Don't think this is how the "stand your ground law" works

[Guest profgunner]

You know if I were the father of a black teenager I would talk to him about playing to the "thug" stereotype. It is a fact (check the FBI statistics) that young black males commit a disproportionate amount of violent crime in our society. How many of us have seen the YouTube videos of armed robbers wearing hoodies with their pants sagging to the ground? To ignore this is folly, but of course most of us don't want to talk about it because we know we'll be called racists. Well we need to start talking about it. People act on fear. If you don't believe me, put on a Hells Angels jacket and stroll through your local WalMart.

[Guest profgunner]

For example

[mikegideon]

This is a great opportunity for the anti's to have their day. We just have to realize that there's some agenda mixed in with all of this.

[TMF]

I was in Kroger yesterday and counted three young black males wearing hoodies. I guess its possible that is the norm, but I never paid it much attention. With this story fresh in my mind I took note. I bet if I followed them all around the store that would have agitated them. Maybe if I continued and followed them home in my car that would have really put their radar up about me and perhaps have mentally prepared them to deal with me as a threat. Then maybe I get out of my car and close the distance with them. I would imagine that would provoke most reasonable people into conflict. I guess if I thought the were suspicious I should just call the police and keep my distance, just in case they just happen to enjoy wearing hoodies as he style.

BTW, I was able to do my shopping without shooting any of these young, hooded black males, but if I did I would expect you guys to blame their parents for not dressing more appropriately.

[QuietDan]

The hoodie is such a wonderful burglary tool and robbery fashion accessory.

Put the pistol and the loot in the big pockets. Wear a hoodie over your dropped pants and there's plenty of room for a pistol or other weapons, or shoplifted loot. Pull the hood up and hide your face from your victims and from the security cameras. Wear the same color and style and team logo as your thuggish friends and it's cheap gang colors. "Everyone wears them," so it makes you anonymous and hard to follow.

Wear a black one with black clothes and disappear in the darkness. The ultimate urban camouflage.

Walk around in a neighborhood not your own late at night in a dark hoodie and dark clothes with your thug buddies and it's essentially probable cause for the police to ask you what you're up to. You might as well wear a sign on your back that says "I am a bad-ass, don't mess with me or I'll kick your ass. You SHOULD be frightened of me. I'm intimidating you on purpose. And, by the way, I am up to no good. "

Of course, it's JUST a hoodie -- it's fashionable. All the kids wear them. Nothing to see here, move along, move along.

Don't talk about hoods being stereotyped and about how innocent they are.

Try wearing a White Hood in public and see what type of reaction you get.

Edited March 23, 2012 by QuietDan

[Guest profgunner]

I was in Kroger yesterday and counted three young black males wearing hoodies. I guess its possible that is the norm, but I never paid it much attention. With this story fresh in my mind I took note. I bet if I followed them all around the store that would have agitated them. Maybe if I continued and followed them home in my car that would have really put their radar up about me and perhaps have mentally prepared them to deal with me as a threat. Then maybe I get out of my car and close the distance with them. I would imagine that would provoke most reasonable people into conflict. I guess if I thought the were suspicious I should just call the police and keep my distance, just in case they just happen to enjoy wearing hoodies as he style.

BTW, I was able to do my shopping without shooting any of these young, hooded black males, but if I did I would expect you guys to blame their parents for not dressing more appropriately.

TMF - I don't think anyone is "blaming" the kids parents for allowing their son to wear a hoodie. All I am saying is that there IS a stereotype, and hoodies and sagging pants play right into it.

[mikegideon]

I don't pay attention to them when they're cutting thru my yard. The Mapco banned them because of what they saw on tape. Yes it's the style, especially among the thuggy types (and CNN reporters).

[Volphin]

The hoodie is such a wonderful burglary tool and robbery fashion accessory.

Put the pistol and the loot in the big pockets. Wear a hoodie over your dropped pants and there's plenty of room for a pistol. Pull the hood up and hide your face from your victims and from the security cameras. Wear the same color and style and team logo as your thuggish friends and it's cheap gang colors.

Wear a black one and disappear in the darkness.

Walk around in a neighborhood not your own late at night in a dark hoodie and dark clothes with your thug buddies and it's essentially probably cause for the police to ask you what you're up to. You might as well wear a sign on your back that says "I am a bad-ass, don't mess with me or I'll kick your ass. You SHOULD be frightened of me. I'm intimidating you on purpose. And, by the way, I am up to no good. "

Of course, it's JUST a hoodie -- it's fashionable. All the kids wear them. Nothing to see here, move along, move along.

Don't talk about hoods being stereotyped and about how innocent they are.

Try wearing a White Hood in public and see what type of reaction you get.

Thank you Dan. This is a very serious matter, but your post made me chuckle. White hood... lol

[raydog1]

You know if I were the father of a black teenager I would talk to him about playing to the "thug" stereotype. It is a fact (check the FBI statistics) that young black males commit a disproportionate amount of violent crime in our society. How many of us have seen the YouTube videos of armed robbers wearing hoodies with their pants sagging to the ground? To ignore this is folly, but of course most of us don't want to talk about it because we know we'll be called racists. Well we need to start talking about it. People act on fear. If you don't believe me, put on a Hells Angels jacket and stroll through your local WalMart.

