[Wildcatk23]

I don't have any problem whatever with your choice of liberal politics. But, if you're gonna wake up and smell the coffee enough to realize what you have posted here, you might as well understand the true reason why the media gives passes on some things and not on others. There are guilty among the left and the right, though folks are so polarized these days I'm not sure there is a middle anymore.

I've watched the evolution of this kind of thing over the course of the past 50 plus years, and I know for a fact there once was no fighting between the two parties and the media didn't skewer either party. Instead of contempt between the dems and repubs we see today, respect ruled the day and the media treated the republicans with respect. It is mostly the dems. They have been actively recruiting minorities for decades. Harry Reid got reelected in spite of himself due to the hispanic vote in Nevada, or you'd have a different Senate Leader right now. I'm really encouraged by this discussion. We are not very far apart even given the fact you're liberal and I'm conservative, it forms the basis for mutual respect and that is exactly how it should be.

That's what I have been saying for years, with regard to the media fanning the flames of unrest in America. All we're talking about now is one 'form' of this media generated unrest. I don't agree with liberal policies, but I don't hate the people who are liberal. Let each side present their case and then let the folks decide at the polls. The hatchet job the media is doing on the right is what is unacceptable, both sides need each other to establish what the middle really is. Then the long accepted wisdom is to govern from the middle.

It's no different than the case of Black Panther members accused of voter intimidation at a polling station in Philadelphia. There wasn't a squeak of protest or an ounce of interest by an Obama administration that later dropped all charges. And there was barely a hint of the story in main stream media outlets. The situation hit at least some DOJ officials the wrong way however, as these charges have been most notably made by J. Christian Adams, who in May 2010 resigned his post in the Department of Justice in protest over the Obama Administration's perceived mishandling of the case, and by his former supervisor Christopher Coates. We didn't hear much about this but had this been two KKK members, or even two Tea Partiers involved in the incident we'd still be hearing about it. There are double standards and they are politically motivated.

In contrast, how much did we all hear about the alleged spitting incident involving a Tea Partier who supposedly spit on Congressman Cleaver (D) Missouri at a rally. It was further alleged by the media that he and fellow black congessman John Lewis were racially slurred at the event, though news crews that filmed the whole thing with high quality equipment could in no way confirm any such racial slurrs. I guarantee the invisible spit got 10 fold the coverage the voter intimidation got. The liberals among us could help reign in this unacceptable behavior by the news organizations by calling them out on it. The reason I believe this doesn't happen is because most of the time the media tickles the fancy of those that dislike the right by stoking the contempt of the left. Think about it for a second, don't most of us like to talk about somebody we don't like to another who doesn't like that person either? Well folks, when it comes to the media and the democrats, it's a national slam fest.

YOu just cant get it through that thick skull of yours that FOX does it as much as CNN can u?

[vundy33]

This is one of the very few times that I have let a thread on this forum, especially in the Political board, piss me off as bad as this one has. I can't believe the HORSESHIT I am reading. Comments like this....

All the usual suspects have jumped to paint Trayvon Martin as an innocent child of high virtue.

Martin is not as innocent as some want everyone to believe.

Seriously?! How could you sit there and talk about a dead kid like that?! "paint him as a Innocent child of high virtue"?! What the **** do you know!? This kid wasn't some 17 yr old gang-banger wannabe...he didn't skip out on school to go smoke weed. He made good grades, attended school, had never been in trouble..he was just a normal kid. And now some of you dumbasses have the fucking nuts to sit behind your computer and act like the "liberal" media (thought Fox News was conservitive?) is painting him as an innocent child! He was an innocent child that was shot dead by a fucking wanna-be cop neighborhood watch captain that wasn't even supposed to have a weapon on him in the first place!

With Martin's apparent checkered past (check out the filth posted by him on Facebook, etc. and his school record for a start), the portrayal is shamefully (and purposely) biased.

You have to be kidding me. HE'S A KID! KID'S put stupid shit on Facebook! That's the whole damn point of being a kid, you do stupid stuff and make mistakes! You're calling a 17 yr old's past "checkered" based on fucking Facebook posts and mistakes in school?! Go look at my school record and Facebook 3 years ago, I guarantee it's worse than Trayvon's, and I'm sure as **** not "checkered".

No one is calling for Zimmerman to be locked away and to throw away the key...they're calling for him to be charged and go through trial, which is normal! It was a horrible mistake, and it wasn't murder, but he is guilty of something, that's just the way it is...mistakes happen, and we all have to deal with the consequences. What he did in my opinion was 2nd or 3rd degree Manslaughter, and whatever weapon charge fits the incident. We're calling for him to be charged, that's it! No one is trying to be the judge, jury and executioner for fucks sake!

I find it funny that some of you "conservatives", especially you Truth, act like you're Christians when you say this kind of horseshit about a tragic ACCIDENT that took the life of a KID, a good kid, and has probably ruined the life of, by all accounts, a good man in Zimmerman...calling this kid's past "checkered", calling him "not as innocent of everyone wants to believe". Were you fucking there? Where's your proof of that?!..huh? He is/was innocent, he was walking up the goddamn street, a good street at that, not the hood, with a bag of skittles for his sister and a damn iced tea! He wasn't sneaking around a house's windows or breaking into a car! Zimmerman got the **** out of his truck, after being advised not to, and initiated contact! It doesn't get anymore innocent that this! If he had just done what he was TOLD and ADVISED to do, we wouldn't be having this pathetic fucking discussion!

