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• although it may have been self defence zimmerman never should have brought a gun on his neighborhood watch

• defense i meant duh

• You don't believe in the right to self-defense, but thank god the legislature does.

• It sure was a good thing Zimmerman had the gun so he could exercise his right of self-defense.The stupid thing is that that they're charging him for an obvious case of self-defense; that's a violation of his right of self-defense if he's prosecuted for exercising it without probable cause that it was improper-- and there isn't.Not a speck of valid evidence.This is just government in cahoots with criminals by prosecuting innocent people when they defend themselves against a vicious criminal attack.They want to railroad Zimmerman to make this look like a "Hate Crime" like the one in 2008 with the rednecks dragging a black man to death, to claim that you were just like them if you voted against Obama.NOW they're trying to say that if a black person attacks you then you DESERVE it, since if you defend yourself then it's a hate-crime; Obama didn't care about the crime Tryvone committed, he just calls him "the son he never had" without caring about the facts or the rights of the REAL victim.I hope Obama loses by more than ever.

• Gwendolyn,I do agree with a need for self defense, but you must admit that simply being brought to trial is not 'persecution.' I support gun rights more than anybody, but let us not confuse gun rights with partisan nonsense. Obama has nothing to do with this, regardless of the politically motivated comments he may have made.Unfortunately, the case is not obviously self defense, or he wouldn't have been brought to trial. Everyone has the right to a fair trial, let us let the judge or jury decide whether Zimmerman is innocent.

• So self defense is fine as long as you're not close to home? He was on the neighborhood watch, yes we understand. But how does that trump his right to carry? You decide to walk your dog, yourself, or maybe you are in Zimmerman's place one day doing your usual rounds when you turn a corner and not ten feet from you, suddenly you're staring down three men and one has a crowbar. It may even be one man, who knows, but his intentions are clear; originally it was to rob your neighbor's house, but plans have changed and now he/they are after you. However just as you turn to run to get away or call for help, they're after you. Now you say may say, "That is a terribly rare and uncommon occurrence. How can you even compare the two situations?" Zimmerman's was just as rare and uncommon. He didn't ask for the situation, self- defense situations never offer themselves, they just happen, and they happen in mere seconds. Being on the 'revered' Neighborhood watch is irrelevant. Having a recent string of break-ins in his neighborhood, Zimmerman felt it better to make sure he was prepared to defend himself if the situation came to him. This is just as any logical human being would do; call it preventative measures. Preparation is not pre-mediation as there is no intention of causing harm, only stopping a potential threat in the unforseen future.You hate this Zimmerman because you want to. You are still on the "Blame him for an innocent kid's death!" kick. However, Martin was not a kid. Zimmerman was only checking on a person in his neighborhood he neither knew, nor trusted if you bothered to look at all the evidence originally withheld by the media. This withholding of information caused a very strong, emotion-based reaction. A reaction which caused biased against a law abiding citizen who was given a terrible situation and forced between two terrible options; himself or the other guy. As a neighborhood watchman, he observed the potential suspect and reported to police as per what a neighborhood watchman is instructed to do. He stopped watching Martin as soon as he was instructed to do so by the operator. Zimmerman, upon returning to his car, was attacked by Martin. Zimmerman had to react especially since his chance to retreat was not only obstructed, but flat out denied by Martin. Since these were the the cards dealt to Zimmerman, he had no choice but to defend himself by taking Martin's life. Unfortunate, yes. But the innocent was left alive.Now tell me, what would you have done? Or are you one that thinks being unarmed makes you somehow morally superior? I for one refuse to be a statistic.

• That's right, sides are being chosen on political views, not facts. The Black hating Republicans want Zimmerman to go free and the Democrats want him punished because he persued Martin when he was told not to, by the Police. This trial should last 3 years and make a lot of lawyers famous. When he is aquitted, he can go hide with Casey Anthony....

• Gimme a break. You can't lawfully arrest and prosecute someone without probable cause of the charged offense. And all this flapdoodle about "He shoudda done this; he shoudda done that." Where is so much as a shred of evidence that Zimmerman's conduct was at any time unlawful?Many of you obviously think that people like Zimmerman deserve to be savagely beat just on general principles.

• zimmerman is guilty cause if he had not had that gun,Trayvon Martin would still be alive and zimmerman would be at 1 peace as well.Racist white people(not all)siding with anybody killing a unarmed black teenager.If a 28 year old black man did a unarmed 17 year old white teenager in,I bet u they wouldn't be talkin that balogne then.A 17 year old which everyone that knew him say he was never a violent confrontational type goes to the store to get some skittles and ice t,talking on his cell phone to his girlfriend and ended up getting shot and killed by a 28 year old man who weighed at least 60 pounds more than Trayvon,who had a record of domestic violence and assault on a police officer,and resisting arrest.Let's be serious!

• although it may have been self defence zimmerman never should have brought a gun on his neighborhood watch