There was no winner of the fight that dark, rainy night in Sanford. Only degrees of losing.
When the President and the galaxy of movie stars extended their condolences to the Martin family after the verdict, we heard from them no sympathy for the defendant and his family. George Zimmerman’s life has been horribly and irreparably changed. We learn that a divorce is in progress, something not uncommon after traumas like what he and his family were put through. His loved ones at various times have been in hiding, subjected to the same death threats as George Zimmerman. The guy gets a warning for speeding in Texas and a ticket for 15 MPH over in Florida, and each time it’s national news. When I heard of the latter on CNN radio, they thought it important enough to announce it ahead of the suicide of Ariel Castro, a genuine monster of our time, which occurred in the same news period.
Trayvon Martin’s family has suffered the loss of a seventeen-year-old, his life wasted twice over. He threw it away himself on that February night – dealing drugs, planning beatings, and negotiating to illegally buy guns according to his own digital records, his liver ravaged already at seventeen by his drug abuse according to the autopsy – when he suffered a sudden, acute, and fatal failure of his victim selection process.
His father had supposedly put an association with the Crips street gang behind him and was gainfully employed as a truck driver, and his mother was a government employee with a Masters degree. The dad loved him enough to take him in when the mom had enough tough love for him to kick him out, and the stepmother for most of his life (who was, for the most part, excluded from the media narrative) loved him too. Supervision and intervention did not come in time to save Trayvon Martin from his own violent tendencies.
The second waste of his life is being witnessed now. His mom is on the talk circuit calling for an end to Stand Your Ground laws, which any honest and competent legal analyst could tell her had nothing to do with her son’s death. It would do much more good, and perhaps save the lives of young men across the spectrum of the color lines, to hear this woman speak of the importance of seeing what’s in your son’s cell phone and on his Facebook page before homicide investigators have to do it.
Will there be a civil suit? Very probably. I would expect plaintiff’s counsel to wait to file it until there’s some money there. I predict substantial settlements of George Zimmerman’s lawsuits against the networks whose minions deliberately libeled him, whether or not he ever signs a lucrative book contract, but as soon as deep pockets are there I expect to see vultures circling. Perhaps a Florida Statute 776.032 hearing will ward that off, if it takes place in front of a judge with the courage to do the right thing. Time will tell.
The much bally-hooed Federal investigation under Eric Holder, to see if Zimmerman violated Martin’s civil rights? Inconveniently for both the media and the Administration, that has already been done by a horde of specially-assigned FBI agents, all of whom reported absolutely no indication of racism or malice on Zimmerman’s part. If you’ll forgive vernacular, “they got nothin’.” But of course, that was true of the case Angela Corey brought against him, and it didn’t stop that travesty from taking place.

1 COMMENT

  1. It is frustrating that in our time the people responsible for upholding the law bend or even break to satisfy the relentless hounding of an innocent man by the media. It is even more frustrating that only one side of the story gets told. The very informative discussion in parts 1-18 found here in this blog do not routinely make it into mainstream media. A pity, really, that the reasonable points and observations by Mr. Ayoob are only appreciated by those following these articles, and not by the uninformed majority of citizens who are only tuning in to the cable/ off-the-air TV networks or reading newspapers who only report one side of the story. Regardless, kudos to Mr. Ayoob for this series on the TM/GZ case. There are many lessons-learned that those who advocate concealed carry can use in the future if they are involved in a self-defense situation.

  2. Hey Massad Ayoob… FUCK YOU – Zimmerman’s getting far less than he deserves for killing an unarmed tenn as he should be Rotting In Hell!

  4. [His mom is on the talk circuit calling for an end to Stand Your Ground laws]

    I just returned from a Dream Defenders article. It amazes me that folks think:
    1. The justice system is biased against people of color and needs to be reformed to be more fair.
    2. Stand your ground laws need to be repealed so there is a duty to retreat and people who defend themselves are guilty until they can prove themselves innocent.

    If prosecutors are using their discretion to tip the scales against people of color, why on earth would anyone want to give those prosecutors more discretion?

  6. As a writer who has done a bit with the Martin-Zimmerman case, this series should be required reading for defense attorneys, investigators and especially prosecutors and judges, as well as armed citizens.

    Job well done Mas.

