React to this issue in 3-5 sentences. Possible reflection topics:
• Do you support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law? Why? Why not?
• Young men are shot every day in this country. Why do you think this story caught the
attention of the national media? Explain.
• Predict what will happen next in this case. Explain your prediction.
Do you support Florida's stand your ground law?
ReplyDeleteIn this case, I feel that the stand your ground law is too lenient. I do believe that we should not have a policy like Connecticut were you are suppose to escape before defending your self, but I do not believe you should be able to shoot a man unless your life, or someone else's is in danger. Florida's gun policy makes it seem as if it is ok to march around with a gun, when really they are just trying to give people the best self defense rights possible.
Why do I think the Media Caught the Attention of this Killing?
I personally believe that it had two factors, A a lot of people around the country have been talking about limiting the extent of the second amendment and this is a perfect opportunity to bring it into question. I also think because it highlights a person who does in fact have racist tendencies and the American press is always looking for a story cause problems and create political controversy.
What do you think will happen in this case?
I personally believe that the man is innocent, I don't think he broke any laws, if anyone is to blame here then it is the politicians who passed this bill in 2005. We can't blame someone who interpreted the law correctly, we can really only be mad at the policy makers who we unfortunately elect. But I what will happen next is that Zimmerman will be arrested, there is already a petition with 500,000 signatures and this means that the American people actually "care" and therefore politicians will demand justice is brought to Treyvon Martin in order to cover up their mistake.
Edgar Ortiz
First Post
Period 1
Yes, I do support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground law”, but to an extent that only if you are in danger shall you use arms against another person. Zimmerman was not in danger, or threatened because he fallowed Treyvon to stop him, for the reason that I feel was his skin color and his hoodie. That is not a crime to walk around with a hoodie and someone shouldn’t have to fear there life from a Neighborhood watch person. Treyvon was not armed with any weapon, and he only had an iced tea, a candy bar, and a cell phone in his hand. Zimmerman was not in the danger that he had to shoot Treyvon in some type of self-defense. So the law of “Stand Your Ground” does not even apply. With that being said, Zimmerman should have at least been prosecuted, which he has not yet been after two months. Although young men are shot every day in this country, it is well over 50% of the time having to do with a drug or gang relevance. Since this boy was only 16 years old and was not armed or doing anything illegal, it made headlines in the newspaper. Also with that fact that Zimmerman just walked away from the crime.
ReplyDeleteZack
period 5
“We don't understand how he's not arrested. The family worries that the more time passes it will be swept under the rug.” I think this quote hits the nail on the head. Clearly this is the ulterior motive. It was an embarrassing act of racial prejudice and the police are trying to “sweep it under the rug”. I cannot believe this man was let go. There’s evidence! The phone conversation shows that he followed and cornered Trayvon without reason. I became even more baffled when it says that the watchman backtracked to stalk Trayvon. If he was trying to get away, clearly he wasn’t trying to start any trouble, so why was it necessary to follow him further? And the man’s claim of self-defense is transparently false because he started the scuffle between them. In the end, the sad truth is that I’m sure this happens all the time. It is unfortunate that the deaths of many other victims of such crimes go unnoticed. But now that is it brought to public attention, we should do something about it. In the least, put this man in jail.
ReplyDeleteKaity R.
Period 4
Do you support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law? Why? Why not?
ReplyDeleteYes, I do support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground Law”. I support this law but I think that this law needs to have more rules and regulations. I like this law because it’s better than the one we have in Connecticut because I don’t believe that if your house is being robed that you have to run before you can defend you belongings and you family. This law should have regulations to it that has to do with you can only use your fire arm if you see someone being hurt or about to be killed and or your about to be killed. In this case I think he should have told this young man who he was why he was fallowing him and also told him he had a gun and to explain what he was doing before he shot him. I also think this man should be arrested because he didn’t do the right thing and identify himself to the young man.
Austin Fries(period 7)
The article "The Trayvon Martin Killing" by The Week and ABC News, is extremely biased. The authors clearly make this out to be a hate crime towards African Americans. Although I can't help but agree with some of their points, I feel, as a major media outlet, ABC should be reporting the factual evidence and not their opinions. For example, they consistently refer to Trayvon as "a black male". They are strongly enforcing this point to make sure the audience understands an unnecessary piece of information. The article also degrades Zimmerman, the shooter, by saying he is "a self appointed neighborhood watchmen" on more than one occasion. The one statement I strongly agree with is "If a black man shot
ReplyDeleteand killed a white kid for holding a bag of Skittles he would already be [in] jail." Racism is still a prevelant issue in our society, and I feel it will always be around in some sense.