Truth, you are a coward, fucking calling yourself a Christian and then talking shit about a good kid like this, JUDGING him because of a teenager's Facebook posts and incidents at school! No, you can't just find it in your heart to care about the life of a good, happy 17 yr old ending, you want to make a goddamn political discussion out of it trying to blame liberal's for this or that and try to make the kid look bad with your little cowardly **** comments! You are the epitome of what I hate...a weak, cowardly old man who wants to make a politcal discussion about every little fucking thing and can't find it in your heart to actually CARE about someone! You can go **** yourself...

And just so you all know, I give no fucks about your feelings or if you are offended by my language. When you say shit about a DEAD KID like this, you lose my respect, which is pretty fucking obvious by now. If you spewed this shit about this kid around me, you'd be getting offended by my fucking fist in your face for being a rude asshole. So, if you don't want to see mine or anyone elses language, you can go to http://www.bluegrassrivals.com/forum/sho...p?t=122589 and enable your word censorship. I also don't want to hear any crying about you being offended, or the fact that I'm a Mod, or any thing else..because like I said, I couldn't give a shit less, and you can go **** yourself. You don't want to see me giving my opinion and profanities (at you Truth), enable the filter and don't be a bitch.

So you would prefer to charge someone with murder without knowing all of the facts rather than verifying the actual facts of the case.

I'm sure you remember the Duke lacrosse case, and how Sharpton, Jackson and others had those boys tried and convicted within two days of the innocent, and we all know how that turned out don't we.

If Zimmerman is quilty then he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, but let's get the facts straight first.

Where the hell did he say that?!?! He didn't say that at all, or anything else about it for that matter!

[vundy33]

All of you that are trying to say he's not as "innocent" as the "liberal" (ALL) media "paints him, think if something like this happened to your son who didn't start a damn thing with the guy, was just walking home from 7/11.

This is not a damn political discussion, this is about law and justice and a tragedy, THAT IS IT. The liberal media isn't doing anything differently than conservative media is..I've seen just as many stories about this case on Fox News as I have CNN, and I've not heard any of them calling for the police to lock him away and throw away the key! All I hear is how bad of a tragedy it is, how it COULD and SHOULD have been prevented, and how it thoroughly needs to be investigated by a competent authority (Sanford PD have already proven their incompetence) and whatever justice should happen should happen. Simple as that.

It's pretty damn easy to sit back and judge, try to paint a good kid as a bad one, when you've never lost anyone in this kind of fucking scenario! Whichever of you thinks this boy "got what he deserved", you can go to hell.

[Hoot Gibson]

Pretty weak posts, vundy. Particularly for a moderator. You are naive if you think that the coverage of this story has not been political. There is a reason that the media is using photos of a 13 or 14 year old kid to portray a large 17 year old victim. It is not uncommon for a prosecutor to delay filing charges until fully investigating the facts and presenting them to a grand jury. This story was nationalized and short on details for political purposes.

[SKINNYPIG]

Anyone who thinks this incident was not hand picked by the media and the likes of Rev. Jackson, to be used politically pretty much has their head in the sand.

[OrangenowBlue]

The problem I have with some conservatives is that they would rather see Zimmerman set free just to "get back" at the "liberal media" for making this a race issue(which I feel was not a hate crime, but a crime). The problem is we still have the possibility of a crime with an unarmed teenager being shot and killed, a shooter who claims self defense athough he has no marks or bruises on camera the night of the incident, when he probably instigated the incident by playing neighborhood watchdog. We have a shooter with a suspected history of domestic violence and assault on police. This reeks of a botched police and district attorney investigation. I thought in most instances, any incident that involves a homicide, a grand jury was utilized. If you choose and hope that an injustice takes place just to get back at the "Media", whether it would be liberal or conservative, then you are no better then the people who were happy when O.J. was found not guilty.

[judgementday]

Wow, some really emotional posts in this thread for which I blame the media for...

Without the media making speculations about what happened, only releasing bits of info, etc... this would never have never blown up as much as it has and it is sad.

I try not to follow the media but when my 13 year old daughter comes in from school asking questions about the case and saying just off the wall stuff I had to investigate myself by trying to piece together all the information out there that seems consitent from each news source so I thought I would share what I told her...

- Trayvon was walking back from his Dad's fiance's house. In his possession was a bag of skittles and bottled drink
- Zimmerman saw him walking wearing a hoodie called police reporting a suspicious person
- Zimmerman parked and followed Trayvon against the instructions of the 911 operator
- Zimmerman claims Trayvon ran off and he ran after him shortly loosing him. He also states that Trayvon showed up and started arguing with him and a fight broke out in which Trayvon punched him in the face and bashed his head on the ground. In turn, Zimmerman shot him.
- According to Trayvon's girlfriend who says she was on the phone with him, she heard Zimmerman approach Trayvon asking what he was doing in that neighborhood and that is when an altercation began.
- Recent video has surfaced showing Zimmerman in cuffs at the PD. No pictures, etc.. was taking because he was not formally arrested or charged with a crime. From the video, there appears to be no signs of injury.

As I told her, it was confirmed that Trayvon had a criminal past but that shouldn't even be considered here as he wasn't doing anything wrong.

