The Martin/Zimmerman Verdict

The big news for the past week has been the jury verdict of the George Zimmerman trial for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin. I have been trying to gather as much information as I could so I could form the best opinion that I could. I have seen a lot of interjection of racism into the argument. I have seen a lot of talking heads on T.V. giving their opinions. I have talked to my neighbor on what his opinion is. Through it all, I have tried to maintain an open mind, as I tried to form my thoughts through it all.

First off, I think it is a tragedy that there was a situation that was created, that ended up with the death of a 17 year old. Being a father of 20 and 16 year old boys, I can only wonder what I would be like if something like this happened to them. I would be a wreck. I would be out for blood. Someone would have to lock me up, because I would be out looking for whoever did it. I feel for the parents, and I can say they showed more restraint than I would be able to if I were allowed to sit in that courtroom in their shoes. This is what my father-side tells me. I would want to become the deadly sin Wrath, and be damned the consequences. This is the anger-side that would be goading the father-side into following animal instinct.

My law-abiding side tells me that I couldn't do such a thing, because it goes against the rule of law. This is the side that would squelch the anger-side. At first, anger would win out, but slowly over time, law-abiding logic would take control. That logic is what I had to look at this case with. Some may not like what my opinion is, most may not care, but in the end everyone has their own opinions.

My law-abiding side tells me that the jury has spoken, and the prosecution did not meet their given burden of making the case that George Zimmerman committed second degree murder. The prosecution didn't do a good job, and that is the end of the story. We have seen this before, where you have a large media fiasco case, and the prosecution and investigators can't drag the horse across the finish line. Everyone should remember the O.J. trial, which has a lot of similarities. I am not going to go into the details of the case, but instead going to deal with the things that the prosecution in this case did wrong in my eyes, and talk about some of the accusations that I have seen from others.

The first accusation I had seen, even at the onset of the trial, was that the jury was not what it should have been. Well, where was the prosecution then during the jury selection process? If they didn't like the fact that there were 5 older white women and one minority woman on the jury, then why didn't they change it? They didn't change it, because they were there when the jury selection process was happening. We know this, because the prosecution denied letting a black man onto the jury, because he watches Fox News. This brings me to another point in the line of bullshit that I saw in this case.

Politics ran rampant in the media before this trial started. Why is it that because the left in the media decided that this was going to be a black vs. white issue? And more importantly, why is this being made into a right vs. left argument? Someone died in this case. Someone's parent are now without a child in this case. For the love of God, WHY did anyone start interjecting politics into this? Because they are pushing an agenda. So let me get this straight, and point out how moronic of an idea the prosecution had here. If someone watches Fox News, they are going to be for the white guy, and against the black guy...even if he IS a black guy right? A Fox News watcher could NEVER be someone that would respect the law, and try base their dcisions on what the facts of the case are, and what the requirements of the law are. Only the left can do that right? IDIOTS! The next time you see a left/ Progressive protest, and see a right/Conservation protest, take a look around and see which one of those is the more peaceful and respectful of the law. I have been to both, and I have seen firsthand. Have you?

so the jury brought its verdict out, that Zimmerman was not guilty of committing second degree murder. Now what? The NAACP wants the DoJ to file civil rights charges against George Zimmerman. I am sorry, but I don't want our government suing the citizen's of this country. It isn't the NAACP's right to do so either. HOWEVER, the parents of Trayvon Martin would be completely within their rights to sue for wrongful death. I point back to the O.J. trial for this one. First, Zimmerman was the one that started following Martin. Second, it is safe to say, that if Zimmerman had not started following Martin, that their confrontation would not have taken place and Trayvon would still be alive. The 911 operator had told Zimmerman, not to pursue Martin, and he disregarded that advice and proceeded anyways. Zimmerman decided to take it to the next level. I think it is a case that should be brought into the courtroom, but I would not want to see either our Government, or a political activist group doing the suing either. Civil court is not the place for either of those in my opinion.

In the end, a 17 year old died before being able to grow up and live his life in this world. Another man is now having to deal with taking the life of another human being. My sympathies lie with the parents, and my logic blames the prosecution for falling down on their responsibilities. My law-abiding side sides with Zimmerman, that he was tried and found not guilty of the charges that were brought against him. My overall feeling is, that no one won and that no one was going to win no matter what in this whole affair. Nothing I personally could do would have changed anything in this situation, because I do not live anywhere near Sanford Florida, but I can only teach my children to be careful and try not to let themselves get into a situation like the one that Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman found themselves in. This is one of those things that I am torn over, and I don't believe that there is a side that is 100% right.