  7. My heart goes out to George Zimmerman. His life has been forever changed. And I’m not just talking about the potential civil lawsuits and threats to his life. What I’m talking about is the psychological side of having gone though act of having something to do with someone dying. I remember being in the LF1 Class with Mas in June of 2009, when Andy Brown, told his story of having to take down a monster who was systematically slaughtering people on an air Force Base in Spokane, WA. If you read the accounts of his actions, Andy is truly a hero. But to hear him speak of it, even years later he was finding himself asking what if’s, because of those he couldn’t save. And how even among his friends, he was treated differently. He has had to live his life very alone due to having been in this situation.

    Now take George Zimmerman, where so much of the media tries to demonize him, he has to re-live the memories of that night. Who can he confide his feelings with? He must constantly live on guard, from those who would twist his current actions to somehow indicate he is anything but a man who fought to save his own life.

  8. I sent GZ a hand-written letter in which I volunteered to help as a bodyguard. I haven’t heard from him. He might be better off just moving to Switzerland. America has become the land of smart machines and stupid people.

  9. “George Zimmerman’s life has been horribly and irreparably changed.”

    Yes, and as evidenced by the events of today (9/9/13), is now in self-destruct mode.

    And yet your comments here, while accurate as to the effects on the involved parties, in no way reflect a comprehensive assessment of the “aftershocks” of this case in a much broader and instructive sense.

    That, it is hoped, will come in the much-anticipated “epilogue: lessons learned”.

  10. I’ve been seeing reports that the UN is 1)pushing the administration for Holder to get civil rights charges against Zimmerman and fast. 2) demanding obama get rid of all stand your ground laws especially in Florida.

    They need to keep their collective noses out of our business.Of course it would help if obama would do the same.

  11. The aftershock for George Zimmerman will largely be written by George Zimmerman.

    I don’t know what, if any, is true of the latest story of George threatening his wife and punching his father in law. But George certainly should realize the media will continue to make up or distort events for their own agenda.

    George must avoid being in situations where the media can put him in a negative light. If this requires placing distance between himself and his probably soon to be ex wife, then George should do this and not look back.

  12. WT has it pretty much right on the beam. I personally have had a belly full of the race baiting on both sides who make a living off the racial strife. I personally have never done anything to promote racism but then again I can trace my ancestors back to the 1st Illinois Volunteers that fought in the Civil War to erase slavery. I wonder how many generations the race baiting S.O.B.s can truthfully trace their heritage back that far. This whole TM/GZ drama is a progressive, liberal, wet dream in which a poor, black, teenage boy (aka a south Florida street thug whose mother had given up on him) was executed by a Spanish Nazi named ZIMMERMAN (a legally permitted concealed carry, neighborhood watch captain with a history of helping blacks) for eating skittles in a white, gated neighborhood. The facts and evidence be damned! This whole situation was escalated to the level of the Nuremberg Trials by the most decisive Presidential Administration (aka DOJ) and their liberal media lapdogs in the history of this country. For the most part, the State of Florida rolled over and permitted it to happen. None of the parties involved will ever live “normal” lives again. All parties, on both sides, will be required to demonize the other in pursuit of their own political goals with little or no regard for the one more body on the pile of racial strife. I guess it doesn’t matter because that body pile is so high now what does one more matter. When are the adults of this country going to wake up and shout down the demigods on both sides or do we continue with the body count??

  13. Yes, it would do more good, and maybe save more lives, if the parents, while making the rounds of the talk shows, would give some sound advice about learning from their mistakes. The importance of properly supervising your children, checking their cell phones and social media. They could advise kids to stay in school, stay off of drugs, and not to go around acting like a thug. But then, that would mean taking some responsibility, which is harder than playing the victim. Besides, the media would not be interested in such a message. They are exploiting this tragedy to promote their agenda. For example, USA Today, in an editorial, said something to the effect of, “The case is controversial, but one fact is not open to question: if Zimmerman had not had a gun, Trayvon would still be alive.” I suppose they will run an editorial saying, “Thank goodness Delbert Belton and Fannie Gumbinger did not have guns. Somebody might have gotten hurt.” But then, those cases are getting relatively little coverage. The MSM are more interested in Zimmerman getting a traffic ticket.

  14. Yes, WT, this blog has been a breath of fresh air. Frank, no BS talk from Mas, as usual, and quite a few solid comments that I really appreciated after the nauseating trial, TV commentaries and clueless opinions from people I encounter daily. Thank you all.

  15. Nostradamus2K, I see this is your first post here. Contrary views are welcome, but you need to keep the foam off your mouth. Save the F-bombs for quotes or when you can use them more meaningfully than as internet graffiti. You might also do a little research: a guy banging your head into concrete or reaching for a gun (yours) doesn’t gain unarmed status.

    TWW, you asked what you were missing. Significant liver damage at 17 is serious.

