Recently, George Zimmerman very nearly becomes a murder victim…again. The usual suspects blame him. However, the investigation indicates he is indeed a victim, and the guy who took a shot at him is the one arrested and charged.
And over at the always insightful Gun Free Zone, our friend Miguel Gonzales shines a spotlight on the reaction of anti-gunners. Clearly, gun-banning is not exactly the Belief System of Peace.
At this and that discussion forum, we keep hearing that Zimmerman has become a “shit magnet.”
If so, it’s because a clueless, sensationalist media has so magnetized him.
The media lynching continues…rest assured, they WANT him to break.
I love how ABC, NBC, and CBS all reported that Zimmerman was “involved in a shooting.”
Now, it appears that Matthew Apperson has a history of erratic behavior and what pop psychologists would call “anger management issues.” He seems to fit the “trigger-happy loose cannon” profile that the media tried to hang on Zimmerman.
Maybe Apperson mistook Zimmerman for a squirrel.
“Shit magnet ” has come to my mind before when thinking of Zimmerman; I won’t lie. This said, it’s a way of blaming the victim, as if saying, “he’s asking for what happens to him”. And we all know that’s wrong. Just as wrong as when the antis believe that someone like Trayvon Martin should get a break after assaulting then attempting to disarm and kill Zimmerman… while they wish death upon Zimmerman simply for having made LEGAL decisions they happen to dislike. They are no less violent and no more peaceful than us gun people; au contraire, I think that they are bloodthirsty fools who can’t be trusted with weapons (one reason why they want guns banned for everybody), and that the object of their hatred and fear is just different from ours.
As has been repeated often, Zimmerman is a marked man. Very important food for thought for me because, while I definitely am NOT Trayvon, in many ways I am George.
I heard last week some time that Zimmerman had been shot at, but nothing since then. I had assumed that someone who had been offended by the not guilty verdict was the shooter. Now it looks like Zimmerman was assaulted as a result of a road rage incident that may or may not have any relation to the verdict.
What is certain is that the group of gentle liberal souls who claim to advocate Peace, Love, Tolerance, Diversity, inclusion and Respect are once again, anything but, unless you are in lockstep agreement with their every position.
The take away from this is that you don’t know what kind of lunatic you may be dealing with the next time you give someone the finger after they cut you off.
I also have the unfortunate nagging suspicion that George Zimmerman won’t live long enough to die peacefully in bed. And the Lamestream Media will be hugely complicit in that.
He’s a marked man, plane and simple.
plain
I do hope that George Zimmerman finds peace.
Poor man, I can’t imagine what Mr. Zimmerman’s life is like but it must be hell.
I can only hope he catches a break.
I’m not really surprised at anything that might reflect negatively on Mr. Zimmerman becoming “news”. Especially if it involves the use (or misuse) of firearms.
I’m also not surprised at some comments made on the linked site. There are immature personalities on all sides of any questions.
One thing many should wonder about is if many of the situations Mr. Zimmerman seems to find himself in are because he is known to be “that Zimmerman”?
Priceless Alonzo.
Mas, once again I have to admire your wisdom on this matter.
I read some of the comments on the gungraberzrus site…no wonder they don’t trust themselves with guns…
Amazing what a bloodthirsty lot they are! A man on the verge getting his brains beaten out deserves to be murdered in cold blood for shooting his attacker who U turned from safety and brought the attack on someone who was no threat to him. Why is this always wasted on these maroons?
Deo Vindice
CSGV: what a bunch of hypocritical maniacs. they’re all cheering like a bunch of excited apes because someone was shot at with a gun. it sure looks like they’re more in favor of gun violence than attempting to stop it.
“…. a clueless, sensationalist media has so magnetized him.”
Precisely! Very well said Mas.
This was my first thought upon hearing of this occurrence. Hopefully the low attention spans of those who imbibe such dribble from said media sources will soon forget the name of Zimmerman and allow the man and his family to live in peace.