Tyler King
Period 1
The Trayvon Martin killing is a national tragedy. A young, unarmed black male walking to his house at night while on the phone with his girlfriend is shot in cold blood by the neighborhood watchman who was told specifically by the 911 dispatcher not to follow him. To me this is a prime example of why Florida needs to reform their gun laws. In theory the idea of shooting somebody to “prevent imminent death or great bodily harm” is sound. However civilians are not trained like law enforcement to recognize when someone poses a threat or when the use of lethal force is absolutely necessary. I truly wish that it could work, however, radicals such as Zimmerman take it too far and see it as a right to shoot anybody who could possibly cause harm.
ReplyDeleteHowever this case has received national attention because it highlights the racial profiling and general racism ever present in today’s society. It is easily inferred that Zimmerman didn’t that that Martin belonged in his gated community because Martin was black. And that raises the question, how can we generally assume African-Americans don’t belong in upper class neighborhoods? Even if the majority of lower-income neighborhoods are populated by blacks, to stereotype an entire race as belonging there is far too ignorant for any members of a first-world country to believe. It’s interesting to note that Zimmerman is hispanic and therefore not white. We generally stereotype racists as being completely white and remnants of the KKK. (However such stereotyping is less severe because it is not based on a physical characteristic.) It is important that as we advance as a society we understand that racism is never acceptable. Whether or not a specific race generally is one thing or another, it is completely ignorant to believe all of “them” are a certain way. An individual doesn’t have to be the representation of the whole. Martin certainly wasn’t. Hopefully his death is not in vain and we as a nation use this as a chance to evaluate our issue with race. I believe that as a whole it is less racism where we believe a certain ethnic or racial group to be inferior but more of a stereotyping problem where we believe a certain ethnic or racial group is inherently more dangerous or less trustworthy. Let us hope that Trayvon Martin serves as a martyr on our path to true racial equality.
Stephen Perrotti
Period 4
after reading this article i got more familar with this case. The Trayvon Martin Killing was a tragedy. I do agree with the Flordias "stand your ground law" but only to a certain extent. i think only if you are in serious danger or being threatened should you obviously defend yourself. i feel that Zimmerman was not threatened to the point where he had to put a young man in the ground. with that being said, i think that Zimmerman should have consequences. Zimmerman went home after he shot and killed Trayvon when really he should have been in handcuffs and going to jail. i cant believe this man got away with no consequences. Zimmerman was stalking Trayvon and was on the phone with the police asking if he should shoot him. so there is evidence and Zimmerman should suffer the consequences of his actions.
ReplyDeleteErica Celentano
Period 4
I do support Florida's law but in this situation it was used wrongly and George Zimmerman should suffer the consequences of killing an innocent 17 year old. I think the law has to have more specifics to it so things like this wont happen. Instead of shooting him he should of either made a call to the police or approached him on why he was doing what he was doing. Not only should he be blamed but the people who passed the law in 2005 should be appointed as well because they didn't specify the regulations of this law. I think Connecticut and Florida should make some alterations to both of the laws regarding this issue to make it fair and specific as to what the law actually is.
ReplyDeleteKayleen Kessler
Period 4
Do you support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law? Why? Why not?
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Zack, I do support this law, but only to a certain degree. Zimmerman was not in any danger; he just claimed that Trayvon looked suspicious and ignored the dispatcher's warnings to not pursue him. If Trayvon had wandered up to him and tried to hurt him, then Zimmerman would be in danger; however, this did not happen. There was no confrontation and no fight. Zimmerman should not have shot him because there was absolutely no reason to.
Alessandra M.
Per. 4
America is a nation that was founded on principles of justice and freedom for all of it's people. After reading the article I was shocked to find out that Zimmerman pleaded he was defending himself from an innocent, unarmed 17 year old boy. What surprised me more is that he currently has no charges against him in this case. How can someone get away with murdering an innocent person who posed no threat to anyone's safety? The situation would be different if Zimmerman had been attacked or threatened. Instead he was profiling a young black male as being troublesome and posing a threat to his neighborhood. He has no right to do that. Trevon did not even approach him in this case, he was in no danger what so ever. I do agree with Florida's, yet, a person should be in apparent danger. In this case, that's not true and Zimmerman should be charged with murder.