  16. I should have written this sooner: Thank you so much Mas for the EXCELLENT analysis contained in this multiple part series.

    Sincerely,

    John Mohan
    Chicago, IL

  17. Mas, though there’s no reason for you to care, I had almost lost faith in what I had always considered your prudence and good advice on self defense and I truly feel relieved by your first paragraph of this commentary. Though we disagree on some of the details and implications, what you say there is the ultimate lesson to be learned from this event: there were no winners.

    Thank you, Mas, for this thoughtful series and the opportunities for discussion which it has provided.

  18. Nostradamus2k, Since you have revealed your sexual preference I feel you have landed on the wrong blog site. Backwoods Home is a magazine/web site dedicated to self reliance. Mas is a respected expert on weapons, self defense, and law connected with that subject. May I suggest the backwoods site you are searching for will include the keywords canoe, guitar and dueling banjos.

  19. Nostradamus2k,

    I see an error in your post. TM was not a “tenn”, he was a “fla”.

    I dont suppose you will pay attention to this, but Ill give it a go-

    Martin was armed with a concrete sidewalk and MMA – practiced fists.

    Zimmerman’s previous actions, whether well-thought out or not, led to a situation where he was in dire peril. The law is very clear from state to state, – if someone is sitting on you while slamming your head into a sidewalk, you are clearly, in the words of the Texas statute, PC 9.32 (a) ” a person is justified in using deadly force against another:… (2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary : (A) to protect the actor against the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force…”

    The Florida statute is quite similar.

    Zimmerman’s head was slammed into a sidewalk, several times. This can produce skull facture, concussion, permanent brain damage, loss of consciousness, death. “Concrete head-slamming” is certainly “deadly force”. Martin’s slamming Zimmermans head into the pavement was “unlawful”.

    Farfetched to fear “headslamming” ? An El Paso, Texas, cop was killed just this way in 2012. He was killed by a teenager. This teenager was unarmed.

    Zimmerman was certainly in “reasonable” fear of his life.

    Martin was a violent thug who made a fatal error in his victim selection process.

    I hope you will consider the facts and the law before you attack our host and those who have paid attention to the facts and the law.

    GKT

  20. I do hope that George Zimmerman survives the aftermath.

    Mas – Thank you for your insightful commentary on the case, and also for your humanity which extended towards all parties involved.

    I personally think that you’re cutting Nostradamus2k far more slack than he(?) deserves. But as you have said on previous occasion, when it comes to this blog you’ve always regarded yourself and your opinions as fair game.

  21. Massad, I have been following your blog here for a few years now. I have to say your analysis of this case is spot on. In this installment and from the beginning. Anytime Zimmerman gets a speeding ticket will be national news. I am writing from Illinois, not Chicago, but what seems like a peaceful suburb. Yet about a month ago a clerk at a gas station was killed for a few hundred dollars about two miles away from my house. They are still working out procedures to get concealed carry permit here. (Being of course the last state to somewhat comply withe the constitution as forced by a federal appellate court.) Great work, please keep writing on gun freedom issues.

  22. Nostradamus2k, you need to leave this country and go somewhere where you and others like you can live in whatever peaceful utopia you think you’re entitled to. Have you forgotten what made our country what it is? It was from the barrel of a gun that we earned our freedom. Thugs and criminals understand little else than lethal force. If you think TM was unarmed, you are sadly mistaken. It sounds to me like you need to think before you speak. You don’t attack someone who is as credible as Mas. You’re stupid.

  23. How George Zimmerman conducts himself in the future will reflect on those of us who have concealed carry permits. Is this fair? No, but who said life is fair.

    I hope George realizes the media is still out to get both him and conceal carry permit holders in general. As well, George needs to remember life is not fair and that a lot of protecting yourself does not involve weapons or physical confrontations.

    The full story and consequences of this event are yet to be written. So I hope George thinks many times before he acts. And some respect for a woman who stood by him through this ordeal is in order.

    George will probably be in civil court at a later date where the standard of evidence is lower. It was an all woman jury that found George not guilty. Jury selection by O’Mara was a master stroke in my opinion.

    Women will probably be on the jury of George’s upcoming civil trials. A little respect for the woman who stood by him will go a long way in influencing the opinions of George in the minds of those potential jurors.

    Or in the words of a famous Italian, the appearance of virtue is more important than virtue. That is life, call it fair or unfair, as you will.

  24. nostradamus2k, you are way out of your league here, now go wash your potty mouth out, then go to your room and finish playing with your s-(blocks)