As if killing someone isn’t life changing enough the shit hunters can’t let him be. Like he’s a movie star. Man can’t even fart without making the evening news. He will be hounded ’til the left has no further use for him.
Vengeful pacifism is the 8th wonder of oxymorons. Witch-hunter journalists and other hypocrites that have been hounding George Zimmerman to death need to give him credit for being found not guilty, and leave him alone. Anyone in his shoes would feel unjustly cornered. Personal freedom in our society is completely based on the kind of justly effective self-defense that George employed. Every such instance is a deterrent against further acts by evildoers. Let us stop adding through the press to the weird sense of entitlement of delinquents, thugs, and other criminals to offend as they please. Otherwise, we will wake up one day to find Big Brother at the door making all of us an offer of “protection” that we can’t refuse. Zimmerman critics need to walk a mile in his shoes, in Florida, at night.
I have often thought many anti-gunners might be defined by the following…
Assume you lived in a society where folks were admired because they participated in skydiving and that led to many men and women taking up skydiving in order to enjoy it and/or be admired in the same way. Assume that all the books, novels, and movies glorified men who skydived. Assume that you are a male in that society and you are terrified of skydiving. Would you face your fears and learn how to skydive or would you want society to ban skydiving on the grounds that it is dangerous to the skydiver and anyone they land on (therefore, allowing you to stand on an equal plane of admiration without having to face your fear of skydiving)?
Anti-gunners fear guns and fear the power an armed person has over them (like a criminal or even a CHL holder). So, instead of having to feel helpless, that person can learn to handle firearms. However, they fear the gun and would rather society ban guns to bring everyone else down to their level of helplessness and dependence on a policing authority. In that environment they would no longer have to face their fear of guns or envy those that have taken action (CHL) to feel empowered.
Just a thought…
Mr. Zimmerman has my respect for being able to keep it together despite the anti-gun forces that seem to burden him constantly. There are lessons here for all of us who lawfully own and carry firearms to protect ourselves and our loved ones. If you’re going to carry, know the law and abide by it. Be prepared for the legal and social ramifications that WILL come after using your firearm even under justifiable circumstances. Learn everything you can from episodes like Mr. Zimmerman’s and put that knowledge to use. Stay informed, and stay safe.
TW, that’s a great analogy!
I have always been an avid motorcycle rider. I have also always worn a helmet, a self imposed rule. I have never known of a motorcyclist, or motorcycle organization, that attempted to have more helmet laws, or other restrictions, enacted. It is always those who fear motorcycles and cannot imagine someone riding such a dangerous apparatus who demand restrictions be placed on those that do.
Beware so called “gun advocacy” groups or individuals that support “reasonable” restrictions on guns.
George Zimmerman is a marked man for the left. He will never be forgiven for escaping their attempt to destroy him. I read this morning that leftist actress Susan Sarandon (whose son just released a documentary on homelessness) is still blaming Ronald Reagan for the homeless problem. It’s 27 years after he left office, but for the left, he’s still their list of targets. I expect no better fate for George Zimmerman.
Mas,
I am curious as to why you have abandoned your usual practice, in matters of this nature,of reserving judgement until all of the evidence has been put before the court.
After George was victimized (yes, I said victimized) for about the third or fourth time, I must admit I thought he might be losing it and doing some things that were inviting disaster. Then, I heard him call in to the podcast, listened to him speak and was simply taken by the fatgue u
Oh boy “Don – Pa.” Had better get his act together! I obviously wasn’t ready to send the post above – I WILL do better, gentlemen.
First, I was taken by the fatigue, (not the “fatgue”) – in George Zimmerman’s voice. The man sounded exhausted. After listening to that, I was even MORE convinced George Zimmerman is being systematically set up.
We ARE in America, aren’t we?
Oisin og, what makes you think my practice has changed? I simply reported facts: the haters rushed to blame Zimmerman, but the investigation led the police to arrest his antagonist instead, and to consider Zimmerman the victim. Both men must be considered innocent until proven guilty, but at this point, only one is charged.
