Quote:
Originally Posted by DaemonSeid
So, basically, wearing a hoodie makes everyone look suspect?
No one should ever get shot because 'they fit the description'. When it becomes ok to shoot people on sight for them being in the wrong place and not looking like the status quo for that area, then it just proves that we are moving backwards not forwards.
Also, , his father (with whom he was staying with) also lived in that gated community so he had EVERY RIGHT to be there.
You say there are real hate crimes out there? Gunning someone down in cold blood for no other reason than they look suspicious IMO is a hateful action but I am not the court. If Zimmerman wanted to play hero, all he simply had to do was stay inside and let the cops do their job and we really wouldn't have to have this convo right now.
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Where did I say it was ok to shoot someone because they fit a description? I never said it was ok for him to shoot AT ALL.
I've never heard that his father lived IN the gated community so that is my bad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by agzg
1 teen =/= group of teens. 1:30am =/= evening.
Is this the point where you try to convince us you're not racist because you know black people or something?
None of this illustrates that what Zimmerman did was right. But cool story, bro. Glad you didn't shoot those teenagers.
I didn't realize gated communities were high-class ghettos where the only people that are ever allowed in are the ones that live there. Is it really outside of your realm of understanding that Trayvon Martin was allowed to be in that neighborhood and it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to assume that he could walk to the convenience store and back without getting shot?
Is this the part of the story where you accuse people of being mean and shutting down your opinions? "I'm going to get flamed for this" - would you like me to call you a whambulance?
Listen - I'm fine with giving Zimmerman the benefit of the doubt and allowing the courts to decide whether he is or is not guilty. That's totally fine. But portraying the victim as "up to something" isn't helpful. Practice what you preach - you just shared a longass story that's completely irrelevant to prove your point that, what? You think he's innocent?
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No it's the point where I say that I could care less what color or status or class someone is. If you look suspicious, I will be suspicious.
The whole point of gated communities is to keep out people who don't live there or have no connection to the place. I have honestly never seen any article that said his father lived in there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
"Hateful action" is not a hate crime. A hate crime is a crime that is motivated by hatred toward, and therefore targeting of, a particular group of people/member of a particular group of people.
This is not solely based on the offender and victim being of different demographic characteristics. It is not enough that Zimmerman is Latino (some categorize him as white Hispanic) and Martin is Black. There has to be evidence that Zimmerman was targeting suspects on the basis of race OR was profiling suspects as being "unfamiliar" or "not belonging" because they were nonwhite.
*****
There are many predominantly white (I assume this particular community is predominantly, someone correct me if I'm wrong) communities in this country where a nonwhite person is automatically questioned. This is more likely to happen in predominantly white neighborhoods because white neighborhoods are more likely to feel empowered and socially advantaged enough to be so vigilant (not vigilante). I have been "politely challenged" by white neighbors if my hair or style of dress is different than when the last time they saw me. I have also been challenged when visiting my parents' neighborhoods in which my parents have lived for 40+ years. "Are you here to see so-and-so." Would I get these challenges and questions if I was white--probably not unless I was a particularly suspicious looking white person. I am not a suspicious looking Black person unless whites have already mapped out the token nonwhites in their gated community and paid particular attention to prevent their community from getting too many "of those people."
I'm all for attentive neighbors and neighborwood watch. I'm not all for only paying attention when you see an "other" and taking it upon yourself to be the police.
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Completely agree.
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