Interesting. When you do a google image search for "hoodies" the overwhelming majority of models are preppy caucasians.

When did hoodie = black thug and why?

[QuietDan]

Interesting. When you do a google image search for "hoodies" the overwhelming majority of models are preppy caucasians.

When did hoodie = black thug and why?

Notice how it hides the jug ears:

CLEARLY UP TO NO GOOD!!

Edited March 23, 2012 by QuietDan

[raydog1]

Notice how it hides the jug ears:

CLEARLY UP TO NO GOOD!!

I call PHOTOSHOP

[TMF]

I stand corrected. Next person I see wearing a hoodie in my neighborhood and I'm stalking him. Hopefully I get me a chance to shoot me one before he rapes one of "our" women or brings down my property value.

[mikegideon]

I stand corrected. Next person I see wearing a hoodie in my neighborhood and I'm stalking him. Hopefully I get me a chance to shoot me one before he rapes one of "our" women or brings down my property value.

If it's Anderson Cooper, I don't think he'll be raping anybody's women.

[TripleDigitRide]

Try wearing a White Hood in public and see what type of reaction you get.

[daddyo]

There is nothing wrong with the SYG law, as some in the media are claiming. Zimmerman may have chosen to abuse or even ignore it, but that isn't an indictment of the law itself.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Depending on the final arguments, it may even give light to why SYG is a good thing.

With the latest trend with a "hoodie" argument, take it full bore and go the "racial profiling"

argument. That's the logical progression, isn't it? (sarcasm) I guarantee the political angle

is going to shift down there with a few bad actors on the scene.

[Guest 270win]

I don't care what the law says, retreating, if safe to do so, is always viewed better than staying in the middle of trouble that you can get away from. Pursuing someone is even worse than not retreating. There is a gap between the 911 calls and the shooting that we don't know about and has not been released.

I like to park far away from people at shopping parking lots because people are crazy. A confrontation is just not worth it.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Standing your ground is not confrontational. The confrontation already occurred.

[TMF]

If it's Anderson Cooper, I don't think he'll be raping anybody's women.

That Sir... is a good one.

[TMF]

Standing your ground is not confrontational. The confrontation already occurred.

Agreed. This will the new battle cry for the anti-gun crowds. I'm from Florida originally and can remember when Florida was passing all this legislation designed to protect citizens who defended themselves. Shortly after the SYG went through the libs put up a billboard at the Florida border which said "WARNING: Florida residents authorized to use deadly force" or something to that effect. I saw this on my way down from TN and thought that sign was actually put there by pro-SYG people as a way to deter criminals from choosing Florida as a crime haven. Turns out it was a feeble attempt by the bed wetters to undermine the tourism industry.

No matter how this pans out, you can bet that there will be a push to repeal, even though the law is probably not what emboldened Zimmerman. The law simply prevented police from arresting him on the spot, but it won't keep him from sitting in front of a jury.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

T

I don't care what the law says, retreating, if safe to do so, is always viewed better than staying in the middle of trouble that you can get away from. Pursuing someone is even worse than not retreating. There is a gap between the 911 calls and the shooting that we don't know about and has not been released.

I like to park far away from people at shopping parking lots because people are crazy. A confrontation is just not worth it.

Your first paragraph is a no-brainer. It is the last sentence that puzzles me. To me, it has more to do with

what is the cause of any confrontation and what you consider a confrontation to be. Just being in the

immediate vicinity doesn't mean there is one, and an act of aggression, either verbally or physically has

to take place for there to be any confrontation at all. I park like you do, however, and for the same reason,

but if someone confronts me with an act of aggression and I am in fear for my life, hopefully that never

happens, I will be forced to stand my ground if that's the only course available.

I don't want to hurt anyone.

[mikegideon]

T

Your first paragraph is a no-brainer. It is the last sentence that puzzles me. To me, it has more to do with

what is the cause of any confrontation and what you consider a confrontation to be. Just being in the

immediate vicinity doesn't mean there is one, and an act of aggression, either verbally or physically has

to take place for there to be any confrontation at all. I park like you do, however, and for the same reason,

but if someone confronts me with an act of aggression and I am in fear for my life, hopefully that never

happens, I will be forced to stand my ground if that's the only course available.

I don't want to hurt anyone.

Yeah. That .45 is too slow to hurt anybody real badly

[Tnscooter63]

http://www.examiner.com/charleston-conservative-in-charleston-sc/zimmerman-was-on-the-ground-being-punched-when-he-shot-trayvon-martin?fb_comment_id=fbc_10151431978755585_31657432_10151438564830585#f2873e7de69328e

Its not always what it seams and especially what the media shows.

[southernasylum]

http://www.examiner.com/charleston-conservative-in-charleston-sc/zimmerman-was-on-the-ground-being-punched-when-he-shot-trayvon-martin?fb_comment_id=fbc_10151431978755585_31657432_10151438564830585#f2873e7de69328e

Its not always what it seams and especially what the media shows.

Wow. I thought it was pretty clear that Zimmerman was in the wrong but after reading all of that I have to withhold judgment. I hope whatever really happened that justice is done. That's what I get for believing what I see on the news.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Nothing pretty clear about this case except the wrong people are becoming involved.