Escalation is the LAST thing anyone wants. What part of “provoked” don’t we understand? If Zimmerman walks, it won’t be for long, sadly. That’s because of the precedent that would be set.
This isn’t about racism or profiling, but that’s where it will go if we don’t figure out where we went wrong.
If you see a “suspicious person” then you’d best stay away—DAH! Why on earth would anyone want to get close to someone who presented a reason to call the police? If you are stupid enough to pursue and provoke a “suspicious” person, that person is the one who can plead “self-defense”, not you.
As I blogged recently, according to reports, 911 instructed him not to follow. The police had been advised. Had he obeyed the police, no one would have been hurt. Instead, the assailant was cut, punched, beaten… and the other guy was in far worse condition: Trayvon’s injuries were few, but fatal. The medical reports prove that Zimmerman is in far better condition than Trayvon.
Zimmerman isn’t on trial for profiling— He’s on trial for murder. If he didn’t profile Trayvon, that may upset Sharpton and NBC, but it shouldn’t change the prosecution’s case one ounce—and it certainly won’t give Mr. and Mrs. Martin their son back.
Think about precedent. If Zimmerman’s reported actions do NOT constitute second degree murder, then…
ANYONE can call 911, claim they see a “suspicious” person, then 911 would instruct the obvious—don’t follow suspicious people, DAH. Then the caller can follow the “suspicious person” anyways, get in a fight, get injured, then shoot and kill. That’s what Zimmerman did and it’s a can of worms we do NOT want to open.
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Sarah
