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Family rescued by George Zimmerman from car accident cancels press conference in fear of “blowback”
Hotair ^ | 07/24/2013 | AllahPundit

Posted on 07/24/2013 7:38:39 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

A terrible moral dilemma. Hold a presser to vouch for the man who rescued you at a moment when he could really use the public support? Or stay out of the line of fire from vigilante lunatics bent on exacting “justice for Trayvon”?

What’s a couple with two small children to do?

The Gerstles were expected to hold a press conference today at the office of Zimmerman’s attorney Mark O’Mara, but cancelled a few hours before it was supposed to take place…

“The family called because they wanted to address the media. I knew that if we did it in an organized way, it would help them get back to a normal life.. But they called today and said they were more worried about blow back from saying anything that would be favorable to George, and decided they did not want to do any media,” O’Mara said.

The lawyer said that when he spoke to the Gerstles “their voices were trembling” and that they feared saying anything positive about Zimmerman “would be toxic.”…

Zimmerman “should be [armed] given the threats against him,” O’Mara said. He added, “If I were him I would leave” the country.

The most amazing thing to me about the rescue is that he was still in Sanford days after the verdict. I figured he and his defense team had devised a plan long ago to move him to Canada or Mexico or parts unknown in the event of an acquittal. He wouldn’t be “safe” there either necessarily, but the effort to track him down and get to him would be prohibitive for all but the most insistent nuts. As it is, I wonder if he’s thinking he can ride out the storm by lying low for a year or two, until most people have forgotten, and then quietly re-emerge somewhere in the U.S. I think he’s making a mistake.

Incidentally, is there an agency (or a charity) at either the state or federal level that provides security for high-profile criminal defendants upon release or acquittal? I’m not thinking about that for Zimmerman specifically, just in general. O.J. could have used it, I’m sure; so could Casey Anthony. I think they’re both guilty as sin, and maybe O.J.’s a special case because he could afford to pay for his own protection, but it seems weird to discharge a defendant from court on grounds that they’re “free” to go when they’re facing hundreds or thousands of death threats with little professional help in thwarting them. National media holds these people out, sometimes rightly and sometimes wrongly, as monsters and then they’re left to fend for themselves against a public that despises them. Is that their idea of “rough justice”? I’m not sure prison wouldn’t have been safer for Zimmerman.

CLICK ABOVE LIN K FOR THE VIDEO



TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: carrescue; trayvon; zimmerman
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To: Uncle Chip
A lot of good responses on this thread...(some, not so good)
41 posted on 07/25/2013 5:37:56 AM PDT by Guenevere (....)
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To: SeekAndFind

IMO, the worst thing about this is that in the “on the hour” type MSM reports I heard (including Fox), crawlers at screen bottom, and even in short stories in some newscasts, etc., this was made out to look like the family didn’t want to be associated with Zimmerman because though he may have helped them, they thought he was still a bad person. The family’s fear of retribution if they thanked GZ publicly was not referenced. This is of course how many people get most of their news.

(Granted that most written articles and longer reports from at least a couple of the major sources seemed to be, shall we say, more complete.)

But overall? Bloody bastard MSM!!!

This just stinks.

However... Manure makes pretty good fertilizer. This family’s fear, and the death threats against Zimmerman’s family can be used to our advantage.


42 posted on 07/25/2013 5:58:52 AM PDT by Paul R. (We are in a break in an Ice Age. A brief break at that...)
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To: SeekAndFind

I am OK with this, in fact I see it as an advantage for Zimmerman.

They should have just released a statment along the lines of “we are grateful to George Zimmerman who helped us out of the car accident and wanted to publicly thank him but unfortunately the negative bias in the media forces us to think it is unwise to appear in public at this time.”


43 posted on 07/25/2013 6:02:48 AM PDT by Mr. K (4 election)
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To: Sherman Logan

good point!


44 posted on 07/25/2013 6:26:19 AM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: Stepan12

Ah, change the subject to distract from your obvious cowardance. Someone obviously got to you.

Stick a fork in Stepan12, he’s done.


45 posted on 07/25/2013 6:51:39 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (When America falls, darkness will cover the face of the earth for a thousand years.)
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To: Sherman Logan

You’re missing the point entirely and that argument makes no sense.

