First of all, there are two sides to this story: 1) Racial and 2) Issue of Self Defense. I am hoping the racial issue doesn't outweigh the other critical point, specially because it is more of the second issue than the first (racial).

We don't know if it were a White guy or a Mexican teenager, Zimmerman would have noticed and followed or not. The only fact we have is his record and it doesn't look like the guy is racist.

Now, was what Zimmerman did an act of self defense? This is a tough question and I don't have legal expertise to answer it correctly. It can't be a self defense if one puts himself in the dangerous situation, this is what Zimmerman did despite 911 dispatcher's advice to not do so as Magorkhe pointed out. But on the other hand is there enough proof for 1st/2nd/3rd degree manslaughter? Does this man deserve to be sentenced for life?

This is a tough case and I think more discussion should be geared toward the second issue. No point making it an issue of further violence and partisan.