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Debate Info

52
66
Absolutely Self Defense
Debate Score:118
Arguments:102
Total Votes:120
Ended:01/01/15
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 Absolutely (48)
 
 Self Defense (52)

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Did George Zimmerman Do Anything Wrong?

George Zimmerman is on trial for murdering Trayvon Martin.  His argument is that he was forced to shoot Trayvon in self defense.  Without going into whether Zimmerman should be found guilty or innocent, do you think that Zimmerman did something wrong that night?

Absolutely

Side Score: 52
VS.

Self Defense

Side Score: 66
Winning Side!
2 points

He probably did something wrong at some point. Something illegal? Doesn't seem like it.

Side: Absolutely
1 point

I agree with that, but he created a situation where he killed someone. Since he didn't have to create that situation, it was kind of illegal.

Side: Absolutely
1 point

Zimmerman should have stayed at his car when the police dispatcher told him not to follow Trayvon. The whole thiing would have been avoided. Plus, I think Zimmerman physically confronted Trayvon causing him to act in self defense.

Side: Absolutely
1 point

The police dispatcher specifically told him to stay in his vehicle. He ignored her and now he's on trial for murder. He didn't leave his vehicle because he saw Martin breaking into a house; Zimmerman just wanted to be 'badass of the week'. It backfired on him and he ended up killing a kid who got spooked because a stranger was following him.

He doesn't deserve to be in prison for the rest of his life, but he does deserve manslaughter at the least.

Side: Absolutely
1 point

What if the dispatcher only told him that it was not necessary to follow him? Does that change anything? I am with you, and I say no.

Side: Absolutely
1 point

Not really. He's not a cop; he's a wannabe. He should have stayed in his car and waited to see what Martin was going to do.

Side: Absolutely
1 point

George Zimmerman absolutely did do something wrong. He defied the advice of the 911 dispatcher and decided to play tough cop with someone in his neighborhood. Now that someone is dead and "Officer Zimmerman" regrets all the bad mistakes he made that day.

Did Zimmerman do something wrong? Yes . . . and it's something he will never be able to escape wherever he goes, free man or not.

Side: Absolutely

He could have stayed in his vehicle and avoided this whole thing easily. He could drive away or anything. Instead he pursued the boy. He killed him. He obviously wanted to kill him. It was a point blank shot to the chest. He could have shot him anywhere else.

Side: Absolutely

He provoked trayvon, trayvon fought back, although george zimmerman had to defend himself but he started it and should've been brought up on charges

Side: Absolutely

Trayvon had the option to run away. But that's not what he did, is it ;)

Side: Self Defense
Cartman(18192) Disputed
1 point

That possibly isn't true. Zimmerman clearly wanted to make sure that Trayvon was around when the cops showed up. "These guys keep getting away", so maybe Trayvon needed to subdue Zimmerman to get away. In the course of stopping Zimmerman from attacking him he was shot.

Side: Absolutely

Trayvon already proved that he was stronger and wiry. He could have gotten away from fat Zimmerman.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57592714/mexico-takes-title-of-most-obese-from-america/

;)

Side: Absolutely
1 point

If that was the case then Zimmerman showed incredible restraint by not having his gun drawn from the beginning. He had no way to know if martin had a gun or knife. Yet, you want us to believe he would have tried to subdue him physically rather than to hold him at gunpoint?

You are making a better case for the idea that Martin jumped Zimmerman and not the other way around.

Side: Self Defense
1 point

Can you explain why when Trayvon had an opportunity to run and he beat someone up it is not ok, but when Zimmerman had an opportunity to run away and he shot someone it is ok?

Side: Self Defense

When did Zimmerman have a chance to run? When Trayvon attacked him and was sitting on top of him?

Side: Self Defense
1 point

There were witnesses that saw Treyvon mashing Zimmerman's head into the ground, but Zimmerman SHOULD HAVE BEEN WEARING IDENTIFICATION! Treyvon Martin obviously thought Zimmerman was stalking him! I hope neighborhood watch group I.D. is the one good thing that will come out of this case.

Side: Self Defense
Cartman(18192) Clarified
1 point

Is it possible that Zimmerman did something wrong leading up to him getting smashed in the head?

Side: Absolutely

This debate is not set up right. He did do something wrong but he did act in self defence. He should of listen to the cop and should have addressed himself to Trayvon. Trayvon thought he was a sex offender or something of the sort and attacked him in self defence. Zimmerman thought he was being attacked and he was. So really nether of them where in the wrong.

Side: Self Defense