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csziggy

(34,189 posts)

62. The Mother Jones article is a good place to get the facts and background

Thu Mar 22, 2012, 01:15 PM

Mar 2012

The Trayvon Martin Killing, Explained
How did a kid armed with Skittles and iced tea get gunned down by an overeager neighborhood watch captain? UPDATED with response from Sanford, Fla., police department

—By Adam Weinstein
| Sun Mar. 18, 2012 10:42 AM PDT

On the evening of February 26, Trayvon Martin—an unarmed 17-year-old African American student—was confronted, shot, and killed near his home by George Zimmerman, a Latino neighborhood watch captain in the Orlando, Florida, suburb of Sanford. Zimmerman has not been charged with a crime. Since Martin's death and the release of more details, the case has garnered national media attention and sparked a host of public debates over racial tensions, vigilantism, police practices, and gun laws.

Read on for our primer, or jump to these latest updates:

Florida's controversial self-defense laws
Is a Koch brothers lobby group behind the "stand your ground" laws?
Glenn Beck website calls Trayvon Martin "aggressor", implies he's a criminal
NRA pushes "stand your ground" in all 50 states
Sanford documents released: Zimmerman claims he was attacked
Trayvon's parents speak to "Million Hoodie March" in New York City

http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/03/what-happened-trayvon-martin-explained

It has very good details and lots of links to original sources for the information.

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Where are all these Travis Bickle, um, I mean Zimmerman supporters coming from? [View all] Taverner Mar 2012 OP

Are you talking to me? (Yeah..the support for this guy is pretty pathetic.) nt msanthrope Mar 2012 #1

The defenders against the existential threat of young black males... MrScorpio Mar 2012 #2

They can eff off. I know quite well how to live with others. freshwest Mar 2012 #13

I have yet to see them... FarPoint Mar 2012 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author Tesha Mar 2012 #4

There's more than one. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2012 #27

I see the critters now.. FarPoint Mar 2012 #43

Yes we do. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2012 #47

This needs to be, err, liberally applied hifiguy Mar 2012 #51

You can count me as another Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #40

The National Guard need to take possession of the police department. FarPoint Mar 2012 #44

I hope not. I don't want anyone else to be harmed. nt Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #50

By far the worst idea yet OPOS Mar 2012 #59

Did I miss the news that Zimmerman was arrested? MH1 Mar 2012 #57

straw man argument. no one here is advocating vigilantism. CTyankee Mar 2012 #60

I just read a post saying he should fry. Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #63

I didn't see that one. What I have read has been outrage that the guy got preferential CTyankee Mar 2012 #64

No, that is the point I am making! Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #65

I don't see that we are that far apart on this. But you have to understand that lots of CTyankee Mar 2012 #66

Yes, of course I see that Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #72

Yep. Rev. Al sums it up right, as usual... CTyankee Mar 2012 #79

The biggest issue I have is that there was absolutely no investigation csziggy Mar 2012 #61

I totally agree. Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #74

The informant idea was floated on one of the shows yesterday csziggy Mar 2012 #76

Sanford has a very high crime rate in general Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #77

Zimmerman has been given every benefit of doubt so far by the people that count. bluestate10 Mar 2012 #70

This is what I am saying Mojorabbit Mar 2012 #73

Yes, I do believe it is a defensive position. CTyankee Mar 2012 #58

I'm just catching up on this story - Al Sharpton's show on MSNBC Whisp Mar 2012 #5

The only consulation I can imagine left on green only Mar 2012 #23

The Mother Jones article is a good place to get the facts and background csziggy Mar 2012 #62

I've seen at least 3 apologists kestrel91316 Mar 2012 #6

Yes, and I don't get it. freshwest Mar 2012 #11

I do. They are RW trolls who post on DU to stir up s--t. kestrel91316 Mar 2012 #41

3 prolific ones 4 with only a couple timid posts in Zim's defense and one horrid ugly troll eating Dragonfli Mar 2012 #29

Oh I saw a thread posted by one long timer today. Jazzgirl Mar 2012 #7

Threatened with what? Skittles?.......... socialist_n_TN Mar 2012 #35

Tennessee? unionworks Mar 2012 #36

Yep. Ng San Lung Fa.......... socialist_n_TN Mar 2012 #54

that is specialized unionworks Mar 2012 #55

Correctomundo!.......... socialist_n_TN Mar 2012 #67

had my share unionworks Mar 2012 #71

Some trolls go undercover for quite a while before becoming obvious. kestrel91316 Mar 2012 #42

They certainly do, but it is in their nature to be trolls hifiguy Mar 2012 #52

I think it's more of a defense of the law that set this murder in motion fascisthunter Mar 2012 #8

I have noticed a few and I cannot agree arthritisR_US Mar 2012 #9

Yes, he was. An arrest would be the least that could be done. But he's loose, armed and dangerous freshwest Mar 2012 #12

None at all, in a just world, which leads arthritisR_US Mar 2012 #20

I've heard it called 'Earth School.' If you fail to learn, you have to repeat it. freshwest Mar 2012 #22

Oh dear, too many F's. This may be a long arthritisR_US Mar 2012 #24

'To infinity and beyond.' Wonder what that saying really meant. 'I'll be back.' Oh, no... freshwest Mar 2012 #25

Lol... I so admire a clever mind. Thanks :) n/t arthritisR_US Mar 2012 #34

There is no way a logical person could look at it any other way. ScreamingMeemie Mar 2012 #16

What I heard was vile. This entire tragedy arthritisR_US Mar 2012 #19

Sometimes when people try to be too open minded, they end up looking stupid siligut Mar 2012 #10

Good case of "if you keep your mind too opened up, your brains fall out" Taverner Mar 2012 #31

Funny how those "open minds" are only "open" in select instances! retread Mar 2012 #48

Hear, hear. Iggo Mar 2012 #14

Just The Usual 'Gungeon' Stalwarts Rising To Clearer Water, Sir The Magistrate Mar 2012 #15

exactly fascisthunter Mar 2012 #17

Anything to protect their "murder with impunity" liberalhistorian Mar 2012 #18

It is so strange. I understand supporting the 2nd Amendment. morningfog Mar 2012 #46

Fucking Bullseye, Sir....... (n/t) Paladin Mar 2012 #56

Remember the Dr. Gates arrest? All the posters yelling "dash cam" like that would prove something? Starry Messenger Mar 2012 #21

I just posted an OP about this. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2012 #26

Yeah and I thought it was a great post Taverner Mar 2012 #37

He doesn't even rate being a "vigilante" - he's a racist, stalking murderer. Period. CakeGrrl Mar 2012 #28

At least Travis Bickle killed pimps. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2012 #30

True - this would be more like he murdered the Jodie Foster character Taverner Mar 2012 #32

OMG, I stumbled on some of the defenders, or whatever: freshwest Mar 2012 #33

on the 911 tape, he's heard to say under his breath Enrique Mar 2012 #38

Chill, meet spine... Taverner Mar 2012 #39

kr Norrin Radd Mar 2012 #45

once upon a time, many years ago in the Guns forum ... iverglas Mar 2012 #49

I was thinking more like Bernie Goetz. KamaAina Mar 2012 #53

There is a nest of them on DU jpak Mar 2012 #68

One from another thread has been tombstoned. Wind Dancer Mar 2012 #69

Post removed Post removed Mar 2012 #75

Pro-Gun is not Pro-NRA Taverner Mar 2012 #78