They have a moral obligation to repay him for saving their lives. And Zimmerman is in danger precisely because he is a public figure. To ignore that makes no sense. It is the very thing that gives them the opportunity to return the favour in a small way. As far as we know it makes no difference to the other guy whether they hold a press conference or not. But is is clear that Zimmerman desperately needs a better (more truthful) public image. To him it can be the difference that decides if he is shunned or not, or it can literally be a matter of life and death. For them to shirk away from supporting him when he needs them is just plain despicable. So what that he’s a public figure (which is really a polite way of saying villified and persecuted)? That doesn’t mean they owe him any less.

Imagine if their other rescuer has someone wanting to beat him into a pulp. And further imagine that they deny taking him in if he’s on their doorstep. Would you then argue that they owe him no more than they would someone who isn’t being chased by someone who wants to do him harm? Because that is exactly the same principle.

You speak as if holding a press conference is some sort of gift or excessive reward. It is not. It is the very least thing they could do for a man who essentially is living with a price on his head due to bad PR.


46 posted on 07/25/2013 7:00:13 AM PDT by LastNorwegian
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To: Shannon

“George Zimmerman saved that man’s whole family yet he can’t bring himself to stand up and publicly thank & support him. Probably voted for O; in fact I’d bet on it. What a coward.”

That man is already being hounded by the leftist media and his identity and personal info has already been exposed by the left to the hoards of “revenge-seeking” Trayvon worshippers. Try putting yourself in his shoes for a change and you might just find that you understand his decision to at least TRY to keep his family safe from the same persecution that Zimmerman is now undergoing. Had he appeared publicly and thanked Zimmerman, the left would descend even more viciously upon him and his than they already are.

We are already living in a society based on mob mentality and anarchy. The left has already won.


47 posted on 07/25/2013 7:21:50 AM PDT by XenaLee (The only good commie is a dead commie)
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To: Lera
"Sorry but these people are standing on the same moral ground as the Germans who kept silent while they marched Jews to death camps.

The guy saved their lives and they can’t open their mouths to say so in public .... Zimmerman risked his life coming out of his truck to save theirs."

Oh for God's sake. Cut the crap and the hyperbole.

I don't blame Gerstle one bit for trying to save his family from the rabid left. It looks like it is already too late, and he may still speak out against it publicly at some point, but he is already being targeted. In fact, Gerstle is being hounded by the left as we speak.

www.Newsball.com

Try for once to empathize with someone in a "damned if you do and damned if you don't" position.

In other words....don't act like a g'damned leftie.

48 posted on 07/25/2013 7:35:04 AM PDT by XenaLee (The only good commie is a dead commie)
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To: Norm Lenhart
Norm, respectfully, you are wrong.

Look what we have learned over the last few years. It is now illegal to defend yourself against a black. Yeah sure, he got off after being jailed, losing everything and almost being convicted of something because a couple of jurors thought it had to be done. Now he is fair game for social justice.

Forget our Sate Laws, they are a joke. Feds pick up a phone and you are lynched; simple as that. Feds aren't even trying to hide their hate and bias anymore, neither is the media. Lies and distortion god forbid if you stand up for yourself to the wrong demographic.

But you already know this because you/I/other here get to see the real truth from sites like this.

But here is the real problem today. Our own “supposed” like minded folks. Yes, many of us. On this site and on another gun site with a big following, how many people were crucifying Zimmerman. A man who is looking out for his neighbors and I saw far too much “He's a cop wannabe - Mind your own business - play stupid games - Should have stayed in the car - He stalked the kid”. Yes, conservative gun owners spouted this garbage.

Anytime a man stands up to the Govt or Law Enforcement, you'll find plenty of “our side” guys ready to bury and slander the man. We are our own worst enemy to the point we have become wimps (I'd like to use a stronger word here).

The other side has solidarity, our side just loves to argue, attack each other and almost Alinsky those that have the guts to make a stand.

This is what disgusts me, not the rescued family who has gone silent.

49 posted on 07/25/2013 7:37:15 AM PDT by roofgoat
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To: Lera
"People who are not willing to stand up and be counted don’t deserve freedom.People aren’t standing up and that is why we are loosing it."

So then, why don't you stand up and be counted by the rabid left? I dare you to go over to Democratic Underground, announce your support for George Zimmerman and your disapproval of Trayvon Martin and post your personal contact information. Go ahead. It's the ""brave"" thing to do!

