"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...
On 3/31/2012 9:34 PM, Robert Green wrote:

stuff snipped

"I am my own police" Philip Raven (Alan Ladd) in "This Gun For Hire"
1942
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Bobby G.

I can't help wondering what would be the reaction if the hoodie kid had
been killed by a police officer. Would there be any world wide circus?

Probably not. But I really doubt a well-trained police officer would have
ended up shooting anyone under those circumstances. The cops I knew (mostly
in big metro dept's) loathed shooting people only because the paperwork and
departmental hearings never ended. (-: Now nightsticking - that's a whole
different story. The guy that was trying to rob my neighbor's home that I
temporarily blinded with my 2M CP spotlight tried to resist arrest when the
cops came. They went at him like kids at a pinata.

I refuse to judge either of the individuals involved because I wasn't
there and I refuse to believe anyone until the official investigation is
concluded.

That's a novel approach. Half the people here have tried and convicted
Zimmerman, the other half have exonerated him. I suspect the truth, as
always, lies somewhere in between.

There is a possibility that a grand jury could fail to indict
the neighborhood watch vigilante and perhaps by then, the whole TRUE
story will come out? I can't imagine how I'd feel if someone were to
kill one of my young friends, especially one of them I've known since
they were infants.

I agree. I remember all the "facts" that came out during the OJ circus that
turned out to be completely false. While it's a good idea to have
discussions during the investigation to help make sure "all bases are
covered" until that investigation is complete, most people are grasping at
straws.

You're right in that this is a tragedy for everyone. Zimmerman's not dead
like his victim is, but his life is now irrevocably changed. My feeling is
that he'll be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life.
Vigilantism begets yet more vigilantism. With all the gated communities
popping up across the country, it seems we're returning to the days of
castles and feudalism.

I think the silver lining to this incident will be that a lot of
neighborhood watches will closely review their policies about their watchmen
training and their being armed. In my area, neighborhood watch members are
clearly identified as such and carry radios to talk directly to police
dispatchers. They do not carry weapons but many carry cameras to document
suspicious cars, people and activity. I wonder whether Zimmerman was
identifiable as a neighborhood watch member? I guess we'll find out
eventually.

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Bobby G.