Thank you, Thomas Bunner ! And I also subscribe to TW’s take on the antis, which is why I call them cowards so liberally (pun intended). Our society is getting more emasculated/feminized every day and therefore not only are all sorts of manly behaviors now ridiculed and shamed, but the weak are even emboldened to promote their own behaviors as more civilized and honorable. We truly live in Jeff Cooper’s “Age of the Wimp”.
I think another clue to why people hate guns is in that Heinlein quote: “An armed society is a polite society”. The antis (most liberals, let’s face it, which is why most libs are also antis) just aren’t polite people as a group. They embrace chaos and anarchy and abhor any type of structure or authority. If follows that they dread a society where their default mode (being jerks, to be cautious with my words) could have harsh consequences (an armed adversary or a responsive police, for example).
Disarming society is not pushed to keep everyone (and The Children!) safe, it’s so that the breakdown of manners and civility that’s part and parcel of the great agenda of the last 4-5 decades can be implemented smoothly. Of course, the nanny state, pursuing its own agenda (no less nefarious), is all too happy to oblige.
Now I should qualify my above statements by saying that I do admire a true non-violent person. But you don’t see those too often as most are using this label as a front for their shortcomings. All that invective directed at Zimmerman makes it very clear.
Very disingenuous Mas.
In the past you resolutely refused to regard any allegation as “fact” until it had been considered by a court. This was particularly the case regarding Mr. Zimmerman when you, quite properly, refrained from any comment until the conclusion of the hearing, and then wrote an exhaustive and thoughtful analysis of the facts – as found by the court.
The reciting of the “facts” in the instant case is, in my opinion, a lapse in the objectivity which usually characterises your columns.
I should make clear that nothing I have said should be taken as a defence of the individual charged. I, like you, have no idea what happened during the course of the incident.
Oisin, your desire to troll is exceeding your comprehension level. Are you contesting the FACT that a bunch of folks jumped to condemn Zimmerman at the first report of this, and the FACT that the police investigated and arrested the other man?
I’ll have to hand it to Zimmerman. Why he stays in FL so that these yahoos can find him is beyond my comprehension. Montana, Idaho or Alaska would be a more hospitable place.
I don’t understand why Zimmerman stays in FL. I understand the macho syndrome at play here. ( I’ll be damned if I let these yahoos run me out of town).
However, at some time he will have to make another life for himself. I am sure that states like Montana, Idaho and Alaska would be ideal for settling down in.
What was that Alaska trooper’s-name that called them the end of the roaders. I seem to recall he was a police sniper.
Randy, some say that George Zimmerman has indeed moved out of Florida, but was there on the day in question to visit his mom on Mother’s Day.
The Alaska State Trooper you’re referring to is Jeff Hall, a living legend among cops in general and not just those in Alaska. I’ve had the privilege of training with him many times: awesome guy. His “end of the road” comment was in reference to some of the strange ones who end up there. He has a lot of respect for those who came to his state to seek adventure and enjoy Alaska’s wild beauty.
In a few months, I hope to be in Alaska for the fourth time…and for the first time when it’s not winter. (Brrrr)
Off Topic
“President Barack Obama on Monday banned police departments from using certain military hardware and restricted the use of riot shields and other equipment, following unrest in U.S. cities over the deaths of black men at the hands of police officers.”
Will the police give obama the single finger salute? What are they supposed to use to defend themselves against rocks, bricks and whatever else the spoiled brats throw at them, catcher’s mitts?
TW, I must (respectfully) disagree with your views. You express a common view among gun-rights supporters. One that was popularized by the late Jeff Cooper. It portrays left-wing anti-gunners as suffering from hoplophobia and supporting gun control due to an irrational hatred and fear of firearms. I believe this to be an incorrect stereotype created by gun-rights supporters.
In reality, the left-wing / right-wing political divide is just a variant of the old “Nature versus Nurture” debate about humanity. Those on the left take a strong “Nurture is Everything” position. This leads them to a view which John Locke (in 1690) described as tabula rasa (“Blank Slate”).
