The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’?

Posted on | July 22, 2013 | 40 Comments

Patterico has a long post today rebutting claims that George Zimmerman was engaged in “racial profiling.” The simple facts of the situation were this: Black teenage boys were committing burglaries at the townhouse community, Zimmerman had been appointed captain of the neighborhood watch, and this resulted in him making a number of 911 calls reporting suspicious activity by black teenage boys.

As with so much else in this story, the truth was actually known — or at least, it was knowable, if anyone cared to look it up — because the press  reported it. Reuters, April 25, 2012:

[O]ne black neighbor of the Zimmermans said recent history should be taken into account.
“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. I’m black, OK?” the woman said, declining to be identified because she anticipated backlash due to her race. She leaned in to look a reporter directly in the eyes. “There were black boys robbing houses in this neighborhood,” she said. “That’s why George was suspicious of Trayvon Martin.”

This may or may not change anyone’s basic opinion of the situation, but there is no excuse for accusations based on ignorance. If black teenagers are committing crimes in your neighborhood, and you report suspected crimes to the cops, this is not “racial profiling.”

UPDATE: The pointless “debate” I bemoaned Sunday — “How Much of a Damn Should I Give?” — continues unabated. Sean Hannity reacted to President Obama’s speech Friday by referring to Obama’s admitted youthful drug use. Joe Scarborough reacted this morning:

 

Neither of these comments were especially helpful, but Scarborough’s pious scolding was probably less helpful.

UPDATE I: Aaron Worthing rebuts another false claim, that Zimmerman “profiled” a 7-year-old boy. I’m reminded of what Ronald Reagan once said: “The problem with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, it’s that they know so much that isn’t true.”

 

Category: Crime

Comments

40 Responses to “Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’?”

  1. MrEvilMatt
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:25 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’?: Patterico has a long post today rebutting claims that George Zimmerman was engaged… http://t.co/n9Jfxg0o4T

  2. Lockestep1776
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:25 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’?: Patterico has a long post today rebutting claims that George Zimmerman was engaged… http://t.co/BzZYS8lcir

  3. CHideout
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:25 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’?: Patterico has a long post today rebutting claims that George Zimmerman was engaged… http://t.co/iAa9J1OamR

  4. Citzcom
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:25 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’?: Patterico has a long post today rebutting claims that George Zimmerman was engaged… http://t.co/kDp1kT3tLa

  5. jwbrown1969
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:25 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’?: Patterico has a long post today rebutting claims that George Zimmerman was engaged… http://t.co/QYyCS4VNcT

  6. BobBelvedere
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:26 pm

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’? http://t.co/cOJmcBAkHd #TCOT

  7. preciseBlogs
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:29 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’ http://t.co/Is3jfOVFQG #news #conservative #crime

  8. rsmccain
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:36 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’? http://t.co/8TwIRmvPyU Hat-tip @Patterico

  9. BobBelvedere
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 5:48 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’? http://t.co/8TwIRmvPyU Hat-tip @Patterico

  10. joej2020usa
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 6:03 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’? http://t.co/TWpyGl770p

  11. DaveO
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 6:14 pm

    Considering TSA and other organizations within our national government can consider religion and ethnicity when pursuing Muslim terrorists – remember all those little old ladies and small girls getting fondled by TSA agents who couldn’t search muslims – I’m not surprised the national government’s propaganda organs are pushing the Zimmerman-as-racial-profiler meme.

    Lesson to thugs (paraphrased Ace): Bernie Madoff stole 50 billion dollars (that we know of) dressing in a suit and tie, not in wife-beaters and bad ink.

  12. robertstacymccain
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 6:38 pm

    My friend’s name is Ali Akbar. You think he doesn’t get special attention at the airport TSA checkpoint? But he understands why this happens and isn’t running around claiming victimhood.

  13. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 6:38 pm

    Was Zimmerman profiling? You mean when he saved that family from the burning car?

  14. Matthew W
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 6:53 pm

    Clearly that was a staged event to improve Zimmerman’s image…………

  15. ThePaganTemple
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 7:07 pm

    Also, wasn’t Martin skulking around the yards up by the houses as opposed to just casually walking down the sidewalk?

  16. Allen
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 7:07 pm

    I would note that many of the calls made by Zimmerman were to the non-emergency number (not 911) of the PD. That also puts it in a different light.

