Is it Typical for Thugs like Zimmerman to Become "Neighborhood WAtch" persons ?

[JI7]

the guy has a history of violent attacks against other people. shouldn't that disqualify someone from claiming to be some enforcer of law or some shit ?

fucking scumbag thug. and how the fuck did he get a gun ?

how the fuck is a thug like that reporting on other people ? fucking thug.

[onehandle]

1. Yes. People who are fixated on guns, see themselves as authority or anti-authority.

Either way, the gun makes them tend towards self-election.

Guns make the aggressive more aggressive.

[spin]

16. That may be true in a very few cases ...

but I will point out that over 820,725 people who live in Florida have concealed weapons permits.

According to the Concealed Weapon or Firearm License Summary Report at the end of last month there were 928,638 currently valid concealed weapons permits that were issued by the state of Florida.
(source: http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/stats/cw_monthly.pdf)

The Concealed Weapon/Firearm License Holders by County report shows that 107,913 permits were held by those who live in different states.
(source: http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/stats/cw_active.pdf)

Now if what you suggest that if guns did "make the aggressive more aggressive", it would be logical that Florida would indeed be the "Wild West" imagined by Hollywood and there would be daily shootouts at intersections and at high noon on Main Street in many Florida towns. Indeed this was predicted by those who opposed "shall issue" concealed carry prior to the passage of the law in 1987. If you watch the recent news you would also believe that Florida is populated by people who are licensed to carry firearms and who walk around the streets looking for any opportunity to start a fight and blow someone away and claim self defense by using the recently passed "Stand Your Ground" law.

I found it interesting that The Guardian, a news source from the United Kingdom, did some research and found that justifiable homicides had increased in Florida since the "Stand Your Ground" law passed in 2005. This report was widely publicized in the U.S. as an example of why stand your ground laws are evil. However it could be pointed out that the report also mentioned that the crime rate in Florida fell after the passage of the law which the media here in the states largely ignored.

Rise in justifiable homicides linked to weak gun control laws

Harry J Enten, Gabriel Dance and Karen McVeigh in New York
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 5 April 2012 14.25 EDT

Rising numbers of civilian justifiable homicides across the US are closely linked to states with both weak gun controls and stand-your-ground laws, according to a Guardian analysis of FBI and other data, which show a 25% increase in such killings since the controversial self-defence laws started being introduced around 2005.

***snip***

In contrast, Florida, one of the states ranked worst for gun control laws by the Brady campaign, saw an almost tripling in the number of justifiable homicides between 2001 and 2005, when there were 66, to 2006 to 2010, when there were 180, according to data from Florida department of law enforcement. Florida's JH data was the only data included in the Guardian's analysis which did not come directly from the FBI.

***snip***

"In 2006, the rate of murders and non-negligent homicides (all the criminal homicides that the FBI counts) was 5.8 per 100,000 population; in 2010 (the most recent year for which data are available), the rate was 4.8 – a 17% decline in four years. The robbery rate also declined by an identical 17% over the same period, from 31.6 to 27.5."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/05/stand-your-ground-gun-control-data

Of course it might also useful to look at the legal definition of justifiable homicide: I almost suspect the the media actually believes that most people who read their articles are too uneducated to understand the meaning of the term.

justifiable homicide n. a killing without evil or criminal intent, for which there can be no blame, such as self-defense to protect oneself or to protect another, or the shooting by a law enforcement officer in fulfilling his/her duties. This is not to be confused with a crime of passion or claim of diminished capacity which refer to defenses aimed at reducing the penalty or degree of crime.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Justifiable+homicide

Interestedly the crime rate in Florida is at a 41 year low according to the highlights graph on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement homepage. http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/home.aspx

Perhaps this somewhat humorous but also somewhat outrageous portrayal of a fictional conversation between Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk sums up my response to your assertion best:

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. Yes, because ...

Just sitting on the HOA Board doesn't allow one to carry a gun!

[Rex]

3. It is called CYA. GZ was never a watch capitan or

told he could do patrols and carrying a gun was against the rules if you are out on watch patrol. It should be interesting to see what the FBI does with his case.

[Kingofalldems]

4. Uh oh

[slackmaster]

5. Yes, and the ones who are too old to walk around much end up on homeowner's association boards

the guy has a history of violent attacks against other people. shouldn't that disqualify someone from claiming to be some enforcer of law or some shit ?

He hasn't yet been convicted of any serious crime.

and how the fuck did he get a gun ?

He probably walked into a sporting goods store and bought it, just as you or I would.

[onehandle]

17. Gungeoneers to defense position!

Back, Back into your hole.

[slackmaster]

20. You obviously haven't read anything I've written about Zimmerman's moral responsibility

But your knee-jerk personal attack is consistent with the way you have always reacted to me. I live in a rational, objective world.

[cr8tvlde]

6. As I recall, the last Homeowner's Association Newsletter

... just before the murder ... named him as "their go to guy". I didn't see it personally, but they claim that he was not "officially" an employee or even an appointee, just a suggested resident they could contact. If this was in writing, the Martins, at some time, have a legitimate civil case against the HOA, I would think. Guaranteed they have lawyered up, and the sad part is that most Board Members on HOAs are doing it for free and as a service. In California, at least, a Board Member may be personally sued, as well as the Association. A very bad decision and not going to be pretty.

[jwirr]

12. Should have done a background check before they put his name in their newsletter. Same with the

police who trained him.

[d_r]

7. some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses

[grasswire]

8. interestingly, the state atty who recused himself is also on a HOA board

.....in his own neighborhood.

[Rex]

9. Ironic?

What is it with HOA boards? What is with the gunboat diplomacy?

[TBF]

10. Like any positions of authority -

you are going to attract some altruistic people with ideas that want to give back, but you will also attract folks who simply want power/control. I would wager a guess that a fair amount also become police officers.

[NightWatcher]

11. First they apply to be cops, then after failing that

They then apply to be TSA Agents. If they fail that, they'll apply to work in a jail. After that falls through, they end up as security guards.

When they can't get jobs controlling people they volunteer for these positions or they start carrying a concealed weapon around Walmart just waiting for something to go down.

I'm not any gun or anti carry. I've had a ccw for 12+ years.

[Solomon]

15. Bingo. I was about to write this but you already said

it. Don't forget the Sheriff's department. That's the next step if you can't make policeman.

[Blue_Tires]

13. He was studying Criminal Justice at the local JuCo

I think it's pretty clear he saw his "volunteer watch duties" as some kind of internship before filing his application with the local police force...

And what better way to get your application fast-tracked than nabbing a criminal in the act??

[xfundy]

14. Yes. Some thrive on situational authority.

They like being in a position to bully others.

ETA-spelling correction.

[shimonitanegi]

18. He wasn't an official neighborhood watch person.

If he was the official one, this tragedy would have never happened.
HOA appointed or self-appointed, it doesn't matter, he was a lone paranoid vigilante with a violent history and a loaded gun.

[backscatter712]

19. A lot of them become police officers.

See Chicago.