In an apparent effort to be sure that he is the most hated man in America, George Zimmerman will be auctioning off the gun that he used to kill Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. He has stated that the funds will be use to fight “Hillary Clinton’s anti-firearm rhetoric.” UPDATE: the gun to be auctioned at Gun Broker appears to have been withdrawn from sale.
The killing occurred in 2012 and caused a national controversy over the eventual acquittal of Zimmerman. He refers to the gun as “an American icon.” Zimmerman dismissed questions about the many people who would find the auction offensive, saying “They’re not going to be bidding on it, so I couldn’t care less about them.” Zimmerman has courted controversy since the acquittal with minor arrests and has sought to sell paintings like one of an American flag, emblazoned with the words “God One Nation with Liberty and Justice For All.” That sold on eBay for $100,000.
The idea of the 9mm pistol being an “American icon” is itself a troubling thought. Lincoln’s top hat is an American icon.
The one-day online auction opens at 11:00 EDT on Thursday. The opening bidding price for the 9mm pistol is set at $5,000.
I think it’s clear that George Zimmerman is not a good person. However, the law is supposed to treat everyone fairly, even complete jerks. The trial indicated that Trayvon (whose social media showed a rather troubled young man) was beating George’s head into the curb. You do not have to sit there and get brain damage, or killed. (Recall Brian Stowe received catastrophic, permanent brain damage from a similar injury). It’s dangerous to attack strangers, and there is no guarantee of your safety if you bash someone’s head into the ground.
Watching where someone is going does not give them the legal basis to try to kill you. If Trayvon Martin had merely followed George Zimmerman from a distance, who turned around and shot him, then he would have been found guilty of murder. George wasn’t running after Trayvon, trying to grab him, or in any way making Trayvon feel he was in immediate danger of death or great bodily injury. No, that happens if someone is bashing your head into a concrete curb, which is what Trayvon did to George the Jerk. Yes, he should have stayed in his car. But if people are allowed to punch you and smash your head into the curb merely for watching what they are doing, then little old ladies keeping an eye on neighborhoods across the country had better watch out.
George Zimmerman trailed far behind Trayvon, so far in fact that he couldn’t see where he was anymore. The 911 operator told him he didn’t need to follow him, and he said OK. Then Trayvon jumped him and beat him. The only way someone could be justified using deadly force (and bashing someone’s head into concrete is deadly force) is if George was running after him, grabbing him, and attacking him. He wasn’t out of breath with 911, and he told them he couldn’t see where he was anymore.
You may not like George the Jerk Zimmerman, and few do, but he had a right to defend himself from someone bashing his head in.
A professor once told us in the class that your character is your fate. George’s character seems flawed. And, in fact, he’s been in trouble numerous times since this incident. Although legally he was in the right in that case, all people have to do is sit back and watch him blow up his life.
Interestingly, the Smithsonian was once interested in obtaining Martin’s hoodie, which is no different than Zimmerman selling the gun.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-will-become-of-trayvons-hoodie-the-latest-piece-of-iconic-trial-evidence/2013/07/30/0882de30-f951-11e2-afc1-c850c6ee5af8_story.html
“a flaming jerk”
Very true.
The most hated man in America? You mean, more hated than the President? I respectfully request Prof. Turley view, ASAP, images and/or video of the carnage in Syria and Libya. The US military excursion in Syria directly caused about 4M displaced refugees, and has left Syria a pile of steaming rubble. Libya is also in shambles, split apart and over run by ISIS and other criminals. Better than Ghadaffi? Hardly!
The US President directly caused the misery above, with his insistence that the USA is supposedly responsible to pick the leaders of foreign countries. Imagine the arrogant response from the USA if President Putin threatened to send the Russian military to pick foreign leaders.
I think the Florida shooting and death of Martin is awful, and a tragedy. But there are plenty of people who have intentionally killed hundreds of thousands of innocents, who deserve infinitely more hate. Starting with Peace Prize winner Obama and Hillary C. I am ashamed at Turley’s awful judgement on this matter.
Reblogged this on Dave Alexander & Company with Ukuleledave and David Edgren — This is the original Artisan Craft Blog and commented:
Because he is both “innocent of all charges” and “a flaming jerk.”
My recollection was way off.
Dispatcher: Are you following him?
Zimmerman: Yeah.
Dispatcher: Okay, we don’t need you to do that.
Zimmerman: Okay.
“He has stated that the funds will be use to fight “Hillary Clinton’s anti-firearm rhetoric.”
