand why there are people saying this is a clear case of racial profiling. Is it just a gut feeling some of us have about this guy? Or is there something im just completely missing? If someone thinks someone of a different race is acting suspicious, is it always racial profiling in this country?

Rush to judgment in Trayvon Martin case - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/30/opinion/bennett-trayvon-martin/index.html)

Nice post

Assuming Zimmerman initiated the physical confrontation, it certainly would.

I am glad there are some many people gifted with retroactive telepathy and can clear up, beyond any reasonable doubt, what Zimmerman's thought processes were as this confrontation unfolded. ... I was just guessing about it.

Prove Zimmerman wouldn't have done the same thing to a tattoed, white (hispanic, asian blah blah blah) kid dressed and acting in the same manner as Martin and I'll buy the profiling argument as a factual conclusion that can be stated with certainty. Otherwise everyone is just speculating about Zimmerman's state of mind.

Again, so my position is clear, although legally allowed to do so, Zimmerman was wrong to be toting a gun around while on a Neighbor Watch patrol. He exercised bad judgment in following when the dispatcher said it was unneeded. The law as written is letting a potential illegal and unjust action go unpunished. ... and most importantly, even if he started the physical altercation, Martin's death is a tragic event and the law's failure to provide for a satisfactory and just result compounds the tragedy.

He called police to report "a suspicious black male, 7-9 years old, skinny build." I think we have passed the realm of speculating about his state of mind.

What you are basically saying Stand Your Ground Law allows me to stalk you and your family and if you were to ever approach me I would be at liberty to shoot you dead and vice versa. Am I to understand that so long as I feel threatened the Stand Your Ground Law trumps all other laws regarding what constitutes murder? What constitutes self-defense and retreat? Can anyone ever be liable for murder in the state of Florida in any confrontational situation? Would it matter who approached who first? If you and I were to get into a bar fight because I uttered fighting words and I ended up gunning you down should I be held liable for murder? How would this situation be different than what happened here?

Your logic matrix is twisted because the implication of what you are saying are very serious and quite frankly antithesis of the letter as well as the spirit of the law. At worst Zimmerman is guilty of 2nd degree murder and if you were on the jury I would hope you would have the sensibility to realize this.

He called police to report "a suspicious black male, 7-9 years old, skinny build." I think we have passed the realm of speculating about his state of mind.

So if this kid is trying car door handles, or checking houses for unlocked windows that's NOT suspicious?

Ive reported suspicious persons once before in my life. A old girlfriend had about 5 or so homeless people set up camp in an alley directly behind her house. She lived in a kind of bad section of Richmond, but this was pretty unusually even for this neighborhood. Several girls lived in the house and they were all pretty terrified by the idea of homeless people creeping around their house and where the park their cars so I called the non-emergency police number to report the issue for the girls.

When I spoke to the dispatcher I told them that there was about 5 homeless people setting up camp in the alley behind 311 S. Laurel St. The person asked me what they looked like, I said “like your typical indigent persons”. No other fitting description crossed my mind at the time, as its pretty easy to identify a 5 band homeless camp in an alley. But they said something like no we need a description of their race, sex and build. I told the dispatcher that there was 1 female, and about 4 males, everyone was white except for one black guy, and that they were all average build.

My point is the police want to know the race of people you call to report for whatever reason. Zimmerman likely knew this considering the 40+ calls he made to police over the last year. It just so happens race is one of the most physically descriptive unchangeable characteristics a person posses, and police find it particularly helpful in identifying people.

And honestly you’ve never seen a 7-9 year old acting “suspicious”. If I see a young kid that’s not playing, not riding a bike, that’s just wondering around by himself/herself, or out at night im going to be concerned. And its pretty easy to tell when little kids are up to no good, as most have no skills hiding it.

If I see a little kid ive never seen before doing something “suspicious” around a neighbor’s property, with no other little kids or parents in sight, im probably gonna make my presence known or call the police. And although saying a little kid acting suspicious or a group of 5 homeless people in an alley is the only identifier guys like me and you need to pinpoint the person(s) in questions, guess what the police are going to ask no matter what the circumstance….. race, sex and build.

Ill let you guys know im not Black. Maybe its impossible for me to understand why there are people saying this is a clear case of racial profiling. Is it just a gut feeling some of us have about this guy? Or is there something im just completely missing? If someone thinks someone of a different race is acting suspicious, is it always racial profiling in this country?

Rush to judgment in Trayvon Martin case - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/30/opinion/bennett-trayvon-martin/index.html)


It's a fcking kid...they are curious, playful and into mischief. They do stupid shit kids do...that's what being a kid is! Unless he is destroying property you calling the police to report a 7 to 9 year old for "acting suspicious" makes you a complete jackass who is wasting dispatcher time.

So if this kid is trying car door handles, or checking houses for unlocked windows that's NOT suspicious?


That's called reporting a crime? Did he report a crime?

You guys just keep the ****ing poll moving to justify this shit. From switching to black on black crime, to Trayvon was no saint, to some other stupid shit that doesn't matter.

That's called reporting a crime? Did he report a crime?