It is basically the view that all human beings are born as blank slates (like unformed clay) and that their final character and personality is shaped entirely by social forces and their life experiences. Those on the left extend this idea into their concept of government. Consider, for a moment, what doing so means:
It means that human choice and free will do not exist. Humans are mere puppets who move and dance entirely according to how society has shaped them. From the left-wing viewpoint, if they are shaped by an environment consisting of a nurturing family life combined with a left-wing PC education, then they will dance a good dance that meets the approval of those of the left. If, instead, they are exposed to an environment full of (what the left views as) negative social forces (such as poverty, racism, drug and alcohol abuse, and weapon proliferation / gun culture) then the puppets will dance a dance of misery and death.
Therefore, it is (from the “Blank Slate” left-wing point-of-view) the role of government not merely to keep the peace and see that people obey the law. It is also the role of government to enact numerous social programs that will attack and attempt to suppress anything that the left has identified as a negative social force.
The left has identified gun ownership and gun culture as a negative social force in much the same way that they identified alcohol as a negative social force a century ago. Their solution is the same: Prohibition.
Therefore, when those on the left support gun control, they are not acting out of irrational fear and hatred of firearms. Their program of gun control is calm and rational and is based upon their “Blank Slate” world-view of humans and human society. Their actions only seem illogical, irrational and driven by hatred, to gun-rights supporters, because (as a general rule) we do not share the lefts “Blank Slate” view of humanity.
The latest information about the man who shot at Zimmerman:
http://news.yahoo.com/shooter-fixated-george-zimmerman-police-report-says-153412039.html
Mas, the wife and I were in Alaska on a boat cruise some years ago and took several side trips by small float planes. It is truly beautiful. If I were 30 years younger I would be packing my bags right now.
TN_MAN,
My belief is that liberals believe in the “blank slate” intellectually, but my experience tells me that emotionally TW is right about how they FEEL.
From the age of nine till twelve I loved reading books about war. At age thirteen I saw the horrible things that can happen to very young men in war, and it scared me. I loved Rock ‘n ‘ Roll. I used to look at the Vietnam vets and I had great respect for their courage. But when I saw those crew cuts they wore, they just didn’t look as cool as the Rock stars with their hair down past their shoulders. Soldiers experienced pain. Rock stars experienced exciting music, girls screaming for them, and making millions of dollars. So, I turned from the study of war to the study of music. Rock ‘n’ Roll symbolized pleasure. The military symbolized pain.
I can remember being a teenager and thinking about owning a gun. I was a little fun-loving and crazy, but not evil. Sometimes I feared I might get mad at people and use the gun irresponsibly, like a mass shooter. Also, owning a gun makes suicide really easy. When I finally became a gun owner at age 37, I now had the power to make those evil fantasies come true. Of course, this power sobered me right up, and thoughts of murder or suicide horrify me. I also have the ability to think through the consequences of my actions. I have met people who also fear if they get a gun in their hands they will do bad things with it. I guess they have seen too many movies.
I was once at The Sunset Hill Shooting Range in Henryville, PA. A man had brought his teenage daughter to try shooting, along with others. She observed me firing a S&W 500 revolver with a big grin on my face. Her Dad asked her to stand up and shoot a gun, not that revolver, probably a .22LR. She fainted right there. We had to help her revive. I believe she was afraid of guns and could not imagine herself holding that deadly power in her hands. I told her father to start her out with archery.
I’ve invited many co-workers to shoot guns. Most are polite to me, but in the end they don’t show up. They admit their fear of guns. Intellectually I think your argument for the “tabula rosa” has merit. But I still think TW was right about the fear many people have with tools associated with death, blood, pain and really LOUD BANGS!!! Can’t you both be right?
TN_MAN , you took a simple one paragraph subject and wrote a novel !