ReplyDeleteJessica Teulings
Period 4
I think that the Stand Your Grounds Law is an effective and neccesary law, especially for the type of world that we live in today. In fact, I think it should be a federal law, since by the Consititution, everyone has a right to life, and if someone is going to take away that life, or jeopardize it, that person should be allowed to protect his or herself. However, in the murder of Martin, I don't think this was a case of self defense, but rather a case of racism and resentment felt by Zimmerman toward Martin. There is even evidence that Martin was followed by Zimmerman, according to the girlfriend who was on the phone with Martin. Also, Zimmerman claims that he was beaten, and broke his nose. The size difference between the two makes this claim unlikely, and they have a video of Zimmerman at the police depertment, and his nose looked intact and he had no marks on his head, which acts as a counterexample to this claim, as well. In conclusion, Zimmerman who was probably not in harm had no right to pull the trigger, and would then be a murderer.
ReplyDeleteAlex Gogliettino Per. 4
I believe that the stand your ground law is effective in what is designed to do. As stated in the Bill of Rights, everyone has the right to bear arms. If you are under attack from anything you have the right to defend yourself and if necessary use deadly force if it is necessary. In my personal opinion I really can’t way in on this topic because I am constantly hearing several different opinions on this topic. Some are saying that it was Trayvons fault for starting this and others so no it was Zimmbermans and he initiated it. We really can’t understand what actually happened until the FBI releases their findings.
ReplyDeleteDylan Carleton
Period 5
I do not support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law in any way, shape, or form for reasons just like the Trayvon Martin killing. This does not mean that there shouldn’t be the right to bear arms, but the right to shoot someone if they enter your house without permission? - It is far too much power for people. Imagine is we had a “Stand Your Ground” law in Connecticut and you had a friend jokingly break into your house at night and you shoot him. Do you really believe that that is okay? If we had a “Stand Your Ground” the number of accidental deaths due to armed weapons would rise dramatically. Also, without a doubt this story caught the media’s attention because it could be seen as a racially driven murder. If it was a white man shooting another white man or a black man shooting another black man then it would not even make local news let alone national news! It is my personal opinion that Zimmerman is innocent; he did not break the law. He interpreted the law correctly, however he will be arrested. The people believe that he committed this murder unlawfully so he will be arrested and possibly incarcerated.
ReplyDeleteKarlie
Period 1
I do not support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, its just away to make murder all that much easier all you need to do is commit it without wittnesses which is easy at night and then claim self-defence. I think that he will be incarserated because he has a racist history in his nieghboorhood watch and there seem to be wittnesses comeing forward.
ReplyDeleteTom Gingras Per.7
I do not agree with Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law" because it gives people too much power. In the world that we live in today, heinous crimes are committed very often, and this law will just give people the right to kill freely. It is the police's job to decriminalize communities.In my opinion this law will just give people a right to shoot and kill innocent victims as they please. This case is a prime example of people taking advantage of their power. Zimmerman was told he did not have to follow Martin, but he insisted on doing so. He negated the words of authority. I believe this has to do with race and the misperception of young black men. Zimmerman most likely linked together the time of night, color of skin, and Trayvon's choice of outfit, with him being up to no good. In my eyes it is ok to be curious about activity in the neighnorhood, but singling out a young black teenager and killing him is not the way to do it. This story caught the eye of the media because it is a recent example of racial profiling. It has to do with black versus white, but also wrong versus right. Zimmerman's reasoning for killing Trayvon is not very clear, and he should not have taken this issue into his own hands.
ReplyDeleteBryanna Willaby
Period 7
I believe that the Florida stand your ground law is to extreme. This being that things like the trayvon case can and have happened. First off any one could clam self-defense when in actuality it wasn’t. This could make them not get prosecuted since the law does state that you are allowed to shot if u think u is going to be hurt. I believe that criminals will use this in their favor and get away with something like killing an innocent person. This is not the right thing to do in any situation. Also there are other ways of defending yourself not just killing the person u believe is trying to hurt you, they might be totally innocent. But on the other hand I think that there should be a way to protect yourself from danger just not a way as extreme as shoot and kill.
ReplyDeleteI think that the reason why this is such a publicized matter is due to the fact that the young man was black and they are saying its racism and also unjust. The reason being he’s a young black man who was shot for no reason the suspect claiming self-defense. The world is listening for the verdict on what will be happening.
I believe due to the Florida law the man will get away with it. Maybe not fully but he will not be accused of murder. His sentence will be short and every one might just move on. But at the same time this could also make it a point to amend that law. And it will be in our history forever.
pierina lopez
Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law has a good idea behind it, but from reading this article, it is regarded way too benevolently. The law defends you if you believe self-defense will "prevent imminent death or great bodily harm". However, Martin was not pursuing of threatening Zimmerman in anyway, and it does not help that those cases similar to this are never fully investigated because of the vagueness and unenforced nature of this law. I think that part of the reason why this case has gotten so much publicity is the fact that cases similar to this get overlooked too often, and the victim was not the one in the wrong at all. Zimmerman stated that Martin “looked suspicious” but that did not give him the right to act. I hope that now that this situation has been shed light on, the next step would be to revise the “Stand Your Ground” law.
