Exactly. I agree with you. The tragedy here is in the choices that were made, unfortunately. How many of us would confront a suspicious looking person? And if we were the suspicious person, how would we react to someone coming after us? It doesn't help that the truth has been twisted or not told here, leaving my head swimming as I try to figure this out. I haven't posted much because of my confusion. But you're right, this was about choice. George chose to go after Trayvon, and he chose to pull the trigger and take his life.
This didn't have to happen, no matter what Trayvon's background or problems may or may not be. Just because he might be troubled doesn't mean in that moment he wasn't trying to protect himself from a madman with a gun. I've seen this too often in other cases - people are judged on the their past actions insted of the situation being talked about. Poor Kronk paid the price for that in Caylee's case. People still think he murdered that poor baby when he had nothing to do with it except finding her body. So Trayvon was troubled - that it makes it okay that he lost his life? He asked to be shot and killed because of his past? He had no right to defend himself? I don't think so. And who knows what other things he might have experienced - maybe he was bullied at school, or maybe someone else thought he was suspicious and came after him before. There could be other explanations for whatever reaction he had to George coming after him with a gun. I'm not just going write Trayvon off as a mindless
who beat up George. That is not fair to him.
George also didn't have the right to become a vigilant. He doesn't get to choose who lives and who dies. He chose to pursue, and so he should take repsonsibility for his actions, not hide behind a law. Being on the neighborhood watch does not entitle him to become judge, jury, and executioner. He made a bad choice to pursue. Maybe he'll never do that again, I surely hope so. The fact is, nothing can make him look better or absolve him of what he did, not even a stand your ground law. His reputation will never be the same. I bet he'll never be asked to be on a neighborhood watch anymore. He went way beyond what he was supposed to do that night and took a life. That should weigh heavily on him. Instead, he doesn't want one ounce of responsiblity. That says a lot about him to me. I wouldn't want him free in my community to kill again. The thought that anyone could antagonize someone else, kill them, and then get away with it because of that stand your ground law is the scariest thing I've heard of in a long time.
A young life was lost here. A person chose to pursue this young man with a gun and kill him. I mourn the senseless loss of a life and cringe at the thought that the killer won't have to pay any consequences for it. What happened to truth and justice? It seems everyday both of those become smaller and smaller in this country, and that is the biggest shame of all.
