The Trayvon Martin Shooting

I’ve been sort of watching the Trayvon Martin case from the sidelines.

My initial impression was a black teenager named Trayvon Martin was challenged and gunned down by an over reaching neighborhood watch member named George Zimmerman.

The initial information was that Zimmerman, after making a call to 911, tracked Martin despite being told by the 911 operator to back off and let a patrol car which was on the way handle the situation. Exactly how things deteriorated into violence wasn’t all that clear. The initial impression given by the reports was that Martin took a “dim view” of Zimmerman tracking him and Zimmerman opened fire. Note that the definition of “dim view” was always a tad hazy.

In any event, Zimmerman struck me as a potential poster child for gun restrictions. Sort of a “would you want this idiot to have a gun” kind of approach.

As additional information leaks out, it’s beginning to look as if “dim view” may have been a physical confrontation with Martin decking Zimmerman and proceeding to bag his head on the sidewalk. Zimmerman then shot Martin in self defense or so the story goes. Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” statute might well allow for deadly force in such a situation.

In the meantime Martin’s mother is trade marking phrases with Trayvon in them such as “Justice for Trayvon” and “I am Trayvon.” Perhaps I’m naïve, but one would think that would about the last thing on her mind. I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this one.

I think I will reserve judgment until I have more information.