Killing unarmed black teenagers in Orlando is fine if you're white.

**barts** · 14th March 2012, 03:25 PM

For more detail, the killing is reported here: Orlando Watch Shooting Probe Reveals Questionable Police Conduct.

So, a white neighborhood watch vigilante kills an unarmed black teenager, and walks free claiming "self-defense". The vigilante was instructed by 911 dispatchers not to confront the boy, as officers were en route.

This is murder, clear and simple.

Now, let's do a thought experiment. What would be the fate of the killer if he'd been a black man and the victim a white, unarmed teenager?

Add to the list of capital crimes for blacks "walking while black".

The killer, George Zimmerman, needs be arrested and charged with 1st degree murder. If not, it seems that there is an open season on the sport killing of black people. All a white person has to do is claim "self defense" and move on to the next victim.

**crimethinker** · 14th March 2012, 03:50 PM

Quote by: barts

The vigilante was instructed by 911 dispatchers not to confront the boy, as officers were en route.

He also told them "these a..holes always get away." (in the article)

Just who are "these a**holes"? People who eat Skittles? People who, as Zimmerman said, wear hooded sweatshirts and walk slowly in the rain? I'm not buying it, but I'm sure the people who want to deny that racism still exists will take the Skittles explanation.

Even apart from Zimmerman's obvious racism, it seems clear to me that he should be arrested. By his own admission he was angry and accosted the boy, who was walking home with Skittles and iced tea in hand, and what happens next but the boy is dead with a bullet in his chest. There's your probable cause to arrest this guy.

I wasn't involved, obviously, so I can't say absolutely that there were no mitigating factors, but there's a good chance that Zimmerman's a racist and the police, speaking of his "squeaky clean" record, and refusing to arrest him, are as well. If nothing else it's a gross miscarriage of justice.

**BlackSheep** · 14th March 2012, 04:06 PM

I would certainly like to know more, but it certainly seems it was an excessive use of force and it seems racism was involved.
I also think the whole idea of people having the right to 'defend' themselves and their home is prone to creating situations like this.

It pisses me off for other reasons as well. I was arrested with no harm done, no one complaining, no record and it messed up my life for being in a relationship with a girl who was 17 (over the age of consent here) and this guy shoots a 17 year old and they do't eve arrest him? It is insane.

**Trojan_Ripper** · 14th March 2012, 04:13 PM

Quote by: BlackSheep

I would certainly like to know more, but it certainly seems it was an excessive use of force and it seems racism was involved.

I also thin the whole idea of people having the right to 'defend' themselves and their home is prone to creating situations like this.

I agree....people need more info...

On the defending "self and homes" are you talking about neighborhood watches? I don't understand the "creating situations like this" comment?

**crimethinker** · 14th March 2012, 04:13 PM

Quote by: BlackSheep

I also thin the whole idea of people having the right to 'defend' themselves and their home is prone to creating situations like this.

It's a great example of why liberals are concerned about guns. If their ownership had been illegal -- if Zimmerman hadn't been allowed to get one -- Trayvon, apparently the black 17-year-old Bruce Lee, would have had a fighting chance. Easy, widespread ownership of guns aggravates these kinds of situations, and does/will get people killed.

One or even many incidents don't invalidate all gun use and ownership, but it is a cause for concern and something we should bear in mind in policy decisions.

**BlackSheep** · 14th March 2012, 04:21 PM

Quote by: Trojan_Ripper

I agree....people need more info...

On the defending "self and homes" are you talking about neighborhood watches? I don't understand the "creating situations like this" comment?

Not just neighborhood watches. I have no issue with people defending themselves when their lives are directly in danger, but otherwise I think it is a bad idea.

**el ايمان** · 14th March 2012, 04:30 PM

Though I disagree with the titling of this thread, it does seem to me from all of what I've heard about this investigation that this was a hate crime and that the police involved directly with Zimmerman are trying to brush it off.

**Dieval** · 14th March 2012, 06:22 PM

Upon seeing the video in the original post, it looks to me as if this "white" guy is probably Hispanic.. Are we interchanging the two now so we can point the finger at more "white" people to claim racism? I'm not stating he's innocent or his actions weren't racially motivated, but to call him "white" is extremely racially motivated.

**Angry Citizen** · 14th March 2012, 06:31 PM

I swear, conservatives think there's no such thing as racism-related murder, and liberals think that so much as touching a black guy is the epitome of racism. You both need to gain perspective.

**LetThereBe** · 14th March 2012, 06:45 PM

From the article I definitely wouldn't call this a hate crime, and I would be a bit hesitant to call this murder. It is certainly unjustified homicide, and he certainly should have been arrested.

Just who are "these a**holes"? People who eat Skittles? People who, as Zimmerman said, wear hooded sweatshirts and walk slowly in the rain? I'm not buying it, but I'm sure the people who want to deny that racism still exists will take the Skittles explanation.

"These a**holes" are criminals. Zimmerman wasn't thinking "man I hate black people, I'd better shoot this black kid to show the superiority of the master race".
As head of the neighborhood watch, he was probably well aware that there had been some thefts and/or robberies. The teenager fit his profile of a criminal perfectly... young, face hidden with a hoodie, out walking at a suspect time (and yes, racism was almost certainly a factor... Black). The teenager was probably carrying a bag or had his pockets filled with what he had just bought... which Zimmerman naturally suspected to be full of small valuables.
I am guessing Zimmerman thought he would tackle the kid and hold him until police got there. He probably asked the kid what was in the bag/pockets and with perfect justification the teenager probably just ignored him. Zimmerman likely made it a physical altercation, but didn't expect him to get the upper hand.

In general I have mixed feelings about vigilantism. There are times when I feel it is just, proper, and even necessary when a citizen takes matters into their own hands. There are times when the police are not present, and by the time they arrive it will be too late.
Then you have cases like this... where an idiot acts on bad information, escalates needlessly, then gets someone killed.