ReplyDeleteRachel H P5
I personally do not agree with Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, nor do I see how Zimmerman's actions are justified by this law. According to the article, the Stand Your Ground law reads "...use lethal force on anybody, in any public space, if they reasonably believe it will "prevent imminent death or great bodily harm." If Trayvon Martin was simply walking down the sidewalk with a hoodie on, it seems like no one would be in harms way...it's not like Zimmerman saw Trayvon trailing suspiciously behind someone as if about to jump them or hurt them. So why is it deemed okay through this law? And why won't Zimmerman get some sort of penalty for going against the dispatcher's orders, whom had said that it was not needed to pursue Trayvon? I feel that a true side of Zimmerman was shown - he's racist. And that's why it's a big part of the media right now, because this cop slipped up and made a grave mistake by racial profiling this young man. That's why it's trying to be "swept under the rug" - a real strong case of racial profiling...by a white cop. A police badge can really give someone a power trip. Although it was wrong, I'm unsure if I can see Zimmerman being arrested in the future. After all, he is a cop himself, and that alone can help him pull some strings. And because of the Stand Your Ground law the state of FL is under.
ReplyDeleteSummer H period 5
I think the "Stand Your Ground" Law is effective, but to a specific point. For instance, you can defend yourself if you are in imminent danger. But for just shooting someone just because you don't like them is wrong. In Zimmerman's case, he DID call the police, but the dispatcher told him to stay put and to not follow Trayvon. He deliberately ignored the directions given to him and followed Trayvon.
ReplyDeleteI think this case has gotten a lot of attention because of many things: It involves a teenager just like us, there is substantial evidence that proves that Trayvon didn't do anything to cause Zimmerman to shoot him, and many people think it was plain racism that caused Zimmerman to shoot Trayvon.
I predict that Zimmerman will continue to argue that Trayvon attacked him and he shot him to defend himself until he is prosecuted, or let go. Police found no weapons on Trayvon. Zimmerman claims that Trayvon Martin started to beat him, and he shot the teen in self-defense. When he was taken in by the police, they found no evidence of injury or lacerations. I think all the odds are against Zimmerman and eventually, justice will be served.
Henry Lau
Period 5
The Trayvon Martin killing is actually a fairly significant case because it will set the precedent for future trials. It also sheds light on the fact that the Sanford police, and maybe other Florida police stations, may be racist or neglecting certain cases because of racial issues. This case opens up a lot of different discussions, and that is why it is so important to a lot of people; it’s not just a case to get Zimmerman in jail for murder, it’s a case to help stop stereotypical thinking.
ReplyDeleteIt’s important for everyone to look at this case and see the deeper meaning in it, its not just a murder conviction, it’s a test of the nations values and a test to see how far we, as a country, have come from the days of segregation and extreme rasism. Many people like to think that the days when people where treated differently because of skin color are well behind us, but in fact we may not be as far as we thought. The fact that some "Activists have gravitated towards racism as the prime motive for the shooting," is just a prime example that we have not fully moved on from stereotyping people. The only thing we can do is teach tolerance to our kids and the generations that come after us.
Another thing I would like to point out is that fact that the article we read was somewhat bias, I’m not saying that Zimmerman isn't at fault, but Kelly Gallegher wrote this article before the whole story came out, in her point of view. I think its just something that everyone needs to keep in mind when reading any type of article, not just this one.
I personally do believe in Floridas "stand your ground law," only to a certain extent though. In this case I do believe that Zimmerman did not need to use a fire arm to protect himself from Trevon Martin. Especially when Zimmerman said "I saw Martin wearing his hoodie, and followed him under suspicion." Although Zimmerman was the neighborhood watch guard, that doesn't give him the right to follow Martin if was not causing trouble, if anything he should have contacted local police. Althought many people are killed in this country every day I believe this story caught the media because most killings are drug Anyang and violence related. In this case Martin was doing nothing wrong and I believe that Zimmerman should not have been following him in the first place. I feel that eventually the police and whoever else involved will come to the conclusion that George Zimmerman allegedly killed Trevon Martin and will be found guilty.
ReplyDeleteJJ Carbone Period 5
I disagree with the law. People shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun everywhere they go. Sometimes it may help, but what if the guy carrying the gun was having a bad day and used the gun for unjust reasons. Guns are harmful, destructive weapons that usually don't have to be used. If there is a problem you can usually difuse it without using a gun. I think this story caught the nations eye because there was no reason for the killing. It was in a nice neighborhood and the kid was killed because of unjust reasons. I feel like the killer will be found guilty. In my eyes there was really no reson for the person to follow the kid and why should a grown adult be attacking a teenager. There is not enough evidance for me to find this guy not guilty.