My biggest problem with this case is that Zimmerman initiated the situation by going against the instruction of the 911 operator and following Trayvon. If he really thought the kid was up to no good, how about observing him prior to calling 911. Or, just let the cops investigate it.

None of this would have never happended had he just used common sense.

One thing that does bug me in that it seems EVERY post in the Off Topic section becomes a stupid political discussion. This isn't a case of a Republican shooting a Democrat, it is a case of a grown man shooting a 17 year old kid.

[SKINNYPIG]

Wow, some really emotional posts in this thread for which I blame the media for...

Without the media making speculations about what happened, only releasing bits of info, etc... this would never have never blown up as much as it has and it is sad.

I try not to follow the media but when my 13 year old daughter comes in from school asking questions about the case and saying just off the wall stuff I had to investigate myself by trying to piece together all the information out there that seems consitent from each news source so I thought I would share what I told her...

- Trayvon was walking back from his Dad's fiance's house. In his possession was a bag of skittles and bottled drink
- Zimmerman saw him walking wearing a hoodie called police reporting a suspicious person
- Zimmerman parked and followed Trayvon against the instructions of the 911 operator
- Zimmerman claims Trayvon ran off and he ran after him shortly loosing him. He also states that Trayvon showed up and started arguing with him and a fight broke out in which Trayvon punched him in the face and bashed his head on the ground. In turn, Zimmerman shot him.
- According to Trayvon's girlfriend who says she was on the phone with him, she heard Zimmerman approach Trayvon asking what he was doing in that neighborhood and that is when an altercation began.
- Recent video has surfaced showing Zimmerman in cuffs at the PD. No pictures, etc.. was taking because he was not formally arrested or charged with a crime. From the video, there appears to be no signs of injury.

As I told her, it was confirmed that Trayvon had a criminal past but that shouldn't even be considered here as he wasn't doing anything wrong.

My biggest problem with this case is that Zimmerman initiated the situation by going against the instruction of the 911 operator and following Trayvon. If he really thought the kid was up to no good, how about observing him prior to calling 911. Or, just let the cops investigate it.

None of this would have never happended had he just used common sense.

One thing that does bug me in that it seems EVERY post in the Off Topic section becomes a stupid political discussion. This isn't a case of a Republican shooting a Democrat, it is a case of a grown man shooting a 17 year old kid.

The ONLY thing that has made this a political issue is the fact that liberals such as Jackson, Sharpton, Obama and the media have injected themselves into it. The case would have moved on just as any if they had not politisized it.

[OrangenowBlue]

The ONLY thing that has made this a political issue is the fact that liberals such as Jackson, Sharpton, Obama and the media have injected themselves into it. The case would have moved on just as any if they had not politisized it.

And that is the only thing that some conservatives seem to want to talk about. Not that a kid got murdered, but that it was falsely made into a race issue. That a dead kid is secondary to this poisonous political polarized climate. The problem is if this had not made the news, it may have been swept under the rug due to poor investigative work by several entities and a foolish Florida law. I do not agree with how it made the news, but since it is there, some wrongs need to be made right.

[TheRealThing]

Wow, some really emotional posts in this thread for which I blame the media for...

Without the media making speculations about what happened, only releasing bits of info, etc... this would never have never blown up as much as it has and it is sad.

I try not to follow the media but when my 13 year old daughter comes in from school asking questions about the case and saying just off the wall stuff I had to investigate myself by trying to piece together all the information out there that seems consitent from each news source so I thought I would share what I told her...

- Trayvon was walking back from his Dad's fiance's house. In his possession was a bag of skittles and bottled drink
- Zimmerman saw him walking wearing a hoodie called police reporting a suspicious person
- Zimmerman parked and followed Trayvon against the instructions of the 911 operator
- Zimmerman claims Trayvon ran off and he ran after him shortly loosing him. He also states that Trayvon showed up and started arguing with him and a fight broke out in which Trayvon punched him in the face and bashed his head on the ground. In turn, Zimmerman shot him.
- According to Trayvon's girlfriend who says she was on the phone with him, she heard Zimmerman approach Trayvon asking what he was doing in that neighborhood and that is when an altercation began.
- Recent video has surfaced showing Zimmerman in cuffs at the PD. No pictures, etc.. was taking because he was not formally arrested or charged with a crime. From the video, there appears to be no signs of injury.

As I told her, it was confirmed that Trayvon had a criminal past but that shouldn't even be considered here as he wasn't doing anything wrong.

My biggest problem with this case is that Zimmerman initiated the situation by going against the instruction of the 911 operator and following Trayvon. If he really thought the kid was up to no good, how about observing him prior to calling 911. Or, just let the cops investigate it.

None of this would have never happended had he just used common sense.

One thing that does bug me in that it seems EVERY post in the Off Topic section becomes a stupid political discussion. This isn't a case of a Republican shooting a Democrat, it is a case of a grown man shooting a 17 year old kid.

The media has no business sensationalizing this story. The overriding emphasis here is to portray Zimmerman as a murdering white man, who preyed on a black kid. It's the lynch mob metality with a FCC 'license to kill'. We are a nation of laws, the court system is the judge, the jury, and if necessary will become the executoner. The only people who know what happened were at the scene. If there are witnesses let them testify. And let the courts take care of the matter.

