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I'm glad someone else is saying this, though (I would hate to be the only one).

We do need a vigorous discussion of HOW we will control gun possession, because IF we will control it should never have been made an open question. We are turning into the Wild, Wild West IMO and it is getting out of control. If anything, Mr. Cosby's remarks were remarkably restrained compared with my view of this situation. Mr. Zimmerman in particular should probably have been disqualified from owing a gun IMO because I do not think he is "all there." (You aren't supposed to be allowed to own a gun if you aren't "all there."

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Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!

Gideon, don't forget Stalin did the same thing, and in fact decided not to attempt invading the U.S. because he feared catastrophic losses from armed citizens.
Then I'm glad you aren't in control of the government!

I think you are overstating what Mr Cosby said:

"Cosby says the bigger question is what Zimmerman was doing with a gun, and who taught him how to behave with it."

Frankly, it's too early to be implying whether or not Zimmerman was mentally fit to carry a weapon and whether he was using the weapon for anything other than self-defense. I expect that will get sorted out in the courts. However, Cosby did not say all law abiding citizens should be disarmed. Also, I would be interested to see what percentage of the American people are opposed to the Second Amendment. My hunch is the vast majority support it...

I think you are right that the vast majority supports the second amendment. But that doesn't mean that the majority is monolithic in its opinion about what the second amendment really means.

Let's take assault rifles as an example. There are people whose primary reason for supporting the second amendment has to do with sports and hunting. For those people a ban on assault rifles, or restricting them to carefully controlled rifle ranges is no big deal. They might worry about a slippery slope, but they don't worry directly about having to hunt without an assault rifle.

There are people whose primary support for the second amendment has to do with personal protection in situations where the police won't be on the scene until it's too late. This includes armed guards at a bank. It might also include George Zimmerman while he was out making his rounds. Those people don't need assault rifles either. In the context of this discussion, it's interesting to note that George Zimmerman had stepped outside the rules laid down by the neighborhood watch group he was supposedly acting with.

There are some people whose primary support of the second amendment is based in the idea that armed insurrection is the last line of defense for the people, if the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government all conspire to deprive people of their essential liberty. Insurrection is a lot like warfare, and an assult rifle might be exactly what's needed for this purpose.

Now this last reason for having a second amendment might seem truly outrageous to most readers. Indeed, I myself don't think we are anywhere near the kind of national crisis where armed insurrection is even remotely appropriate. But you have to take into account that the folks who passed the second amendment were thinking somewhat along these lines.

It's also worth recalling that, when the election of 1800 failed to produce a president, people began stockpiling weapons outside Washington DC, preparing for the eventuality that Congress would fail to resolve the cirsis. It's also worth noting that some "extreme preppers" include heavy weapons in their preparations.

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Not all those who wander are lost.

Wanted to post this article as an update to the discussion here. It is from ABC News.

Rather than quote from it, I'll just post the link to the whole article so you all can read it in its enirety.

Basically it is about Zimmerman's bond hearing, as well as a photo that has been released that shows cuts and blood on the back of Zimmerman's head, the photo supposedly taken minutes after the shooting occured.

ABC News

I want to read a little more on this before I comment any further.

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Until He Returns (Rev. 2:17),
Travis

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~George Orwell

I am nervous and angry about Zimmerman and his friends taking this precaution, rather than leaving it to the police to document evidence. It feels manipulative to me, and breathtakingly cold-hearted. He just killed someone, and he is worried about himself?

Really?!

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Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!

Assured, I was thinking along the same lines, although not quite as strongly as you are. Now what I am interested in is the relationship between Zimmerman and the person who took the photo. Are they strangers, aquainted, or possibly even friends? If it is found that they are friends, I will be more suspicious. If they are complete strangers, Zimmerman's case will have a little more credibility. What kind of witness will guy provide for Zimmerman, as well as other potential witnesses that may come forward and/or become public. We will find out eventually. However the media may try to spin this story, we won't know a large percentage of the facts until we hear them presented in the courtroom.

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Until He Returns (Rev. 2:17),
Travis

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~George Orwell

The potential relationship between them ( I am assuming they are friends, though) is exactly what bothers me.

Better to let the police handle it - there is no relationship at all.

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Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!

I completely agree.

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Until He Returns (Rev. 2:17),
Travis

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~George Orwell

Bless you!

Let's pray that the jury sees the REAL truth though, because I admit that I am too upset. (You are very tactful.)

Thank you for pointing out that we don't know the actual relationship. The police do, and the Prosecutor is going to tell the jury in that courtroom.

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Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!

But the prosecution has the duty of proving his guilt. Zimmerman has no legal burden to prove his innocence. That is why it is important for the media (and the People, through the media) not try and convict him before the trial even begins. We have little clippets of the whole body of facts in this case.

I hope the truth prevails in this case, even though the truth may not be comfortable for some (or many) on either side of this legal, yes, even social (in the eyes of some, anyway) battle.

_________________
Until He Returns (Rev. 2:17),
Travis

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~George Orwell

I guess other than the trial, the only thing that remains is the law itself. Governor Rick Scott has assembled a "task force" to look into fine-tuning the law. But certain lawmakers have been "shut out of the process," quoting from this link:

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/04/20/468444/half-the-lawmakers-on-florida-stand-your-ground-task-force-are-alec-members-all-supported-stand-your-ground/

Despite the strong showing by Stand Your Ground supporters and members of ALEC, opponents of the law appear to have been shut out by the selection committee. Local newspaper The Brandenton Herald reports:

Other Democratic lawmakers, including some from Trayvon’s hometown of Miami Gardens, expressed interest in serving on the task force as well, but were not selected or informed of a formal application process. Many of those lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully to pass gun control legislation in the past.

Does this seem dictator-like and draconian to anyone else? Or is it just me?

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Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!

Gun Control legislation? Yes it does.

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I am a stranger in a wicked and adulterous land. I look forward to returning home one day.

LOL!

Well, the two sides need to come together to compromise, and my fear is that Governor Rick Scott has only invited ONE SIDE to the table. Not only is that unfair, but I'm afraid that won't work out very well for them. The Justice Department will never be through investigating those people...

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Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!

For some situations compromise doesn't produce justice but only compounds injustice.

What if the truth is something between the two families version of events? Let the investigation play out. Get all the facts first.

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I am a stranger in a wicked and adulterous land. I look forward to returning home one day.