Judging George Zimmerman has been a national pastime for several months. Yesterday’s post relates to this discussion of judging George Zimmerman. Many love judging people in the lime light and press. Judging George Zimmerman remains the norm. I confess that I must remain vigilant myself each day, identifying, rooting out, and confessing judgmental thoughts. This ugly national pastime of judging George Zimmerman offers an opportunity for me to reflect further. The media and people said many things about George, Trayvon, the justice system, and about the jurors. I must dispose of most of the media noise and gossip as garbage. What do I really know about judging George Zimmerman?
Right now, let me think about the trial of judging George Zimmerman and events and do the following:
- I’ll think about Trayvon, his life, and put myself in his shoes and think through what happened.
- I’ll imagine myself in the life of Zimmerman, the jurors, the judge, etc.
- What evidence did both sides present at the trial.
- I must look only at the evidence presented. When I served on a jury, I noticed how some people like to speculate of what could have been, what might have been, etc. The other jurors must always bring these irrationally imaginittive people back to the evidence at hand. I cannot judge based on the imaginings of others. Unfortunately our national media succumbed to this disease long ago, broke down the alter of truth, broke the arms off the statue of justice, and now distorts stories for maximum sales impact without accountability. A juror must not judge based on what they imagine someone might have been thinking when they acted. Even if daily encouraged to distort by my environment, I must struggle to see the truth. God gives me prayer to help.
Now, after this exercise, I’ll think about these questions:
- What alternative exists better than our current system of a jury trial from as impartial a selection of jurors as possible?
- What qualifies me to slander this system?
- If I have intentionally avoided my responsibility as a citizen to sit on a jury, what right do I have to criticize this system or any of the decisions rendered by it when I have intentionally undercut and harmed the system and my neighbors?
- What lesson has judging George Zimmerman taught me about what I need to do to become a better citizen and a better neighbor?
- What have I learned that will make me a better juror when called to serve?
Some additional lessons I need to consider:
- Should neighborhood watch volunteers carry guns? If they do, what liabilities exist for other neighbors? Were not the original intent of neighborhood watches to call the police, not to confront?
- Who am I to decide the fate of George Zimmerman since I am not a juror, what he did, and who he will become? Is it not time to let go of judging George Zimmerman and shut up?
Even with the flaws of our current system, I believe in it. Although imperfect, I believe it can be improved by having better educated, wiser, and more compassionate jurors, compassionate to fellow citizens including the accused. No one benefits when the guilty go free. I believe and trust my fellow citizens so much that even if I am falsely condemned myself, I believe the current system remains far superior to mob vigilantism. I also trust in God for ultimate justice. His ultimate justice comes to all, not just those who have been busy judging George Zimmerman.
There is a defense to God’s ultimate justice. It isn’t human good or a religious system. It is the ultimate defender and redeemer, a he, not an it. He stands as the best attorney known. His name, Jesus Christ, because of his defense, God finds me innocent when I trust in him. No this is not a license to commit crimes, it offers opportunity and freedom to become the person he expects me to become unhindered by the guilt of my past and the judgements of others and in the end to finally grasp eternal relationship with him and those who trusted in him.