Apart from that, murder of any human is equally serious despite skin color, and we have laws on the books to deal with murder. The media, none the less, considers themselves to be in the seat of judgement and this is more than apparent when one listens to them make their case in the court of public opinion. If you think that's a stupid political discussion so be it. But, it is biased reporting meant to sway the opinions of people in a very particular and narrow view. That view is one of racial bigotry, and literally hundreds of black folks heard in the news, are up in arms about this most notably, Jackson, Sharpton, and the New Black Panther Party. I've heard dozens of quotes from black folks calling for Zimmerman's head, openly declaring this to be a open and shut case of racial "profiling". You tell me J'day, where are all these folks getting their opinions from if not the media? Now, I'm missing something if that isn't political, and why do the Democrats otherwise portray themselves as the champions of minorities? Just one more thing, Sharpton and Jackson could not be any more Democrat if they wanted to.

[TheRealThing]

And that is the only thing that some conservatives seem to want to talk about. Not that a kid got murdered, but that it was falsely made into a race issue. That a dead kid is secondary to this poisonous political polarized climate. The problem is if this had not made the news, it may have been swept under the rug due to poor investigative work by several entities and a foolish Florida law. I do not agree with how it made the news, but since it is there, some wrongs need to be made right.

Come on, this is totally unjustified. Is the legal system supposed to deal with this or the media? I have a problem with the portrayal of white folks stalking black folks to murder them. You let this keep going down and you may one day get more than you are bargaining for. Tensions are high enough as things stand, because the media will not let racial issues stay in the past where they belong. The impact of this case may have adverse affect on the attitudes of thousands of people who have nothing to do with the case at all, by fanning the flames of racial hatred. There is no question among rational people of how tragic and heartbreaking this has to be on his family and friends.

The rest of your quote I agree with totally. One of the reasons there are so many "foolish" laws is the constant legislation being brought up by lawmakers that think it's all the rage to have laws on the books they authored.

[the other guy]

Anyways, Before this turned into a Liberal bashing Campaign. As usual.

The facts from the one side are staying consistent. I would shoot someone that was attacking me to. This kid isnt the saint there making him out to me. I heard there is also a witness that seen The kid attacking Zimmerman?

Here is some history on him.

Martin's Miami school records show that he has been suspended three times.
Family attorney Benjamin Crump confirmed to ABC News that Martin had been slapped with a 10 day school suspension after a bag with suspected marijuana was found in his backpack.
Last year Martin was suspended for spraying graffiti on school grounds. The Miami Herald reported that the school guard who stopped him searched his backpack and found 12 items of women's jewelry and a flathead screw driver that the guard believed to be a "burglary implement." But Martin was never charged or specifically disciplined for the incident.

Zimmerman had no way of knowing these facts at the time of the shooting. They have no legal bearing on the case what so ever. But jackson and sharpton are just race pimps.

[RunItUpTheGut]

As laker said, this is a local issue not a national one, but you can bet your ass that rejects like sharpton and others live for this shit.


What i dont understand is what i heard earlier today.
Was Zimmerman really a convicted felon?
If so, why was he in possession of a firearm? That alone is enough to put him back in jail for years.
Also, when this shit hits main stream media with the likes of these horrible talk shows and ignorant ass people like sharpton, then it only makes things worse for all parties involved including the child that was killed. Every single bit of this kids personal life is now being put on display by the media which is only being percieved as bad.
IMO, this stuff shouldn't ever be put out their on display for the entire country to see. Handle it, and handle it well.
There's no need to let everyone get their own opinion, all this does is make it impossible to have a fair trial.

Its already burnt the criminal justice system once recently in a big way with the Anthony girl, and now this guy will get off scott free if this is the case again.

HOWEVER, until all the facts are known, nobody knows shit. Thats where the whole national media thing comes into play. If the kid really did start beating up this dude for no reason and he isnt a felon, than i believe it is your right to use deadly force to protect yourself. But, if this guy is just some racial biggot that wanted to see this kid dead, then i say hang his ass.

[vundy33]

I'm not emotional over this case because of what the media has said or done...when I look at specific news stories that I'm really interested in, I read everything I can find, from big media to small, liberal to conservative. The reason this makes me emotional is because the life of a good 17 yrold boy who enjoyed and loved his life, with his entire life ahead of him, is dead...and because an apparent good man, Zimmerman, made a horrible mistake and is now going to have to live with it for the rest of his life. I'm sure he could care less about the 5-15 years he'll spend in jail, what is killing him I think is the fact that the tragedy happened.

It just could've been prevented...I get the same way when one of my young buddies is KIA'd, or I read about another young soldier, 18 or 19, with a a family already that has been KIA...they have their entire lives ahead of them, and it kills me to see it end so early and unfairly, and that more people (alot on this board) have NO damn clue how easy life can end, how easy it can all be over in the blink of an eye. It's like some of you take everything for granted, and that is what kills me.

[TheRealVille]

The media has no business sensationalizing this story. The overriding emphasis here is to portray Zimmerman as a murdering white man, who preyed on a black kid. It's the lynch mob metality with a FCC 'license to kill'. We are a nation of laws, the court system is the judge, the jury, and if necessary will become the executoner. The only people who know what happened were at the scene. If there are witnesses let them testify. And let the courts take care of the matter.

