Did George Zimmerman vote for Obama?

[ag]

Walking around a neighborhood at night, looking at buildings, might be considered "behaving suspiciously," by most people.  It would be a legitimate reason to call 911.

I shudder to think ever finding myself in a neighborhood like that. Seriously - better off in Ciudad Juarez, probably.

[ag]

Walking around at night is a legitimate reason for someone to call 911 on you? J.J. becomes more and more ridiculous with each post he makes.

You obviously led a sheltered life.

Have you ever been to an actual city? If I ever bothered about people walking around my neighborhood, I'd have to call police 5000 times a day.

Anyway, I now realize what sort of danger I've been subject to all those years as a student in the US whenever I left New York. You see: I don't drive. If I had to get somewhere, I'd take a bus and then walk (I am a pretty good walker). And I've done this zillions of times in various places without it every occuring to me that I was bothering all those suburban police departments. You know, it's in my nature: I am a bipedal human being, so I walk - if I were a bird and had wings, I'd fly.

Fortunately, of course, I am white (at least, Jews are considered "white" these days). This is, most definitely, helpful in the US. I remember when I was taking a bus somewhere between San Diego and LA and we got stopped by the border patrol. To my horror, I realized that I'd forgotten my passport at a relative's place were I was visiting at the time. But, naturally, they didn't bother about me - there was a whole bus of "real" Mexicans to check.

[ag]

Well, I get it. From now on I will definitely feel safer in the back alleys of Harlem, then in regular US suburbia. I should insist on my unfortunate relatives, who happen to live in the suburbs, to always pick me up and drive me straight to their garage - or else, I am a legitimate target for being shot. How the hell I survived on Long Island without a car for 4 years as a teenager still beats me, though - whenever I got off the university campus I should have been killed. Then, of course, NY does have some restrictive gun laws - probably, I owe my life to that. One more reason to advocate gun control!

And, yes, I do have a habit of walking where few others do - those 4 years on Long Island have taught me not to pay attention to where the others walk (otherwise, I'd never have gotten to a supermarket).

Naturally, a kid from an area where you can't be killed for walking around - where people don't think walking is a crime - got confused about those Southern suburban mores. And, of course, we know it all too well from history: if you misbehave against the Southern mores, you are lynched.

[ag]

This is why you shouldn't go trick or treating.

Well, isn't this trick-or-treating the archetypal Unamerican Activity? Only an Islamic terrorist would do it.

[ag]

To sum up, I really love this description of America as the place where walking the street is a suspicious activity, warranting a police investigation. I've always been under the impression, that the US is a free country and not a police state of the North Korean type. Apparently, at least according to J.J., I was wrong.

[ag]

This one, again if accurate, indicates that a guy in a white tee shirt was on top.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSyBNJqSQic&feature=relmfu

If that was Zimmerman, we're talking about him being the aggressor.  If Martin, he'd be the aggressor.

No, it is not that simple.  The initial aggressor could have easily been the first one to fall. Also, who is on top could have changed during the altercation.

The aggressor, by an definition of the term, is the one who initiated the altercation - not the one who was better at fighting. Still less, the one who momentarily found himself on top. I could very well see Zimmerman being beaten up at some point in the interaction, and still being the attacker.

If every loser in every street scuffle is allowed to shoot his opponent, this does sound like dicriminalizing murder.

[ag]

To sum up, I really love this description of America as the place where walking the street is a suspicious activity, warranting a police investigation. I've always been under the impression, that the US is a free country and not a police state of the North Korean type. Apparently, at least according to J.J., I was wrong.

You were wrong.  The bulk of Americans don't walk behind houses, in strange neighborhoods, at night, in the rain.  It is not criminal, but it is unusual, and suspicious.  It does warrant the police saying, "Hey, what are you doing here."

I know what Amercians do and don't. Been there.

So, according to you, if somebody does something that the bulk of the Americans don't do, he should be stopped by the police. In my book, that's the very DEFINITION of a police state.

BTW, the bulk of Americans do not post on forums such as this one. Hmm....

[ag]

I know what Amercians do and don't. Been there.

So, according to you, if somebody does something that the bulk of the Americans don't do, he should be stopped by the police. In my book, that's the very DEFINITION of a police state.

AG, you obviously don't know what is normal or not normal.  Sorry if you don't think someone who sure sounds like a prowler, though his actions, should be reported by town watch to the police.  That means that the police will be alerted and that they will be able to make their own observation (at least in theory).

I know what's normal. I also strongly believe that nobody is under any obligation to act normal. At least, unless we are talking about a police state, which is what you, J.J., believe the United States of America is - or, at least, want it to be.

[ag]

Anyway, returning to the original topic

Yes, Zimmerman is a Dem and, probably, voted for Obama. There is no evidence that "in the abstract" he hates blacks either - though he, probably, has a prejudice against young black males.  From what we know, he is a trigger-happy paranoid sh**t-scared out of his wits idiot - that seems to be his normal state. Because he is sh**t-scared of living on this planet, he killed an innocent kid. But there is no reason to suggest he is somehow evil - he might be a nice, humane, guy, just sh**t-scared. Most cruelties in this world, really, happen not because people are bad, but because they are sh**t-scared of living. And, in fact, we all sometimes are - the main difference is that not all of us go around carrying guns. I, for one, wouldn't trust myself w/ a gun - for this very reason.

Disclaimer: for those who react to the word "guns", I am actually using this word here somewhat metaphorically.

[ag]

Ok, I'll try and help here. This obviously depends on the area you're talking about.

My parents live in a suburb, pretty far outside of the city. There is nothing to see or visit there, just residential houses where families and old couples live.

If you see a stranger walking around there you'll be suspicious. My mother often is. Which is natural. There is no reason why anyone would be walking around there if they don't live there (or is visiting someone). And it is fairly common with break-ins and such things there. I imagine this is even more pronounced in the US with high crime rates, etc.

Me on the other hand, I live in in the city centre. Here weird people are walking around everywhere all the time, there are parties, bars, etc. I once came out of my room to find a drug addict staring into our hallway mirror. (not sure which way that example cuts though, come to think of it)

It obviously makes no sense for me to report someone wandering around here.

Sometimes late at night I want to get out and take a walk and so I drive to a safer suburban neighborhood. Does that make me suspicious?
Or maybe I'm okay because I'm white, physically unimpressive, and I don't wear a hoodie?

I'm assuming this is some kind of joke, right? Or do you actually do that? It surely can't be all that common though, can it?

Why would I be joking? It's a perfectly reasonable and wholesome activity.  Just because something may be uncommon shouldn't make it suspicious.

Well, it makes it legitimate to shoot you, doesn't it?