ReplyDeleteJennyfer Jarrin
Period 5
I do believe in Florida's law, but only when it's necessary. If someone is breaking into your house with a weapon then of course you should do what you have to do, but if someone isn't causing any problems then it gives you no right to take action just because they look suspicious. That law was created for basically life or death situations. It is for when you feel your life is in danger and there is nothing else you can do, but for you to take action you need to be provoked. You can't all of a sudden decide someone looks like they are going to do something and then shoot them. This case caught a lot of media attention and that is simply because usually killings are retaliation or have a reason, but this was just an innocent person who did nothing wrong and got shot because of it. To us that hear the story that is unbelievable and that makes us want to know more.
ReplyDeleteKelsie DePino
Period: 5
After reading this article I was shocked when I found out that Zimmerman killed Martin because he looked suspicious. Even though Zimmerman was the neighborhood watch guy he shouldn't have just shot and killed this boy. I think that this issue is taking so much attention from the media because an innocent black boy was killed by a white man. So, now this issue is catching peoples attention because it could be a race issue. I think that this issue will eventually end up with Zimmerman getting arrested for killing this boy.
ReplyDeleteKathryn Collins
Period 4
I do believe in the Florida law, but only when you really need it. If someone is trying to harm you then I believe you do have the right to defend yourself. But in the case of Trayvon Martin the law doesn't count. Zimmerman shot Trayvon for no reason, and I'm so surprized to hear that he hasn't been charged or put in jail. I think in particular story caught the medias attention because a teenager was shot for no reason and no one has really done anything about it. I hope that the police will eventually put Zimmerman behind bars for killing Trayvon Martin.
ReplyDeleteJulia Annicelli
Period:4
I have to say I'm in the middle with supporting Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. After reading this article and knowing Zimmerman shot Trayvon for looking suspicious when he was doing nothing hurt me. I understand Zimmerman was the "neighbor watch guy" but I think he took this law too far and should have waited to see if anything else going on was suspicious other then Trayvon walking with his hoodie on. I think this story caught the attention of the national media because Zimmerman pretty much shot Trayvon for no reason and didn't get charged at all or put in jail. I think this law might be good to a certain extent but Zimmerman should have been out in jail for shooting Trayvon. I honestly have no idea what will happen next in this case because the police don't see Zimmerman doing anything bad because of the law that is placed in this case.
ReplyDeleteAshlie Forsberg
Period 5
I can’t believe that George Zimmerman still hasn’t been arrested yet. The phone call between Trayvon Martin and his girlfriend is good evidence that shows that Zimmerman was wrong in this situation. He shouldn’t have been following the young boy; there was no need for that. It’s not like Trayvon showed any intentions of hurting the watchman. He was just walking with Skittles, tea, and talking on the phone, and apparently that made him a “real suspicious guy.” I don’t understand that at all. I respect what the “Stand Your Ground” law does, but how Florida is handling that law is just plain pathetic. Orlando-area police agencies should be toughening that law and fully investigating all situations of self-defense claims. By not doing so, they’re letting murderers out there run away from their crimes. It’s wrong and unlawful. All crimes need to be inspected and taken seriously no matter the situation, but in this case, it seems as if the police department didn’t care about another “black male” being shot and killed.
ReplyDeleteKelly Du
Period 1
Although I do agree with the "Stand Your Ground" law, Zimmerman took the concept too far. Trayvon was simply walking with a hoodie, just like many people do, and Zimmerman saw him as a threat and killed him. Trayvon was not stalking Zimmerman or threatening him and there is CLEAR evidence that this is the truth. Some articles I have read led me to believe that Zimmerman may actually be racist. I can't help but wonder that if the man "following" Zimmerman was white, would this have had the same outcome? The fact that Zimmerman is not in jail baffles me. He killed an innocent man for no reason whatsoever. However, I am happy that this was brought to public attention. This man deserves to be in jail.
ReplyDeleteKelly Smith
Period 1
It is true that people are shot in this country everyday. So why is this case so special? It is because Trayvon was only a teenager. On top of that, he was african american and was shot by a white neighborhood watch man in a relatively safe neighborhood. In my opinion, this is getting the publicity that it is because of the possibility of a hate crime, and because it sparks controversy with two highly debatable subjects, gun control and Florida's stand your ground law. Grant it, young people dying is always more publicized if it is in a safe area. If a three year old is murdered, its a national headline. If a thirty year old is murdered, it is not as big of a deal. The public sees more tragedy in young death, which is why it dominates the media.
