After many decades of Life, I have learned a couple of things. One being that water seeks its own level.
Imagine for a minute that someone approaches you to take your swift Nike boots and is willing to hurt you for them. You only looking at this from Trevon’s perspective (which I believe he should not have died and Zimmerman is an idiot. And, that episode is an anomaly IMO). I honestly don’t know the stand your ground law verbatim but the premise I totally agree with. There are some evil and shallow DAs out there. If you feel threatened, and you need to defend yourself, it is nice to know that there is a law that protects those who are protecting themselves. When your life is threatened, fist fighting is irrelevant. You come at me in the dark to hurt me (again I know what Zimmerman did and I’m not referring to that isolated incident), I will defend my life and I will stand my freaking ground.
Here's the rub. There was a lesson in the Zimmerman case. Walk away. If you are some young kid and this dude is all over your shit for being in the neighborhood then you should assume the dude is crazy and/or packing. The way to guarantee your safety is to forget about anything else and leave the area. Why take the chance? Walk away and you guarantee your safety. There are too many dudes itching for somebody to screw with them so they can lash out. That's what I taught my son. Trayvon should a left when he had the chance. Keeping it real cost him. I bet if he could do it all over he would walk away from crazy ass Zimmermann. Trayvon didn't deserve what he got but he gave up control when he started fighting. He brought fists to a gun battle (and lost) I am not arguing ethics or right or wrong. Simply saying Trayvon is alive if he walks away.
Double, Ive had more than a few and lost a fare share because I thought it was an honest go lol. Younger and a lot more stupid then I guess. Truthfully lucky that I didn’t find that guy that smitty talks about... believe me.
This is why I like this forum, so many posts go in so many directions. Which is a good thing. Back to it... if you really think about it am I not actually arguing FOR stand your ground, but from a different angle? Martin was the one being followed. Martn had no idea who this guy was. Martn DID walk away, in fact he ran. Zimmerman chased him. Does Martn not have the right at this point to stand his ground? Enough is enough, I don’t need this guy stalking me. No saying Martn was an angel, but what about his right under that law?
Other than some brief boxing while in the Navy and martial arts sparring years later - neither really count, as they were controlled environments - my last fight was in high school over some nonsense I no longer recall. When in a tight spot with local thugs while on liberty in the Philippines, my best defense was my fast feet. Got the hell outta there! Being on the track team may have saved my life.
Good point of view. And believe me that’s why it went to trial. Those scales you see lady justice holding? Those are literal too.
I revised it. Standing your ground as a man using your fists is great. Even with a weapon if they started it. ‘Standing your ground’ after you instigated it and then pulling a gun once you realize that you are a fat slob that can’t fight is another story. And don’t ever use my own words against me. Ha!
There have been occasions when that would have saved me some broken bones and looking like the kid in the Cher movie. But back then I thought 2 against one or even three on one was doable... It usually did NOT turn out well lol. Did I tell you all I’m a MENSA student? No? Well ok then
The movie was called Mask. The kid's name was Rocky. The actor who played him was Eric Stoltz. My boy Sam Elliot was in that movie. Sam's an ass kicker. Sam stands his ground with or without a gun. Sam has played many ass kicker roles like in the movies Tombstone, We were Soldiers, and Roadhouse. We all need to be more like Sam.
Not gonna tell any war stories, 'cause I'm pretty much ashamed of a lot of things I've done, and who I once was. But I will say I've been on both ends of the stick when it comes to beatings, so I know what I'm talking about when I say... Parents have a HUGE influence on what kids do and don't get into, and how they handle adversity when it eventually confronts them. While parents can't always ensure their kid makes the right decisions, it is... in my informed opinion as both a parent and an educator... the biggest factor when it comes to what kids do and don't get involved in, and how they react to confrontation. By far, the kids who fare worst are the kids of "helicopter parents" and "bulldozer (aka: snowplow) parents." Here's the difference... Helicopter Parent: "Wow, Joey... you have a LOT of homework tonight. Here... let me help you." Then proceeds to do half the kid's work, getting overly involved in the KID'S responsibilities, and carrying their load for them. Bulldozer Parent: "Wow, Joey... you have a LOT of homework tonight. This is ridiculous. I'm going to call your principal and tell him this is just too much. I'm going to get a petition going with all the other parents in your class..." This parent doesn't even let the kid get EXPOSED to adversity. Don't be either! The homework example is a soft way of putting it, but you can think how this might apply to say, a kid getting arrested for for being a knucklehead, or even when faced with an emerging substance addiction. I've seen many, many kids of these parents get into bad situations, all along that homework-to-arrest/addiction spectrum. When you meet the parents, 90% of the time you see tree from which the apple fell.
Eric Stoltz lived down the street from me when we were kids in Samoa. He was a real dick. One day I told him to lay off… he stood his ground…I kicked his ass. I went home and my Moms kicked my ass. I was like what the hell? She told me never to associate with dicks. It will always end badly. I was six. I learned a lot that day. It was the last fight I ever was in. Thanks Mom True story.