I can’t take credit for that headline. Props to TTAG reader EN who emailed a link to George Zimmerman Involved in Yet Another Police Incident. Which goes a little something like this: “George Zimmerman cannot seem to stay out of trouble. This time, a driver told police Zimmerman threatened to kill him after a confrontation on the road. Zimmerman pulled up next to the driver, he said, and asked, ‘Why are you pointing a finger at me? Do you know who I am?’ according to the Associated Press. He then threatened to kill the man, he told police. The man, who declined to press charges, says Zimmerman was waiting for him at work the next day. It is unclear how Zimmerman knew where the man worked.” OK, so what can The People of the Gun learn from St. George? . . .
Let’s put the whole Trayvon Martin thing to one side and imagine that we’re in a car, minding our own business. Someone cuts us off. As they do so they flip the bird or makes a gun out of his hand and pretends to shoot us. What do we do? Nothing. Not a damn thing. Other than whatever it takes to put some distance between ourselves and the road rager (hopefully without breaking any traffic laws or otherwise endangering third parties).
If you feel really threatened or aggrieved, especially if you think the driver was potentially homicidal, dial 911 immediately and relate the incident to the operator. Otherwise, the maniac can call the po-po and make you the bad guy. And that means a not-so-pleasant traffic stop and a potential trip downtown. And the rest.
More generally, anyone who carries a gun should avoid confrontations in general, lest they escalate. Put another way, your gun rights, your ability to legally exercise your natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community, are more important than winning an argument. Any argument – save the one you must win to protect life and limb.
More specifically, if you find yourself in Mr. Zimmerman’s shoes, a target of public scrutiny, lay low FFS. Back to generally: don’t do stupid things in stupid places with stupid people. ‘Cause the chances are the stupid person is you. Just sayin’.