This whole situation so upsets me.

I see both sides of this story and know the truth lies somewher in an area that probably neither side really wanted to go.

I have lived across the USA and too many people are living in constant fear that thugs, drug dealers, gang bangers and bigots are taking over.

Kids run in cliques/teams/packs/ gangs, call it what you like, sometimes because they want to but too often because there is saftey in numbers and little respect that ANYONE is living by anything but the law of the jungle even in small towns.

Most of us have little real respect for police officers and their ability to fairly defend us when it gets right down to it. Most of us have had at least one run in with an officer that was rude at best and abusive if not full of excuses about why they can not enforce the law or what we think the laws are.

Sad part is it seems the only people that really are guaranteed protection are the criminals. Victims have to pay for their own attorneys, investigators, and in many cases protection if they survive the initial crime. Citizens can't go down and report a crime and be guaranteed that anything will be done.

I don't think there are clean hands on either side of this story.

This law that they claim allows self protection has a lot of holes in it and invites abuse and tradgedy. I think it encourages people who are already scared to think they can interpret self defense much more widley than really exists.

I think Zimmerman was already angry or he would not have been out after dark, carrying a weapon, running down a person the size of an adult and challengeing his right to be on a public area even if he felt it was "his" neighborhood and the person did not belong. There are several things that suggest he had a problem with boundries and keeping his temper in check. How he got a gun permit makes me wonder and i find it hard to believe anyone actually authorized him to be doing a neighborhood watch.

While I get the concept of neighborhood watch the operative word is to watch not try to be a wanna be cop and trying to question, harrass, detain, or arrest anyone or most especially use deadly force. While a lot of people think he is going to skate on this I think if he does not have a massive legal team researching, documenting, and argueing his side it is likely that he will end up in jail or at least being sued civally and eiter are going to trash his and his families life.

Especially from where it appears he was directly told to desist and let those who are trained handle it. For all intents and purposes he has trashed his life and even if he does not find himself charged he will will have to look over his shoulder the rest of his life. The press will never let this drop and some nut case will probably compound what is already a disaster.

Should a 17 year old, even a less than angelic teen, give up his life because someone does not like his look? Or tried to defend himself wheather verbally or physically from someone who is not clearly a police officer? No way. If someone came up on me in the dark you can bet your britches if all I have is a can of tea and a bag of skittles I am going to knock hell out of them and do my best to get away In reality I think Zimmerman bit off more than he could chew. This kid had no fear, or eveidrntly any supervision, keeping him from running the streets after dark by jimself and that misplaced bravado cost him his life. If it had not been Zimmerman it would sooner or later been someone else.

While I feel the parents pain I can not understand why they did not do exactlyu what I did with my teens which was to stand on their neck anytime they even tried to run the streets after twilight. And believe me that is not easy to do as a single parent much less as two parents who should have insisted that he be accompanied by an adult that had the self control and the common sense not to walk around dressed like a thug and not at least try to defuse the situation with a reasonable explanation of who they were and why they had a right to be doing what they were doing. My teens had jobs, an dates, and school activities of all sorts but I would not have dreamed of them going to a store for anthing at that time of night unaccompamied. And a kid who had been proved to have and attitude with authority? NO WAY.

My "kids".are in the second half of their thirties, Veterans and world tr4avelors and they still don't "stroll" around solo without and ID and a cell phone to get help. And no they don't knuckle under to every big mouth bully who trys to treat them like a second class citizwen because of the color of their skin or their age then or now but they had the common sense to defuse a situation from a distance.

To me it is a tradgedy that this teen had not been required to carry a cell phone and call 911 and report he was being followed or to go to a business or safe house if it meant that the parents had to get off their duff and go pick him up. I raised my teens and 20 somethings in the mean streets of Atlanta and I made a point of making sure that where ever they went people knew who they were and where they belonged. I had the legit neighborhood watch captains on a first name basis with my kids and they were not allowed to wear "thug" clothes no matter how much they thought they were cool. Was it fun checking behind my kids and being called a meanest Mom in the world, and worse, or have sullen teens pouting at times because I told them they would not cease to exist because they didn't go tto certain parties/hang out ect. like the other kids? Or yanking their priveleges when they "tested" the rules? Not really. At times it really felt like a forced march riding herd on them and keeping an eye on who they were friends with. It was embarrassing and aggravateing having even adults tell me how old fashioned I was when I was knocking myself out giving my kids every opportunity I could manage. Defintely was a drag staying up late making sure they were not sneaking out or stuck at home when they were gorunded. But it sure beats the alternative these parents are going through.

While they are blameing everyone else sooner or later they are going to have to face their part in this and I would not give them good odds of getting through this when the cameras go away and there are no more marches showing them sympathy. And the oportunist that are leading the marches will not bother to stand by them or help them once the headlines fade. Their pain will go on for a lifetime.

The studios probably figured the teens in the theater would be concentrating more on their texting and not paying attention to the acting on screen.

No, they do not want a nice guy. They want a good man. See, that's where they ( and you) are going wrong. Some people get it, some are still trying to figure it out.

That would have to hurt. Crazy b!tches.....

Of course they're lying! Remember when Obama made promises like having the troops home in 6 months, closing Guantanamo, uniting the country etc? An overwhelming majority of politicians lie their bottoms off to get elected or reelected.

I did go see Hunger Games... I was a bit disappointed. Was hyped up too much for the end result. I am glad I seen it.

Recently I was dateing someone and all signs were that things were good. Attentive, communicateing frequently, suggesting future plans I am thinking hey finally I have reason to be hopeful. Then BAM the Ex has a medical crisis and all bets are off if I don't want to look the other way while he plays "Hero" until she kicks him to the curb again. Any ideas why people do this? I can see why it is smart not to date someone who is still walking wounded but why do people trash theri current life to chase after something they say has been done for years? I thought it was unique to me but several gal pas have told me they have run into this also so wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the subject?

3 years and 3 months in office.

2 years with an overwhelming dumbocrat congress..

spending spending spending

lost our AAA credit rating.. the dollar is virtually worthless..

his financial reform plan has the banks bigger than they ever were.. making more money than they ever had..

go ahead blame Bush.. you are gonna lose real bad with this strategy..

Hmmm...something familiar: teens forced to fight each other to the death until only one remains...why does that sound so familiar? Oh yeah!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-T7yPJVvXw