ReplyDeleteChrissy Beaulac
Period 4
After reading this article I feel almost speechless or not able to choose a side or see any type of good reasoning out of this situation. I do believe the "Stand your Ground" law is necessary for the type of world we live in today, but I feel as though this law does not apply to this crime. Trayvon Martin did not threaten anyone's safety before he was shot. I believe this crime caught the media’s attention because of the difference in race between the shooter and the victim. This is a very touchy subject and I strongly stand behind that fact that all humans are equal. This crime was unnecessary and should have been handled better. But I feel people also shouldn't jump to the conclusion of African Americans not being treated equally. Just because one man was basically crazy and possibly racist doesn't mean everyone need to start protests and petitions saying they support the African Americans in America. If we are all equal then don't compare race. I cannot predict what will happen in this case but I can say that someone didn't do their job correctly and this case was handled very poorly and should be re-evaluated to punish Zimmerman for a murder, which is what he did, he murdered a minor. No matter what that fact makes him a criminal and he needs to serve time for that.
ReplyDeleteEmma Corbett Period 5
This case caught the attention of the media for multiple reasons. Zimmerman took the "stand your own ground law" too far. If Zimmerman was as close to Trayvon as his girlfriend claims, then he could clearly see that he was carrying an iced tea and a bag skittles. From what has been reported, Trayvon was not posing himself as a threatening figure to Zimmerman at all. It disgusts me that Zimmerman is still a free man today. He murdered an innocent teenager and it makes you question if he would of reacted the same way if Trayvon was white. Zimmerman's crimes need to be recognized and he needs to be punished for them. This is a step that needs to be taken to end racism in this country.
ReplyDelete-Ashley Murphy
Period 4
"The Trayvon Martin Killing" Response
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of law and a written constitution is predominantly in the order it allocates upon society. Law provides a written guideline that defines what is tolerable and intolerable in relation to behavior and thought in society. The systematic process of what creates the need for a law formulates a means of safety and regulation in a world that without penalty would be hectic and tumultuous. Humans at their core are social animals that when allowed to live without opposition or fear of chastisement somewhat metaphorically walk into their own skin, a skin that reflects their own unconscious motives and desires. Furthermore, the human race has been endowed by the creator with the freedom to make their own decisions, and think independently. It is this independence that makes humans so unpredictably dangerous and the need for law so essential. The "Stand Your Ground" provision of the Florida government system allows for "permitted gun owners like Zimmerman to use lethal force on anybody, in any public space, if they reasonably believe it will prevent "imminent death or great bodily harm." The conditions of this law seem as strictly defined and straightforward as possible, however, there seems to be leeway for interpretation. What is known is that a 16-year old boy has been killed, however, the conditions leading to his death remain unknown. This controversy of innocence on part of Zimmerman lies directly in this circumstance. It is because of this ease to escape persecution that I am strongly against the "Stand Your Ground" Law. The only individual that knows what happened in this killing is the convict himself and it is hard to believe Zimmerman would imprison himself for his own wrongdoing when he could easily escape all charges by claiming reaction in self--defense and self-preservation. This law is too open in its interpretation and allows for quick and thoughtless override of the United States justice system. In my opinion, Zimmerman is a murderer and he in fact does deserve to be punished for his unjustifiable actions. His firing of one bullet was no accident, he did so intentionally knowing the possibility of death and pain that he would inflict upon his living target. For the Floridian court system to overlook the blatancy of his actions in terms of self-defense is a shocking verdict that needs to be tried once again using the evidence against Zimmerman in addition to throwing out the scapegoat of the "Stand Your Ground" proposition. Yes it is true that many people are shot every day, but none under the same circumstances in which 16-year old Trayvon Martin was shot. His story is fist differentiated from that of the majority in that it was a Caucasian adult male shooting an adolescent African American boy. The adult male had purpose to shoot and even expressed his sentiment to the police emergency phone operator, yet no action towards prosecution was taken and Zimmerman remains to this day a free man/murderer. This scenario plays on the teetering tight rope of racial discrimination and many believe persecution was absolved because of Trayvon's race and accompanied suspiciousness.