Apart from that, murder of any human is equally serious despite skin color, and we have laws on the books to deal with murder. The media, none the less, considers themselves to be in the seat of judgement and this is more than apparent when one listens to them make their case in the court of public opinion. If you think that's a stupid political discussion so be it. But, it is biased reporting meant to sway the opinions of people in a very particular and narrow view. That view is one of racial bigotry, and literally hundreds of black folks heard in the news, are up in arms about this most notably, Jackson, Sharpton, and the New Black Panther Party. I've heard dozens of quotes from black folks calling for Zimmerman's head, openly declaring this to be a open and shut case of racial "profiling". You tell me J'day, where are all these folks getting their opinions from if not the media? Now, I'm missing something if that isn't political, and why do the Democrats otherwise portray themselves as the champions of minorities? Just one more thing, Sharpton and Jackson could not be any more Democrat if they wanted to.

It's a good thing the media got involved. The police had no intentions of doing anything until it got media attention. They even said they had no cause to look into it. That is, until the media, and the loudmouths made them look into it.

[TheRealVille]

(CBS News) SANFORD, Florida - The defense of George Zimmerman rests on a violent fight that he said occurred before he fired the shot that killed Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman is neighborhood watch volunteer at the center of the case. It was almost five weeks that Martin, the unarmed 17-year-old, was killed after Zimmerman found him suspicious. We don't know what happened immediately immediately before the shot was fired. CBS News correspondent Mark Strassman has new evidence in the case.

Trayvon Martin was buried in Miami with a gunshot wound to his chest. But otherwise, according to Richard Kurtz, the funeral director who prepared Martin for burial, his body showed no injuries.

"We could see no physical signs like there had been a scuffle [or] there had been a fight," he said. "The hands -- I didn't see any knuckles, bruises or what have you. And that is something we would have covered up if it would have been there."


And as a surveillance tape shows, George Zimmerman in handcuffs, 40 minutes after he killed Trayvon Martin. He seemed to show no apparent injuries, either.

Yet Zimmerman claims Martin beat him and threatened his life, so he shot the teenager in self-defense.

But Ben Crump, the lawyer for Martin's parents, said the video shows a murderer.

"Look at that video," he said. "Do you see any blood on his head? He said he broke his nose. Look at that video. And look at how easy he walks out of the car."

Zimmerman, a crime watch volunteer, thought Martin looked suspicious, called police, and followed Martin along a street and around a corner.

Robert Zimmerman, the gunman's father, told WOFL-TV in Orlando that Martin suddenly confronted his son.

"At that point he was punched in the nose," he said. "His nose was broken. and he was knocked to the concrete. Trayvon Martin got on top of him and just started beating him in the face and in the nose, hitting his head on the concrete."

Police reports noted Zimmerman was "bleeding from the nose and the back of the head." But a closer look at Zimmerman shows no obvious head or face injuries. At one point, an officer does check the back of his head.

Martin's family contends this video proves police never wanted to arrest Zimmerman.

And Cheryl Brown said a widespread perception is wrong: Sanford police wanted to charge Zimmerman. She identified Chris Serino as the lead investigator who questioned people in the neighborhood.

"Detective Serino -- did you have the sense when he interviewed you that he thought it was a killing in self-defense?" Strassmann asked Brown.

"No, because he actually stated to me in my family room that 'we do not believe it was self-defense and we need to prove it,'" said Brown.

A special prosecutor will now decide whether Zimmerman deserves to be charged. Zimmerman's father insists his son is also a victim here.

"...They are just making up stuff that are not true about George. How he is being portrayed is an absolute lie."

Robert Zimmerman said Martin beat his son for more than one minute. And when his son fired his .9-mm, Robert Zimmerman said it was because he had no choice.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-5740...t-on-body/

[Wildcatk23]

Zimmerman had no way of knowing these facts at the time of the shooting. They have no legal bearing on the case what so ever. But jackson and sharpton are just race pimps.

What are you talking about?

[TheRealVille]

Anyways, Before this turned into a Liberal bashing Campaign. As usual.

The facts from the one side are staying consistent. I would shoot someone that was attacking me to. This kid isnt the saint there making him out to me. I heard there is also a witness that seen The kid attacking Zimmerman?

Here is some history on him.

Martin's Miami school records show that he has been suspended three times.
Family attorney Benjamin Crump confirmed to ABC News that Martin had been slapped with a 10 day school suspension after a bag with suspected marijuana was found in his backpack.
Last year Martin was suspended for spraying graffiti on school grounds. The Miami Herald reported that the school guard who stopped him searched his backpack and found 12 items of women's jewelry and a flathead screw driver that the guard believed to be a "burglary implement." But Martin was never charged or specifically disciplined for the incident.

There is zero proof that the kid was attacking him. None. Not one mark on either body. If you shot someone without provocation, I would assume you would make up some self defense story also.

[TheRealVille]

The only proof we have in this case is that the kid was walking in a gated community, that his dad's finance' lived in, and he was staying the night in, carrying a bag of skittles and a bottle of tea. He was then confronted by Zimmerman, then shot dead. The kid's girlfriend said he was worried that Zimmerman was following him. That's all that is known. From that, it looks like Zimmerman was paranoid, and killed him, playing cop. The kid's past, and boyish scrapes in school have no bearing in the case, unless he attacked Zimmerman, and by all the proof we have from both bodies, being inconsistent with the testimony of the only survivor, the attack didn't happen. Another fact that could come into play is that Zimmerman outweighed the kid by 100 pounds, and from the police video, it's not a "fat" 100 pounds.

