By Elijah Anderson
Separated (click here) by a thousand miles, two state borders, and nearly six decades, two young African American boys met tragic fates that seem remarkably similar today: both walked into a small market to buy some candy; both ended up dead....
Had Vigilantism returned or had it never ended in the first place?
Taking the law (click here) into one's own hands and attempting to effect justice according to one's own understanding of right and wrong; action taken by a voluntary association of persons who organize themselves for the purpose of protecting a common interest, such as liberty, property, or personal security; action taken by an individual or group to protest existing law; action taken by an individual or group to enforce a higher law than that enacted by society's designated lawmaking institutions; private enforcement of legal norms in the absence of an established, reliable, and effective law enforcement body....
Vigilantism never entered the courtroom where Mr. Zimmerman was being tried. It was all facts and figures and innuendo about the death of a black young man. But, the fact Mr. Zimmerman completely ignored instructions by police stating to not follow Trayvon has it's own impacts.
Mr. Zimmerman ignored the instructions of police because he elevated himself as more vigilant and effective than police. He was a Neighborhood Watch captain, which has no sincere legal designation or certification, and believed within his role police were not doing a good job. There had been a few burglaries in the local community.
Mr. Zimmerman had taken the law into his own and attempted to effect justice according to one's own understanding of right and wrong.