- Alexander Borkowski Period 1
My first reaction to this article was awe. The first thoughts that came to mind was an image of Trayvon Martin. Forget his race and sex; he was like a mirror image of myself. His phone was in his pocket; he was talking into the mic of his earbuds, carrying a bag of skittles and a can of iced tea. A kid as innocent and inexperienced as me was shot and killed. It's a rather scary thought. What's more discomforting is the thought that the man that shot Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, has not been punished for his crime. It is outrageous how Florida has given up on investigating shootings that have been marked as scenarios of self defense just because of the "Stand Your Ground Law" that states that Floridians may "use lethal force on anybody, in any public space, if they reasonably believe it will prevent imminent death or great bodily harm." This includes George Zimmerman. However, what threat justifies Zimmerman's claim to self-defense? Have any of the claims in Florida of self-defense been verified before the dismissal of these cases? Florida needs to reassess its justice system. Meanwhile, George Zimmerman should be punished for murder. There was no way a boy like Trayvon Martin could have caused harm to anyone with his hands full of snacks, living just as any other teenager would. He was no threat. He was murdered.
ReplyDeleteSidney
Period 1
I think the primary focus of this article was to persuade the reader to believe that racism was not, or should not be a factor in this crime. The author mentioned countless times that the Trayvon was African-American and specifically pointed out the fact that Zimmerman was half Latino. It is very hard to choose a side. This is because Florida’s Laws allow Zimmerman to defend himself, yet he killed an innocent soul- Trayvon. Although, I do not want to pick a side my inner gut wants to side with Trayvon. I don’t think it is right for someone to be killed for no reason at all. I do believe that you should be able to defend yourself in this time of day and economy, however the way Zimmerman reacted was wrong. I think that Zimmerman deserves to be in jail because what he did was wrong and he took the concept of “Stand Your Ground” to another level, which is unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteaisha period1
I agree with Alex on the stance towards Florida's "Stand Your Ground" policy. In reality, it is tremendously hard to arrest Zimmerman due to his simple cover of self-defense, which grants him the sufficient excuse as to why he shot Trayvon Martin based on the Florida policy. I am against the law simply because cloudy situations like this case will be too frequent.
ReplyDeleteAs for the future of Zimmerman, I am convinced that he will be found guilty for murdering Trayvon Martin, and Zimmerman will be sent to prison. Based on the pieces of evidence that I have read and seen, I am confident in saying that Zimmerman lied about his tussle with Martin, and that Zimmerman is trying to escape punishment by cleverly hiding behind the "Stand Your Ground" rule.
Zhanneta.
Period 1.
Sadly, in some parts of America, young men being shot are normal occurrences. Many of these instances go unnoticed because they are all too common. Also, I’d say that most individuals who get shot have non-life threatening injuries while the media wants the viewers to watch and only tragic shootings will do so. In addition, only the most questionable or unusual shootings get attention from the media because there is a mystery unsolved. The story about Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman appealed to the news community because there was room for investigation and it was a case that stood out. It took on the issue of racism which brought up that it might have been a hate crime. Similarly, there was information presented that sounded suspicious. For example, Zimmerman told a 911 dispatcher that he was following someone. The dispatcher said Zimmerman should stop following. Zimmerman continued and then shot the unarmed Trayvon. The “stand your ground” law states guns can be used for self-defense, but it didn’t sound like Trayvon was attacking Zimmerman at all. And even if Zimmerman was being targeted, he could have aimed at a limb to get some time to run away. That way, if the “attacker” turned out to be just a person running by who was innocent, the person would be injured and Zimmerman wouldn’t have as many troubles as he does now. But what happened, happened and there’s no going back. The Trayvon and Zimmerman story was tragic, and hopefully Zimmerman gets put in jail for committing a crime that didn’t involve an act of self-defense.
ReplyDeleteMeglin Bodner Period 5
No I do not support Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law because that is why we have police men around to take care of things likes that. So if citizens were defending themselves what else would they need the cops for? Honestly I think that the story caught the attention of national media because we have a black President now and people want to see if thing would take a different cause Because this is not the first time that is has happened. I can not judge this case because no matter what I say people are going to say she is saying that because of what she is. but I know this much appleies to everyone it is crazy knowing someone could be short just by walking down the street while talking on the phone.
ReplyDeletesandrine Amina
period 4
In my opinion "stand your ground" is a harsh and completely unnecessary law. If someone is being attacked then it is okay to fight back. However it seems to be giving some people the wrong idea. It seems like they are giving a lot more power to citizens than they should have. This situation tugged at hearts all across America and our ugly past was brought up into the spotlight. If he wasn't African American most people agree, he would still be alive. The reason that this issue had more attention than another shooting is because it was a white man shooting a black man. If it was a black man shooting a black man or a white shooting a white, then there would not have been as much uproar. The issue of racism is clearly still present which is saddening to me. One of the most upsetting things about this article is that he isn't even in jail yet. This man should have gone to jail the second he shot the boy. I know that if he is found not guilty the government will not hear the end of it from the American people. Its hard to imagine that our black president would ever allow that though.
