The Zimmerman verdict is about the threshold of evidence, not racism in America

I was going to hold back because everyone seems to be so emotional about the Zimmerman verdict.  But I have to present this, because it is a completely different perspective on this case. 

This is what struck me from this whole fiasco.  Both groups, the passionate individuals demonstrating in support of Treyvon Martin and who were so sure that George Zimmerman should have been convicted of Murder One and the equally passionate individuals demonstrating that Zimmerman was the victim of overzealous prosecution, were making the SAME BIG MISTAKE.

We live in a legal system based on a standard of reasonable doubt based on the evidence presented in court.  How many of us were in that court?  Were you?  I wasn't.  Neither were any of the people demonstrating - from either side. 

What does this tell us?  It doesn't tell us if the verdict was correct or not.  But it does tell us that NO ONE - Not the people on one side or the people on the other side - NO ONE can say that the verdict should have gone one way or the other.  Not you and not me.  Because we didn't see the evidence that was presented in court.  And so we can't say if that evidence meets the standard of convincing a jury of 12 U.S. citizens beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty of a strict legal definition of murder or manslaughter as explained to them in court. 

We can read the judge's instructions to the jury, and we can even read transcripts of the testimony at some point.  But we can't put ourselves in the place of the jury who were required to look into the eyes of the few witnesses and determine whether they were convincing or not.  Beyond a reasonable doubt.

My heart tells me the George Zimmerman went way over what he should have.  He was a neighborhood watch member who was pretending to be a cop.  He was looking for trouble.  He should not have been there in the first place.  He should not have gone after Treyvon.  And he definitely should not have shot his weapon.  This is a great example of why we need stronger gun laws.  But I also think that there are a gazillion scenarios in which the testimony would not reach the standard of reasonable doubt, even if he really was guilty of murder in the absolute sense.  I can also imagine scenarios in which it would have.  But since I was not in the courtroom, I don't know either way.  And neither do you.  And neither do any of the people demonstrating.

So I think it is great if they are demonstrating for something productive.  Perhaps they could demonstrate for programs to get better race relations.  Or to mandate better training for neighborhood watch volunteers.  Or for more volunteering in one's community.  But death threats to Robert Zimmerman (George's brother)?  Or even the people who are so sure that Zimmerman should have been found guilty and the verdict is just another example of institutionalized racism in the US.   This is ridiculous.