To those who refuse to admit Zimmerman was profiling.

[WingDinger]

No, I am not only talking about Trayvon being black, imagine Trayvonica is walking home after getting candy and soda. And a strange man follows her. Chases on foot and confronts. Ludicrous? Why?

Why do we allow a girl to fight for her life against a stalker, and not a boy? Would we assume that trayvonica was the aggressor, in the absence of another eyewitness? Would we assume Trayvonica will just grow up to be a thug?

[Little Star]

1. Another good point! k&r

[freshwest]

2. Very good point, but I'd already made that connection. NO ONE should put up with this.

[HereSince1628]

3. In some sense EVERYONE who says... 'he/she/that' doesn't belong here is profiling

The assessment that something doesn't belong is by definition a comparison to a 'profile' of the hes/shes/thats which represent what does belong.

Consequently, since Zimmerman identified Trayvon as someone who didn't belong there it reasonably follows that Zimmerman used some manner of profile to reach that decision. I think the notion that some sort of profile was involved is inescapable.

[Life Long Dem]

4. Zimmerman was following Trayvon and not stalking him.

[WingDinger]

6. Would you say that if it was a fourteen year old girl?

What if Trayvon was mentally ?

The stupidest thing about Zimmerman is, once you are made, as evidenced by Trayvon asking if Z is following him, any thoughts of burglary, or any other plan, would be put at least on hold. So, his further chasing trayvon served no purpose but to make Zimmerman feel macho. There was some utility in letting a suspicious character see you. that is where the utility ended.

[Rex]

5. It will come out in trial as evidence that he chased down the kid

and murdered him I really cannot see how that will not happen.

[ZombieHorde]

7. If Zimmerman wasn't profiling, then he would have stopped everyone that walked by.

Unless of course Martin was doing something that seemed suspicious, such as looking in people's windows.

I know you are probably using the word for the sake of sophistry, but "stalking" requires repeated acts. A man following you may be scary, but it is not stalking.

[bemildred]

9. There is another meaning:

1. Pursue or approach stealthily: "a cat stalking a bird".

The general idea being stealthy pursuit.

Which I think was the intended one, given that the two parties did not know each other , and the implication of hunting clear.

[ZombieHorde]

10. In the version I heard, Zimmerman was being confrontational, not stealthy.

Hunting is a good metaphor, but may not describe Zimmerman's actual thoughts at the time.

[bemildred]

16. Well, whether "hunting" is the proper metaphor or not is arguable.

And in fact here we are arguing about it. I have not come to any conclusion about that, probably will not until the trial is done and we have (hopefully) the evidence from that to consider.

[WingDinger]

11. Further, trayvon asked pointedly, as he passed Z's truck window, ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?

NO, was the reply. Then, Z continued the pursuit. that is a pattern, and makes further suspicion of wrongdoing that night moot.

[ZombieHorde]

14. I agree that following people like that can be very creepy,

and Martin was right to be concerned about Zimmerman, but stalking has a very specific legal meaning.

[MADem]

13. That was the context that came to mind for me, as well. I wasn't thinking about the TV Movie

meaning of the word, which is a much more recent definition in the general lexicon, where some person--often some poor woman who is fixated upon by a nefarious fellow-- is getting creeped out because she keeps thinking someone is tracking her movements, looking at her phone records, breaking into her computer to discover her whereabouts, etc., over time.

[bemildred]

17. I always try to construe things so they make sense first, if I can.

Glad to have that strategy confirmed.

[earth trine]

8. Please...

Don't give anyone any ideas for names: "Trayvonica"

[msongs]

12. well it is a variaton on the name of a MAN after, tag on an "a" to identify as a woman

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. I feel that race IS the underlying factor!

If the roles were reversed and Trayvon were white, these people would be singing a different tune!!

[ZombieHorde]

18. Extremely likely for the US. nt