ReplyDeleteEmily McColl
period 4
i am all for the law against the right to bear arms. i think you should have full protection against yourself if your ever in any danger. obviously if your not in danger and you kill someone and try to blame it on that, then you should go to jail. But if someone is coming at you with a knife my first reaction would to shoot them in the leg or to stop them at all costs.
ReplyDeleteDan Hilliard
period 5
I agree with many people when they say how this got media attention mostly because it is a white man shooting a black man. If it were any other combination it might be different. The act of racism is still affecting this country and this is a clear example of that. All the media is putting alot of hype into this and i think soon enough it will be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteLauren Atkinson
Period 5
I think everyone should have the right to protect themselves, if your getting attacked then by all means do what you need to so you can stay alive. But in case i think that the evidence is piling up against zimmerman and he might end up in jail. The media is putting it as an act of racism and really pushing that envelope towards the public. I dont know how much longer it will be in top news but im sure soon enough we will all forget about this and only his family will be tortured with this memory.
ReplyDeleteLaurel
per 5
yes, the right to bear arms is a good law to have, but the fact that you can use such a deadly force to protect yourself isn't a good law. people can abuse the power of that law and take it into their own hands. technically they could omit a murder and say it was self defense? that isn't right. that law should either be rewritten or taken out of circulation immediately because it isn't fair to the families of those that were innocent yet victims of crimes that were basically legal.
ReplyDeleteali nuzzo
period 7
I think this man may get away with most of it because of the laws in Florida. He should be put in jail for X amount of years, but that might happen. this was an event that can be forgotten, but it should also be an event that will open up everyone's eyes about how racial discrimination can cause problems.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Genovese (period 7)
I do not believe in Florida's "stand your ground law." yes, everyone should be able to protect themselves when they feel they are in danger, but that does not mean you shouldn't think before you are about to shoot. If you feel you are in a situation where you can be hurt, then you should know that you are. Otherwise, that person may not be trying to harm you.
ReplyDeleteI think this story caught the attention of everyone because it brought out racial discrimination and how it is a problem. Whether you are African American, white, Hispanic, etc. they are still equal. Everyday people are pointing negative thoughts into others about how bad African Americans are. Now that this has happened, it should be fixed.
Amanda Genovese (period 7)
I believe that this case has gained a lot of attention because it is a case dealing with race and discrimination. It has been decades since the civil rights movement, and still there are people who are prejudice. This case also gained attention by the media because there is no real answer to why Zimmerman felt compelled to take the defensive stance that he did. I believe that the media is doing a great job at showing how people are still afraid of people of color. What I mean by this is that the media is showing the public that we need to except everyone, and not place stereotypes on people. Therefore, events like this will not occur.
ReplyDeleteI believe that with this case being blown up, it is a current and national issue. I believe that this could reach the Supreme Court sooner than we think. If this reaches the Supreme Court then the Florida law may not be a law any longer. I think that this case has shown the stupidity in that law and hopefully our government can see the same and get rid of it once and for all.
-Pompeo M.
Firstly it’s very sad to know a young boy of our age have been shot dead because the shooter thought the boy was a criminal. It’s unimaginable what their parents have gone through when they heard that their son was shot. Does that mean it’s not safe for any black guy to wear a hoody, to carry something in their hand and walk down the street, is it that unsafe? It’s very upsetting how black people are discriminated but now also being killed. When a colored person is involved in type of police case, we firstly suspect that person as the offender, criminal or the guilty one, but not a victim. I think it’s how our society have been working, and will continue working. It’s already enough that the African American people are not equally treated now death of Tryavon Martin had become national news or we can per say a national issue. The question that I keep on wondering is will all the guard shot a young guy on the spot without even making sure what he is going there, is it reasonable to kill somebody assuming he is an offender and walk out of by making excuses? I think it’s very unfair, how can anyone assume something and kill anyone, don’t they need to make sure of things before they take such a crucial step to kill a person. I don’t think the watchman who shot the boy will be punished; he will escape from the law like all the other people have been able to escape that also without any problem at all.
ReplyDeleteShila Rajbahak
Per 1
I feel as though the Florida state law is very upsetting and wrong. This law states that you have the right to protect yourself with deadly force, but how safe really is this? Because of this law a young man has been killed. In many other states instead of protecting yourself with a gun you run away from the problem or get help from the police so make sure that nothing bad happens if it doesnt have to. It is very upsetting that this event happened but even more that it happened mostly because of Tryavon's race. He is African American and was killed because he looked like he shouldnt be where he was, instead of Zimmerman trying to figure out why he was really there and what was going on he shot his young man. It shows you that discrimination does still show up in todays world.
ReplyDeleteJenny Flynn