[laker20]

And that is the only thing that some conservatives seem to want to talk about. Not that a kid got murdered, but that it was falsely made into a race issue. That a dead kid is secondary to this poisonous political polarized climate. The problem is if this had not made the news, it may have been swept under the rug due to poor investigative work by several entities and a foolish Florida law. I do not agree with how it made the news, but since it is there, some wrongs need to be made right.

So is everything else secondary to this kid being killed? How many wrongful deaths have occurred since this story broke...........or do only black kids killed by someone of another race count? Since this story broke, how many people have been saved in hospitals in this country by black, white, yellow and red doctors who didn't wait for someone else to make something of their lives, but took the initiative themselves? I suppose that the topic of conversation is whatever some national news source says it should be.

I think for the most part that conservatives want to allow an opportunity for the system we already have in place to be used. None of the empty suits on CBS, NBC, CNN, or even FOX can add one piece of crucial evidence that will lead to the truth of what took place. All the discussion of what each of these guy's histories were, whether it be at the water cooler or an entire panel of self-proclaimed experts, won't unveil some miraculous solution to this case.

However, if you want a discussion of what took place then all that any of us can add that is fact is that Martin is dead and Zimmerman has acknowledged pulling the trigger. It is truly a tragic event. Anything other than that is opinion or hearsay. Give the system the opportunity to work.

The real discussion is that we continue to allow these Sharpton types to use these events to spew their racial prejudice. None of these people have the least bit of interest in bringing races together..........their full intent is to continue to push for division. It simply amazes me that there are so many people who either don't have the intelligence to see through the smoke and mirrors, or are so gullible that they simply can't think for themselves. As a result, people allow themselves to be convinced that their problems are the result of society, politics, or merely someone else's mistake. In turn, this leads to the mindset that the solutions must also come from those places.

The fact of the matter is that not one of us was owed one damn thing the day we were born, nor did we owe one damn thing to another. I don't care if your black, white, yellow, or red you start this life even and have the same opportunity to make something of and for yourself as any one else does. If you sit back and expect it to be given to you then you deserve nothing. If you bust your ass and take responsibility for yourself.

[Wildcatk23]

There is zero proof that the kid was attacking him. None. Not one mark on either body. If you shot someone without provocation, I would assume you would make up some self defense story also.

I had posted this before the video.

[vundy33]

So is everything else secondary to this kid being killed? How many wrongful deaths have occurred since this story broke...........or do only black kids killed by someone of another race count? Since this story broke, how many people have been saved in hospitals in this country by black, white, yellow and red doctors who didn't wait for someone else to make something of their lives, but took the initiative themselves? I suppose that the topic of conversation is whatever some national news source says it should be.

Man, it's not about the damn color of his skin. It's about how sad this is, and the fact that it easily could've been avoided. Some of you use that "how many other wrongful deaths have occurred by another race blah blah blah" bullshit and act like this shit happens everyday, when it doesn't.

All kids that lose their lives young count, not only black kids killed by another minority. The thing that got this case national coverage was the circumstances, that's it. It's like you all are determined to put this on backpage news, and don't give a shit that a young life was ended and another life was ruined. Give me a damn break dudes...this kind of shit is why I've lost all confidence in the human race, especially my own damn country. No one gives a shit for anyone anymore and it's like everyone of you don't give a damn about anything but yourselves. I'm so sick of it. Grow the **** up and care about people.

:HitWall:

[vundy33]

The only proof we have in this case is that the kid was walking in a gated community, that his dad's finance' lived in, and he was staying the night in, carrying a bag of skittles and a bottle of tea. He was then confronted by Zimmerman, then shot dead. The kid's girlfriend said he was worried that Zimmerman was following him. That's all that is known. From that, it looks like Zimmerman was paranoid, and killed him, playing cop. The kid's past, and boyish scrapes in school have no bearing in the case, unless he attacked Zimmerman, and by all the proof we have from both bodies, being inconsistent with the testimony of the only survivor, the attack didn't happen. Another fact that could come into play is that Zimmerman outweighed the kid by 100 pounds, and from the police video, it's not a "fat" 100 pounds.

Exactly!

Why the hell do people keep trying to turn this into a damn political discussion when it's NOT!?

[the other guy]

what are you talking about?

the kids past history,means nothing

[OrangenowBlue]

So is everything else secondary to this kid being killed? How many wrongful deaths have occurred since this story broke...........or do only black kids killed by someone of another race count? Since this story broke, how many people have been saved in hospitals in this country by black, white, yellow and red doctors who didn't wait for someone else to make something of their lives, but took the initiative themselves? I suppose that the topic of conversation is whatever some national news source says it should be.

I think for the most part that conservatives want to allow an opportunity for the system we already have in place to be used. None of the empty suits on CBS, NBC, CNN, or even FOX can add one piece of crucial evidence that will lead to the truth of what took place. All the discussion of what each of these guy's histories were, whether it be at the water cooler or an entire panel of self-proclaimed experts, won't unveil some miraculous solution to this case.

