Today I was reading about an on-going case in the states about George Zimmerman, who shot an unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, (apparently) in self defence in a gated community.
Trayvon Martin's family and supporters have said Mr Zimmerman killed him in cold blood after suspecting the teenager was a criminal based on his race and the fact he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt.......The neighbourhood watchman's supporters have said he only opened fire after the teenager attacked him, broke his nose and banged his head against the pavement.
Zimmerman has now set up a website so people can give him donations to pay toward his living and legal expenses!
Zimmerman has not been charged because under Florida's "stand your ground" self-defence law individuals are granted scope to use force if they feel seriously in danger.... and now hes gone missing..on the run in my opinion!
Whats your opinion on this case? .. To be honest I find it very hard to be certain of whos in the wrong, Like you have Zimmerman saying Trayvon attacked him and then you have Trayvons family saying he was a good lad, would'nt get involved in disputes and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time..
When it comes to this "stand your ground" law, personally I find this very disturbing. Coming from a country that people used to kill eachother because of their Religion, sometimes ethnic background, but 90% of the time religion, If we had that law in Ireland it would get heaviley abused....I was called catholic scum oneday because Iv redy/auburn hair and was wearing a green dress...I would end up afaird walking through certain areas incase people thought I was a threat, could just shoot me and nothing would be done?
Like wether you support Zimmerman or not the usual proceddings would be that he would be taken in for questioning to find out exactly what happened. From what I hear on the news the police just made sure Zimmerman was ok because he said straight away that it was self defence so they let him go on home...That dosent seem normal to me when a 17yr old lad is laying dead on the road.
I'll not go to much into what I feel about people been allowed guns in their home because I know that its a fairly common thing in America and I dont want to rattle any cages but I do think that laws should be tighter on who can get a Licence and maybe it should be complusory for them to do a training course, My granda had a shot gun for hunting but he had to a 3month course and keep the gun in a locked trunk in the basement and keep the bullets in the attic and the garda would visit every few months to check that he still stored it like that.. and that was in the 40's!!... Does that happen in America??
Like was it really nessacary for Zimmerman to shoot Trayvon dead? If he really needed to shoot could he not have shot him in the arm or leg so that it would wounded him and Zimmerman could have phoned the police...
Whats your thoughts on this?
Trayvon Martin's family and supporters have said Mr Zimmerman killed him in cold blood after suspecting the teenager was a criminal based on his race and the fact he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt.......The neighbourhood watchman's supporters have said he only opened fire after the teenager attacked him, broke his nose and banged his head against the pavement.
Zimmerman has now set up a website so people can give him donations to pay toward his living and legal expenses!
Zimmerman has not been charged because under Florida's "stand your ground" self-defence law individuals are granted scope to use force if they feel seriously in danger.... and now hes gone missing..on the run in my opinion!
Whats your opinion on this case? .. To be honest I find it very hard to be certain of whos in the wrong, Like you have Zimmerman saying Trayvon attacked him and then you have Trayvons family saying he was a good lad, would'nt get involved in disputes and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time..
When it comes to this "stand your ground" law, personally I find this very disturbing. Coming from a country that people used to kill eachother because of their Religion, sometimes ethnic background, but 90% of the time religion, If we had that law in Ireland it would get heaviley abused....I was called catholic scum oneday because Iv redy/auburn hair and was wearing a green dress...I would end up afaird walking through certain areas incase people thought I was a threat, could just shoot me and nothing would be done?
Like wether you support Zimmerman or not the usual proceddings would be that he would be taken in for questioning to find out exactly what happened. From what I hear on the news the police just made sure Zimmerman was ok because he said straight away that it was self defence so they let him go on home...That dosent seem normal to me when a 17yr old lad is laying dead on the road.
I'll not go to much into what I feel about people been allowed guns in their home because I know that its a fairly common thing in America and I dont want to rattle any cages but I do think that laws should be tighter on who can get a Licence and maybe it should be complusory for them to do a training course, My granda had a shot gun for hunting but he had to a 3month course and keep the gun in a locked trunk in the basement and keep the bullets in the attic and the garda would visit every few months to check that he still stored it like that.. and that was in the 40's!!... Does that happen in America??
Like was it really nessacary for Zimmerman to shoot Trayvon dead? If he really needed to shoot could he not have shot him in the arm or leg so that it would wounded him and Zimmerman could have phoned the police...
Whats your thoughts on this?