You guys just keep the ****ing poll moving to justify this shit. From switching to black on black crime, to Trayvon was no saint, to some other stupid shit that doesn't matter.

Would you rather someone report a suspicious person or a murder?

'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'.

Ive reported suspicious persons once before in my life. A old girlfriend had about 5 or so homeless people set up camp in an alley directly behind her house. She lived in a kind of bad section of Richmond, but this was pretty unusually even for this neighborhood. Several girls lived in the house and they were all pretty terrified by the idea of homeless people creeping around their house and where the park their cars so I called the non-emergency police number to report the issue for the girls.

When I spoke to the dispatcher I told them that there was about 5 homeless people setting up camp in the alley behind 311 S. Laurel St. The person asked me what they looked like, I said “like your typical indigent persons”. No other fitting description crossed my mind at the time, as its pretty easy to identify a 5 band homeless camp in an alley. But they said something like no we need a description of their race, sex and build. I told the dispatcher that there was 1 female, and about 4 males, everyone was white except for one black guy, and that they were all average build.

My point is the police want to know the race of people you call to report for whatever reason. Zimmerman likely knew this considering the 40+ calls he made to police over the last year. It just so happens race is one of the most physically descriptive unchangeable characteristics a person posses, and police find it particularly helpful in identifying people.

And honestly you’ve never seen a 7-9 year old acting “suspicious”. If I see a young kid that’s not playing, not riding a bike, that’s just wondering around by himself/herself, or out at night im going to be concerned. And its pretty easy to tell when little kids are up to no good, as most have no skills hiding it.

If I see a little kid ive never seen before doing something “suspicious” around a neighbor’s property, with no other little kids or parents in sight, im probably gonna make my presence known or call the police. And although saying a little kid acting suspicious or a group of 5 homeless people in an alley is the only identifier guys like me and you need to pinpoint the person(s) in questions, guess what the police are going to ask no matter what the circumstance….. race, sex and build.

Ill let you guys know im not Black. Maybe its impossible for me to understand why there are people saying this is a clear case of racial profiling. Is it just a gut feeling some of us have about this guy? Or is there something im just completely missing? If someone thinks someone of a different race is acting suspicious, is it always racial profiling in this country?

Rush to judgment in Trayvon Martin case - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/30/opinion/bennett-trayvon-martin/index.html)


I'm on my phone so I can't bold your question but in regards to "If someone thinks someone of a different race is acting suspicious is it always racial profiling" yes, but that's due to the stereotypes that are prevalent in this country. Baggy pants = thug, skinny jeans = queer, weed smoker = loser. Stuff like that.

I remembered a few years ago I got profiled. I was walking from the gym to my car on Connecticut Ave and Porter st, aka the Cleveland Park metro stop. It was cold so I had my sweatshirt on and my cap on and my hood up. Just walking. About 8pm or so. There was this white guy walking in front of me, he looked behind his shoulder at me... started walking faster then broke out into a full blown sprint. By time I got to my car and drove down to where he ran to, he had stopped running and was walking again. This was in 2006.

Lucky I didn't get shot, eh?

p.s. for people that don't know Cleveland Park... really nice area in DC. Not too many black people that live there, its a more expensive area.

Assuming Zimmerman initiated the physical confrontation, it certainly would.

I am glad there are some many people gifted with retroactive telepathy and can clear up, beyond any reasonable doubt, what Zimmerman's thought processes were as this confrontation unfolded. ... I was just guessing about it.

Prove Zimmerman wouldn't have done the same thing to a tattoed, white (hispanic, asian blah blah blah) kid dressed and acting in the same manner as Martin and I'll buy the profiling argument as a factual conclusion that can be stated with certainty. Otherwise everyone is just speculating about Zimmerman's state of mind.

Again, so my position is clear, although legally allowed to do so, Zimmerman was wrong to be toting a gun around while on a Neighbor Watch patrol. He exercised bad judgment in following when the dispatcher said it was unneeded. The law as written is letting a potential illegal and unjust action go unpunished. ... and most importantly, even if he started the physical altercation, Martin's death is a tragic event and the law's failure to provide for a satisfactory and just result compounds the tragedy.

Acting like Martin? What does that mean? How was Martin acting, Joe? He was walking down the street with tea and Skittles. And he was wearing a hoodie, so I'm pretty sure his tats weren't visible. Besides it was dark, so I don't think that was the issue.

Zimmerman said, “This guy looks like he's up to no good or he's on drugs or something.”

The dispatcher immediately asks, “Is he white, black or Hispanic?”
George Zimmerman responds, “He looks black.”


Zimmerman went to say, "they always get away". Who the **** is they is what I want to know. "****ing coons" or "goons".



The truth is, absent of some disgusting racial slur it's hard to prove racial profiling, isn't it? It's like saying prove racism. You really can't because we often, wrongly, associate racism with the obvious, like the word nigger. In our modern day politically correct culture, even the racists, have long moved beyond using the word nigger. If it looks and feels like profiling there's a good chance, though not a 100%, it is.

We do agree that this is a tragedy and, at a minimum, an arrest should be in order to assuage the Martin family and the citizens of the Sanford community.