However, if you want a discussion of what took place then all that any of us can add that is fact is that Martin is dead and Zimmerman has acknowledged pulling the trigger. It is truly a tragic event. Anything other than that is opinion or hearsay. Give the system the opportunity to work.

The real discussion is that we continue to allow these Sharpton types to use these events to spew their racial prejudice. None of these people have the least bit of interest in bringing races together..........their full intent is to continue to push for division. It simply amazes me that there are so many people who either don't have the intelligence to see through the smoke and mirrors, or are so gullible that they simply can't think for themselves. As a result, people allow themselves to be convinced that their problems are the result of society, politics, or merely someone else's mistake. In turn, this leads to the mindset that the solutions must also come from those places.

The fact of the matter is that not one of us was owed one damn thing the day we were born, nor did we owe one damn thing to another. I don't care if your black, white, yellow, or red you start this life even and have the same opportunity to make something of and for yourself as any one else does. If you sit back and expect it to be given to you then you deserve nothing. If you bust your ass and take responsibility for yourself.

So is everything secondary to this kid being killed? When it comes to the political rhetoric and venom spewed by the left and right, the bull#$%^ spread by the media, and posters(many claim to be Christians) who have shown a lack of compassion but would be raising hell if their child was the victim. I would have to say HELL YES.

[Mr. Onion Head]

Not teach about slaves in the history books. Just move the hell on. Our kids wouldnt know the difference between black and white.

Throw away the history books and you wont have to repeat it because nobody will know about it anyways.

When I think I've seen it all in my lifetime, I come to this thread and see without a doubt the dumbest thing ever posted on this site (and that's saying something) I won't even begin to debate you two on this, but wow. Just forget about history? I guess teachers should skip teaching the holocaust as well because it may anger Jews? It's scary to think that you two either have kids or will reproduce in the future and pass these ideas to your kids.

within the next 10-20 years there will be no person living in America that has even been segregated against.

You're right, I mean segregation and discrimination have only been around for thousands of years, but in 10-20 it will disappear all of the sudden. In 20 years (2032), people born in 1950 will be 82 years old. Brown V. Board which "ended" school segregation was passed in 1957. The last schools to desegregate were in 1970. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 "ended" discrimination and segregation but none of those businesses abided by it for years. But you're right. in 10-20 years it will all be better.:igiveup:

[laker20]

Man, it's not about the damn color of his skin. It's about how sad this is, and the fact that it easily could've been avoided. Some of you use that "how many other wrongful deaths have occurred by another race blah blah blah" bullshit and act like this shit happens everyday, when it doesn't.



:HitWall:

Vundy, of all people I would have thought that you would be able to see that as far as the news is concerned, color is the story. That's why it's a WHITE Hispanic shooter. Do you think for one second that since this story broke that their hasn't been the death of a child where the circumstances were even more sad?



I agree 100% that this was a horrific event and that any time a life is taken prematurely (young or old) that is truly sad, but there would be no national coverage if a young Caucasian male was shot by a black man. This shit does happen every day, every single day. In 2009, there were 13,756 murders reported in the US. Of those, 650 (1.78 per day) were kids under the age of 12.

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2...2s0311.pdf

All kids that lose their lives young count, not only black kids killed by another minority. The thing that got this case national coverage was the circumstances, that's it. It's like you all are determined to put this on backpage news, and don't give a shit that a young life was ended and another life was ruined.

Let's put all those 650 murders on the front page. How about 9 year old Savannah Hardin, who died on 2/23/12 from dehydration because her mother forced her to run for 3-hours as punishment for eating cookies. For eating cookies. You don't see the black panthers calling for her mom's head.......you don't see Spike Lee tweeting her address. And you most certainly didn't see the CNN, CBS, FOX, ABC or any other major network out in front of her house for weeks saying how horrible her mother is. But this is just as tragic, just as horrific, and just as saddening as Trayvon Martin's death.

Give me a damn break dudes...this kind of shit is why I've lost all confidence in the human race, especially my own damn country. No one gives a shit for anyone anymore and it's like everyone of you don't give a damn about anything but yourselves. I'm so sick of it. Grow the **** up and care about people.

You obviously don't know me, and have no clue what I do for others or what I've sacrificed in my life. And your anger over someone having a different opinion only shows that it is you that needs to grow up.

Some of us are merely saying that the marketing of this story is almost as sad as the event itself. Both are signs of an unhealthy society.

[Truth]

This is one of the very few times that I have let a thread on this forum, especially in the Political board, piss me off as bad as this one has. I can't believe the HORSESHIT I am reading. Comments like this....






Seriously?! How could you sit there and talk about a dead kid like that?! "paint him as a Innocent child of high virtue"?! What the **** do you know!? This kid wasn't some 17 yr old gang-banger wannabe...he didn't skip out on school to go smoke weed. He made good grades, attended school, had never been in trouble..he was just a normal kid. And now some of you dumbasses have the fucking nuts to sit behind your computer and act like the "liberal" media (thought Fox News was conservitive?) is painting him as an innocent child! He was an innocent child that was shot dead by a fucking wanna-be cop neighborhood watch captain that wasn't even supposed to have a weapon on him in the first place!



You have to be kidding me. HE'S A KID! KID'S put stupid shit on Facebook! That's the whole damn point of being a kid, you do stupid stuff and make mistakes! You're calling a 17 yr old's past "checkered" based on fucking Facebook posts and mistakes in school?! Go look at my school record and Facebook 3 years ago, I guarantee it's worse than Trayvon's, and I'm sure as **** not "checkered".