The family that was unfortunate enough to become embroiled in this clusterf*k situation has already had THEIR personal contact information revealed and they are being hounded by the left. If you really think that 'your freedom' depends upon it, perhaps you should join them in their plight.

50 posted on 07/25/2013 7:45:37 AM PDT by XenaLee (The only good commie is a dead commie)
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To: XenaLee

It’s pretty simple . It’s the law of the jungle.
If you want a pack of wild animals to chase you all you have to do is let them know you are scared and turn tail and run.

When it got out that they had been saved by Zimmerman and the news started following him all he had to do was say...
Yes my truck turned over and we were pulled out by Zimmerman.
End of story now get off my lawn before I call the police.

Instead he let them know he was scared .
Now he has all the wolves chasing him and posting pictures of family all over the place.


51 posted on 07/25/2013 8:54:00 AM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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To: Lera
"It’s pretty simple . It’s the law of the jungle. If you want a pack of wild animals to chase you all you have to do is let them know you are scared and turn tail and run.

When it got out that they had been saved by Zimmerman and the news started following him all he had to do was say... Yes my truck turned over and we were pulled out by Zimmerman. End of story now get off my lawn before I call the police.

Instead he let them know he was scared . Now he has all the wolves chasing him and posting pictures of family all over the place."

With all due respect, that sounds a bit naive. The left is going to chase and hound not only anyone that does not follow their agenda in lock-step, but even those that DO vote Democrat (See: George Zimmerman).

Again, I don't fault Gerstle for trying to protect his family. He has probably seen how the left in America has "gone after" Zimmerman and even the six jurors. I would have done the same as he did.

This is where we're at. We have to pick and choose which battles we WILL fight in order to win the war. And this one is not deserving of our attention, much less our energy. We (meaning those of you here that are demeaning this family for not putting their lives on the line for this stupid issue)...must show more tolerance than our opponents do. Get it?

52 posted on 07/25/2013 9:39:37 AM PDT by XenaLee (The only good commie is a dead commie)
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To: XenaLee

You don’t understand pack mentality


53 posted on 07/25/2013 10:10:02 AM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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To: Lera

“You don’t understand pack mentality”

Sure I do. You don’t understand why, in this case, you are wrong.


54 posted on 07/25/2013 11:12:15 AM PDT by XenaLee (The only good commie is a dead commie)
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To: XenaLee

No you don’t . If you did you wouldn’t let the wolves smell your fear.


55 posted on 07/25/2013 11:38:20 AM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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To: Lera

“No you don’t . If you did you wouldn’t let the wolves smell your fear.”

Seriously? Sounds like you’re the one that is afraid here....lol.

Again, what part of “we have to pick and choose the battles we will fight” are you not comprehending here?


56 posted on 07/25/2013 12:27:01 PM PDT by XenaLee (The only good commie is a dead commie)
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To: LastNorwegian

I disagree.

I think the way George is being treated is despicable, but anybody who speaks out on his behalf will be viewed by many as taking his side in the debate over the shooting.

This family and its experience has nothing at all to do with that, but holding a press conference to praise the guy would insert them into that issue in the minds of many (less than stable) people.

Your mileage no doubt varies, but if I were George I would not want the family I had helped to possibly put themselves into danger by publicly supporting me.

I agree that we have to think this way is very sad.


57 posted on 07/25/2013 12:51:57 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: XenaLee
Seriously? Sounds like you’re the one that is afraid here....lol.

Is that why you are the one cowering in the corner hiding your family instead of standing your ground

Again, what part of “we have to pick and choose the battles we will fight” are you not comprehending here? That's funny We have " picked and chosen our battles" and the enemy has run around and circled us and are now they are coming in for the kill .



No what we have done is let the enemy decide which battles we will fight and so far we have fought NONE and let them get away with each and every thing they have done because way to many of us HAVE NO BACKBONE

58 posted on 07/25/2013 1:02:55 PM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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To: Lera

“Is that why you are the one cowering in the corner hiding your family instead of standing your ground>”

I’m done with your brand of idiocy (usually only seen coming from the left). I made my point. You don’t get it and probably never will.

Have a nice life.


59 posted on 07/25/2013 1:06:57 PM PDT by XenaLee (The only good commie is a dead commie)
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To: XenaLee

lol I ended to
you keep hiding in the corner and wait for someone to save you


60 posted on 07/25/2013 1:10:21 PM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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