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Zimmerman and being armed.

tumbleweed41

Resident Liberal Hippie
I have a question for anyone wishing to contribute without getting into the actual trial and resulting verdict.

Do you think George Zimmerman would have left his vehicle and followed Trevon if he had not been armed? Understanding this is pure speculation, I would just like to hear what you think.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I have a question for anyone wishing to contribute without getting into the actual trial and resulting verdict.

Do you think George Zimmerman would have left his vehicle and followed Trevon if he had not been armed? Understanding this is pure speculation, I would just like to hear what you think.
This is tough to say, since we don't know that much about him.
Unarmed & armed, I've followed people I suspect of stealing from me.
 

tumbleweed41

Resident Liberal Hippie
In my experience, particularly when working in bars and clubs, the presence or easy availability of a weapon emboldens many to do what they may not do unarmed.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Wasn't part of a neighborhood watch effort?

And confrontation to suspicious characters would be unwise without 'protection'.
and younger men have the ability to be a hand full when confronted.

So if you ask someone why they are hanging around and he becomes combative.....
then what?

I suppose if neighborhood watch groups are intent....then such things will happen.

Should he have gotten out of his car? (armed or not)

If not.....so much for neighborhood watch.
That's the story I got.

Anyone hear something else?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
In my experience, particularly when working in bars and clubs, the presence or easy availability of a weapon emboldens many to do what they may not do unarmed.

Story I heard years ago....some county in Texas....

Banned the carry of firearms in the bars.
Had been going on since 'cowboy' days.

Fights broke out....more injuries and assaults than ever.

The ban was lifted...peace restored.

Start a fight with a guy that has a six shooter on his hip?
Not me.....no thanks.
 

freethinker44

Well-Known Member
Wasn't part of a neighborhood watch effort?

And confrontation to suspicious characters would be unwise without 'protection'.
and younger men have the ability to be a hand full when confronted.

So if you ask someone why they are hanging around and he becomes combative.....
then what?

I suppose if neighborhood watch groups are intent....then such things will happen.

Should he have gotten out of his car? (armed or not)

If not.....so much for neighborhood watch.
That's the story I got.

Anyone hear something else?

It's not called 'neighborhood follow and confront', it's 'neighborhood watch'. Unless someone is immediately in danger of death injury, you have no reason to confront anyone in a neighborhood watch. But, he apparently wasn't participating in the neighborhood watch at the time he killed Martin, so it's a moot point either way.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
I have a question for anyone wishing to contribute without getting into the actual trial and resulting verdict.

Do you think George Zimmerman would have left his vehicle and followed Trevon if he had not been armed? Understanding this is pure speculation, I would just like to hear what you think.

Fairly good question. I don't think he would, but I'm not sure. He seemed to be a fairly big man, with a history of violence.

Then again, it seems that Trayvon had managed to fight him effectively before the shot, to the point that he was actually hurt and even claimed to be in fear for his life, so what do I know?
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
The Guardian Angels remains a volunteer-based organization made up of dedicated individuals who generously donate their time and energy to help protect communities around the world. A unique feature of The Guardian Angels approach is the group's inclusion of inner city youth in the safety patrols. By making young people part of the solution rather than casting them as part of the problem, The Guardian Angels empowers youth to take pride in their communities and contribute to the safety of their neighborhoods. Over the years, Curtis and his Angels have empowered thousands of citizens - both young and old - to take responsibility for cleaning up their communities and safeguarding their streets. As a result, there are now more than 130 Guardian Angels safety patrol chapters throughout the world, with constant additions being made. And the grassroots community patrols that Curtis began also spurred the creation of neighborhood watch groups throughout the United States and around the world.

- GuardianAngels.org
They patrol unarmed.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
It's not called 'neighborhood follow and confront', it's 'neighborhood watch'. Unless someone is immediately in danger of death injury, you have no reason to confront anyone in a neighborhood watch. But, he apparently wasn't participating in the neighborhood watch at the time he killed Martin, so it's a moot point either way.

So you got a different story.
Not surprising in this day of mass media.

But of course....crime is quick.
Scoping a an opportunity must be sure and immediate.

A moment later...out of sight.....there's nothing to watch.
The pending crime goes down.
The cops show up later for the paperwork.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
(...)
But of course....crime is quick.

Of course, it is not like there was a crime to be stopped, so that, too, is a moot point.

Zimmerman was not using the necessary force or intimidation for stopping some misdeed, because there was nothing happening that demanded his intervention.

It was all in his mind.

Or are you perhaps defending armed vigilantism as necessary or at least valid?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Of course, it is not like there was a crime to be stopped, so that, too, is a moot point.

Zimmerman was not using the necessary force or intimidation for stopping some misdeed, because there was nothing happening that demanded his intervention.

It was all in his mind.

Or are you perhaps defending armed vigilantism as necessary or at least valid?

Including the teenager?

Was the boy stopped as he walked by?
Or was the boy lingering?.....hanging around?
 

tumbleweed41

Resident Liberal Hippie
Back to my experiences in a particular country/western bar in Arkansas. When we as bartenders and bouncers saw a man determinedly leave a confrontation to head to his vehicle, we kept a watchful eye on the door for his return. The more confident he looked coming back, the higher the likelihood he was armed.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Back to my experiences in a particular country/western bar in Arkansas. When we as bartenders and bouncers saw a man determinedly leave a confrontation to head to his vehicle, we kept a watchful eye on the door for his return. The more confident he looked coming back, the higher the likelihood he was armed.

Irrelevant. (to the op?)
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Irrelevant. (to the op?)

Quite in the contrary.

It is relevant in and of itself (since it shows how it is possible to predict the kind of dangerous situation that Zimmerman created).


And it is directly relevant to the question asked in the OP. In fact, it directly and explicitly addresses it.

Maybe you did not understand it?
 
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