    I suppose calling the tip line with information about the suspects might be profiling to some.

  17. Matthew W
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 7:17 pm

    “Profiling” works.
    The TSA is a colossal and dismal failure because they don’t profile.

  18. richard mcenroe
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 7:52 pm

    He’s lucky. If his name was Ali Oxenfree EVERYONE would be after him.

  19. ComradeArthur
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 8:14 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’? http://t.co/8TwIRmvPyU Hat-tip @Patterico

  20. thatMrGguy
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 8:19 pm

    Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’? http://t.co/F3QCifH8Pg

  21. DaveO
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 8:40 pm

    It may be Ali Akbar’s political persuasion.

    My name is not Ali Akbar, and for every flight for 6 months following 911, I was subjected to strip searches and extra inspections.

    And I was in the Army and Army National Guard at the time. For my deployment to Afghanistan I was waived into the special place before a TSA supervisor waived me through.

  22. DaveO
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 8:46 pm

    Shorter Ace o’ Spades: Bernie Madoff stole 50 billion dollars (that we know of) dressing in a suit and tie, not in wife-beaters and bad ink. How one dresses and how one behaves are the keys.

  23. Finrod Felagund
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 8:53 pm

    Sadly at PuffHo they’re making that claim in all seriousness.

    It’s so hard to parody liberals because they’re so damn ridiculous.

  24. Finrod Felagund
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 8:57 pm

    I’m stealing this because I found it that funny:

    George Zimmerman only comes out of hiding to save someone. Clearly, George Zimmerman is Batman.

  25. Finrod Felagund
    July 22nd, 2013 @ 8:59 pm

    That’s one of my favorite Ronald Reagan quotes, Stacy.

  26. Thomas L. Knapp
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 1:20 am

    I’d be interested in whether or not Zimmerman made ANY 911 calls “reporting suspicious activity by black teenage boys.”

    He made no 911 call regarding Trayvon Martin. He made a call to the non-emergency police dispatch number.

  27. K-Bob
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 1:59 am

    It ain’t even how one dresses. It’s ALWAYS the behavior.

    ALWAYS.

  28. Profiling Is A Rational Act: Don’t Let the Left Tell You Otherwise | Daily Pundit
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 6:30 am

    […] Was Zimmerman ‘Profiling’? : The Other McCain […]

  29. Bob Belvedere
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 8:19 am

    Batman for the overweight age!

  30. Bob Belvedere
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 8:20 am

    And we all profile, for various reasons, in our daily lives.

  31. Bob Smetters
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 10:08 am

    Our new hero, zim was ordered by the court into an alcohol program when he was 20 in exchange for getting felony charges of slugging a cop lowered. But we won’t mention that. It could tarnish his image worse than his restraining order against him for domestic violence… ooops did I say that out load? Why no coverage on zim being a little punk in his youth?

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  34. RMNixonDeceased
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 5:48 pm

    “And we all profile, for various reasons, in our daily lives.” — Bob Belvedere http://t.co/nxOE5MUqJw

  35. RMNixonDeceased
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 5:49 pm

    “Batman for the overweight age!” — Bob Belvedere http://t.co/vrHplSB6xt

  36. RMNixonDeceased
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 5:50 pm

    “He’s lucky. If his name was Ali Oxenfree EVERYONE would be after him.” — richard mcenroe http://t.co/Wlr06fpA4g

  37. RMNixonDeceased
    July 23rd, 2013 @ 5:50 pm

    “Was Zimmerman profiling? You mean when he saved that family from the burning car?” — Evi L. Bloggerlady http://t.co/wdiapmxdiK

  38. riverlifecallie
    July 25th, 2013 @ 1:42 pm

    You forgot to mention that it was an undercover cop who was roughing up Zimmerman’s companion outside of a club – without identifying himself as a cop. Zimmerman was helping out a friend who looked like he was being assaulted. But as usual, you Traybots don’t let facts get in the way of a good smear.

  39. Busting a Zimmerman Myth: the Seven Year Old “Suspect” (Update: McCainalanche! and Aceolanche!) | Jennifer Credit
    July 26th, 2013 @ 11:00 am

    […] Update (II): Thanks for theOtherMcCainalanche! […]

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