My friend was attacked by a man who was swinging a 4 or 5 foot long 2X4, the end of which was festooned with nails. Had my friend been unarmed he would have become dead. The “I’m better than you are because I don’t need a gun” crowd may or may not be firearmophobic, whatever but the Boy Scouts got it right, “Be Prepared”.
Old Fezzywig – You make a valid point. All humans have an emotional side as well as an intellectual side. I did not mean to imply that hoplophobia does not exist at all. No doubt, there are people who have had a traumatic experience with firearms and, by transference, now view firearms with horror. For example, I believe that Gabrielle Giffords now suffers from true hoplophobia due to the horrible Tucson incident.
However, the intellectual side is more dangerous because it is more reasoned and more enduring. My fear is that, by focusing on the emotional side of the gun control debate, we will end up underestimating the intellectual power of the gun control movement.
Consider for a moment that, when the left identified alcohol as a negative social force, they ripped America apart for decades with their Prohibition movement. Thousands of Americans died or were imprisoned. Even today, much of organized crime traces its roots back to the Prohibition era.
When the left identified poverty and capitalist greed as negative social forces and Marx proposed Communism as the “cure”, the world was plunged into warfare and revolution for decades and hundreds of millions of people died. More than a century later Communism still exists and is but slowly dying.
So, based upon this past history of left-wing “fixes” of negative social forces, when the left identifies firearm ownership / gun culture as a negative social force and proposes the “fix” of gun control, we should be afraid. We should be very afraid!
It is the intellectual “Blank Slate” ideology of gun control that is the real danger to our freedoms rather than the “gut reaction” of a few anti-gun nut jobs.
Lew, I haven’t looked at the Boy Scouts’ “Boys Life” magazine for about half a century. I wonder if “Triggernometry” still holds its place, as a recent Web report said that the Boy Scouts have even banned squirt guns. I will check on that. Makes we wonder about the current status of “Be Prepared,” though. My late Scoutmaster, named Louie, was a brown-shoe soldier from Korean War days who trained Scouts along the lines of soldiers. He taught us both .22 rifle and shotgun, as well as cover and concealment, plus first aid. We even learned to triangulate rifle sights. We had a 1919-or-so water-cooled .30 caliber machine gun (ready for riot control in TX, Mas!), and four ’03-A3 Springfield bolt actions. Louie’s training saved the lives of all of us but one in our later, military years. The best of preparation. God bless Louie.
TN_MAN said: “More than a century later Communism still exists and is but slowly dying.”
I have to take exception to that statement, because Communism is making great inroads toward subverting our Constitutional Republic.
Hanza – I can see your point, Certainly, there is a segment of the hard left that still clings desperately to the idea of Communism and still tries to expand it.
My impression, however, is that Communism (worldwide) is on the decline. Neither Russia nor China can be considered to be “True” Communist States (in the Marxist sense) anymore. North Korea has become a dictatorship. Even in Cuba, Communism will probably fade once the Castro brothers totter into their graves.
Radical Islam has replaced Communism as the major (expanding) dangerous ideology in the modern world.
Although it’s a tangential topic I just want to say that while TN_MAN’s take on the anti-gun left makes sense to me it’s far from negating the reality of hoplophobia. There are of course various levels of phobias, but we all know from futile attempts at reasoning with the antis that many of their responses are purely irrational and emotional in nature. Most haven’t thought things through and are blind to their true motivations. Sometimes this can be said of us pro-gun folks too.
There IS a political and ideological agenda behind the anti-gun movement, one that’s calculating and cynical, and not to be underestimated, but the ‘troops’ are largely unaware of it. And those are the people who make threatening comments towards Zimmerman, oblivious to the irony. They remind me of the French comedian Guy Bedos when he used to exclaim, “A little compassion! A little sympathy! A little understanding! …For ME!” The thing is, the moment a man arms himself, in the eyes of the antis he becomes evil and loses all rights to claims to victimhood (the ultimate protected status). This is why no empathy is ever spared for cops or armed citizens by those who so believe they have a monopoly on the moral high ground.
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