No one is calling for Zimmerman to be locked away and to throw away the key...they're calling for him to be charged and go through trial, which is normal! It was a horrible mistake, and it wasn't murder, but he is guilty of something, that's just the way it is...mistakes happen, and we all have to deal with the consequences. What he did in my opinion was 2nd or 3rd degree Manslaughter, and whatever weapon charge fits the incident. We're calling for him to be charged, that's it! No one is trying to be the judge, jury and executioner for fucks sake!

I find it funny that some of you "conservatives", especially you Truth, act like you're Christians when you say this kind of horseshit about a tragic ACCIDENT that took the life of a KID, a good kid, and has probably ruined the life of, by all accounts, a good man in Zimmerman...calling this kid's past "checkered", calling him "not as innocent of everyone wants to believe". Were you fucking there? Where's your proof of that?!..huh? He is/was innocent, he was walking up the goddamn street, a good street at that, not the hood, with a bag of skittles for his sister and a damn iced tea! He wasn't sneaking around a house's windows or breaking into a car! Zimmerman got the **** out of his truck, after being advised not to, and initiated contact! It doesn't get anymore innocent that this! If he had just done what he was TOLD and ADVISED to do, we wouldn't be having this pathetic fucking discussion!

Truth, you are a coward, fucking calling yourself a Christian and then talking shit about a good kid like this, JUDGING him because of a teenager's Facebook posts and incidents at school! No, you can't just find it in your heart to care about the life of a good, happy 17 yr old ending, you want to make a goddamn political discussion out of it trying to blame liberal's for this or that and try to make the kid look bad with your little cowardly **** comments! You are the epitome of what I hate...a weak, cowardly old man who wants to make a politcal discussion about every little fucking thing and can't find it in your heart to actually CARE about someone! You can go **** yourself...

And just so you all know, I give no fucks about your feelings or if you are offended by my language. When you say shit about a DEAD KID like this, you lose my respect, which is pretty fucking obvious by now. If you spewed this shit about this kid around me, you'd be getting offended by my fucking fist in your face for being a rude asshole. So, if you don't want to see mine or anyone elses language, you can go to http://www.bluegrassrivals.com/forum/sho...p?t=122589 and enable your word censorship. I also don't want to hear any crying about you being offended, or the fact that I'm a Mod, or any thing else..because like I said, I couldn't give a shit less, and you can go **** yourself. You don't want to see me giving my opinion and profanities (at you Truth), enable the filter and don't be a bitch.




Where the hell did he say that?!?! He didn't say that at all, or anything else about it for that matter!

Vundy33, I was made aware of your post by another poster because I never read your comments. I usually limit my reading to those whom I consider to have a basic level of maturity and knowledge. Are you really as ignorant as you appear? I have no need to rebut your tirade. Your "words" speak for themselves. And the fact that you are a "Mod" does not indicate any level of competency nor should it impress anyone.

[Wildcatk23]

[quote=Mr. Onion Head]When I think I've seen it all in my lifetime, I come to this thread and see without a doubt the dumbest thing ever posted on this site (and that's saying something) I won't even begin to debate you two on this, but wow. Just forget about history? I guess teachers should skip teaching the holocaust as well because it may anger Jews? It's scary to think that you two either have kids or will reproduce in the future and pass these ideas to your kids. QUOTE]

I know we should reproduce teach all about slavery and to hate or fear the white or black man of different race.

[TheRealVille]

Vundy, of all people I would have thought that you would be able to see that as far as the news is concerned, color is the story. That's why it's a WHITE Hispanic shooter. Do you think for one second that since this story broke that their hasn't been the death of a child where the circumstances were even more sad?



I agree 100% that this was a horrific event and that any time a life is taken prematurely (young or old) that is truly sad, but there would be no national coverage if a young Caucasian male was shot by a black man. This shit does happen every day, every single day. In 2009, there were 13,756 murders reported in the US. Of those, 650 (1.78 per day) were kids under the age of 12.

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2...2s0311.pdf

Let's put all those 650 murders on the front page. How about 9 year old Savannah Hardin, who died on 2/23/12 from dehydration because her mother forced her to run for 3-hours as punishment for eating cookies. For eating cookies. You don't see the black panthers calling for her mom's head.......you don't see Spike Lee tweeting her address. And you most certainly didn't see the CNN, CBS, FOX, ABC or any other major network out in front of her house for weeks saying how horrible her mother is. But this is just as tragic, just as horrific, and just as saddening as Trayvon Martin's death.



You obviously don't know me, and have no clue what I do for others or what I've sacrificed in my life. And your anger over someone having a different opinion only shows that it is you that needs to grow up.

Some of us are merely saying that the marketing of this story is almost as sad as the event itself. Both are signs of an unhealthy society.

You people still don't see the problem with this situation. It isn't about black, white, all the other kids that died that same day, or the media. It's about the fact that it happened, and the Sanford police department was starting to sweep it under the rug and hide it. They had no intentions of looking into the situation that happened, until the cry from the kids family, media and the "Sharpton's" got the rest of the world involved. They said as much, they were citing the " you don't have to back down" law. Only after the outcry started, did they start backing up and investigating it.