“Well, if he is going to be fighting Hillary Clinton I think we can all breath a sigh of relief that he will be fighting without a gun – this time. That’s progress, of a sort, real progress.
“If I recall, GZ was told to stand down”
You recall incorrectly.
“How that becomes self-defense I don’t know.”
Then don’t opine.
“One could also say TM was being pursued by…”
One could also say that unicorns and flying monkeys were involved.
But both would be entirely wrong, and inconsistent with the actual case and final verdict.
Try reading about it on Legal Insurrection:
http://legalinsurrection.com/tag/trayvon-martin/
If I recall, GZ was told to stand down by the dispatcher and followed TM anyway. How that becomes self-defense I don’t know. One could also say TM was being pursued by someone he didn’t know and actually defended himself.
1. “Since you deny the basic existence of the well established facts and time line…”
The well established facts and time line resulted in his acquittal, therefore negating your misinterpretation.
2. “…what happened that is disputed by basically no one”
Logical fallacy: Argumentum ad Populum
You are wrong because you are in disagreement with the verdict.
You dispute the clear facts of a well-defended case, but offer only overly-emotional rhetoric as support for your views.
“keep pretending the 1950’s are coming back”
SJWs Always Project.
3. ” defending murderers ”
Since he was acquitted by the State of Florida, you are in error. Again.
He is a killer, not a murderer.
Actually, guys like you is why Trump is succeeding. Since you deny the basic existence of the well established facts and time line of what happened that is disputed by basically no one (the only thing in dispute was what happened when Zimmerman approached Trayvon, which he was instructed not to do), it is guys like you who operate in an unreality of unskewed polls and denial of basic facts. Keep projecting and keep pretending the 1950’s are coming back. It’s funny you can’t actually refute any facts so it was you who initially started the bland response “No I am right and you are wrong” and didn’t actually contest anything and now are falling back “Well, you’re name calling by describing my retrograde views accurately but I’m still right, pinky swear!” Anyway, enjoy your worthwhile existence of defending murderers on the internet, I’m sure it is very fulfilling! Who knows, George might even send you a painting if you keep up the good propaganda work.
It’s OK, discograph.
Since your position is unable to be defended by the facts, resorting to juvenile insults is to be expected.
However, such name-calling is no longer effective.
I simply do not care what you think of me.
And this circles back to my original response.
Your post is part of why Trump is succeeding.
Sure thing, whatever you have to tell yourself happened to try and excuse your abhorrent, retrograde views.
discograph, you clearly misunderstood the entire trial.
Your summary of the case is entirely wrong.
We are seeing the symptom of the disease called “established racism” in this part of Florida and in the Florida Attorney General’s Office.
The longterm cure for this disease is “education” in Florida schools and indicting Florida officials that violate the federal Civil Rights Act. Florida’s Attorney General would seem a legitimate target for federal prosecutors.
Florida’s unequal enforcement of laws most certainly violates the 14th Amendment and federal statutes defining “patterns & practices” of 14th Amendment violations. For example: Florida placed an African-American lady in prison for NOT shooting anyone “standing her ground” while allowing white Floridians to do far worse with no punishment at all.
Zimmerman was both “innocent” and “not guilty.”
The latter was the only legal finding.
KC Fleming, what is it like to be a human being that spends his time on the internet defending the murder of someone who was being stalked by a self-appointed neighborhood watch putz that had already been told to stand down by people with actual authority? You have my deepest sympathies for a life poorly lived as you seem intent on doing with your own.
“4. By his exoneration, he was in the right, and Martin in the wrong.”
You have confused a verdict of “not guilty” with an “exoneration.” They are not the same thing.
1. “the most hated man in America“?
Not sure he’s even in the top 25.
2. The picture of Trayvon is misleading (younger than the time of his death).
His own social media used these:
http://a.abcnews.go.com/images/US/ht_trayvon_martin_photos_ll_130528_wmain.jpg
3. The auction is indeed outrageous, but only to a few.
The outrage meter has been pushed so far beyond its limits that there is little left that shocks ones sensibilities anymore.
4. By his exoneration, he was in the right, and Martin in the wrong.
The fact that he is “hated” for defending himself against a thug’s attack is why he doesn’t care if this offends.
And that’s part of why Trump is succeeding.
If a flag painting garnered $100K, then it will not be surprising in the least when someone pays a lot more than $5K for a gun that has such a history. Internet Rule 36 in action.