Posted on 04/13/2012 2:14:57 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A new Ipsos/Reuters poll offers what looks to be an unfortunate preview of what lies ahead for the trial of George Zimmerman – particularly as it relates to how the population will potentially react.
Perhaps it’s not surprising to see that the attitudes towards Trayvon Martin’s fatal shooting are heavily divided along racial lines, but it’s not any less disheartening. The poll finds that 91 percent of Blacks believe Trayvon was killed unjustly. Yet, only 35 percent of whites feel that way. The online poll also revealed that 59 percent of Hispanics believed Martin was wrongly shot by Zimmerman.
On the report, Ipsos pollster Chris Jackson said, “This incident is one of the clearest splits we’ve seen between whites and Blacks.” You don’t say, Chris. You don’t say.
As comforting as it’s been to see the mainstream media respond to social media’s call for greater attention to the death of an unarmed Black teenager at the hands of a glorified vigilante, not every onlooker has reacted with empathy towards the situation.
New York Times columnists Charles M. Blow, a staunch advocate for Trayvon in print and on MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, recently shared a racist voicemail he received on Twitter. Paid for his opinion, Blow’s commentary has been understandably passionate, which sadly welcomes an equally more fervent (albeit stupid) reply. But even the mildest of sentiments conveyed about Trayvon Martin are garnering mean spirited kickbacks.
In “I AM: A Young Black Man,” videographer Luis Antonio Thompson gathered several hood-donning Black youth to speak on racial prejudices that undoubtedly played into Zimmerman targeting Trayvon the night he died. Tonally, it was a highly subtle retort to the thug caricature Travyon and other Black men are subjected to over a piece of clothing. Even that, though, got one conservative blogger to peg it as “liberal race baiting propaganda.”
Surprise, surprise: The poll also finds biases on the matter straddle along political lines as well. How hard do we have to fall before we see how detrimental the current news culture is to our collective sensibilities? It seems like much longer than I’d like.
The same seems so for the racial biases to blame for the great disparity in viewpoints.
Terry Keleher, Director of the Racial Justice Leadership Action Network at the Applied Research Center, which publishes the site Colorlines, said of the findings: “What’s most troubling about this is that the views of most whites seem to align closely with those of the Florida law enforcement establishment, which, by its actions and inaction, has been mostly sympathetic to the perspective and plight of a light-skinned armed and aggressive assailant than an unarmed and murdered black youth.”
Ideally, the facts will be presented in the trial, subsequently challenging whatever attitudes and the political persuasions that mold them white skeptics seem to have, and ultimately leading to some sort of meaningful dialogue. Some white people might even see the light…and seriously consider just how much a hue can lead to something horrific!
Unfortunately, based on that poll and what I’m starting to see with each passing day, such a scenario feels about as likely as a love fest on Basketball Wives. As time ever so consistently shows, when we fail to learn from one’s mistake, it’s only a matter of time before someone else repeats it.
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Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer currently based in Los Angeles. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick
Expect dear leader to help things along which ever way benefits him.
And I’ll be keeping the shotgun loaded throughout these events. A forest fire starts small, but it can spread mighty far.
The trial probably means little beyond being a set up for the riots that will follow the dismissal or acquittal.
Racial harmony means white guilt enslavement for anyone who is white... Black Naziism is on the march...
I absolutely cannot fathom how Zimmerman could possibly ever get a fair trial. And just assuming that by some miracle he does... and were to be acquitted - his life would be under constant threat.
Republicans should be ready to take all the blame ,wet your finger and stick it in the air ,you know it’s coming
I have wondered if Trayvon was known to the police. It took many days before his ten day suspension from school surfaced. Is there anything else in his background? I get an image of a brooding kid with an attitude, totally unlike the sunny image of a fifth grader proffered by the media. Am I out of line? I have a feeling that this whole episode is being skewed and molded to fit a meme. I hope I’m wrong. sd
Dude’s toast. Look, I’m a Conservative and I own several dozen guns. And I’m a Yooper. Zimmerman ignored a 911 directive to not pursue, he did not “Stand His Ground” because he pursued and fired, and he just gives me an impression that he is an overzealous idiot. I’m also white and open minded. I’d vote to convict this a-hole in a heart beat.
poll finds that 91 percent of Blacks believe Trayvon was killed unjustly. Yet, only 35 percent of whites feel that way........................................... Hmmmmm, did they feel that OJ’s Nichol and Ronald goldman were killed unjustly too? Enough to warrant dancing in the streets after the verdict? Today, STUPIDITY RULES IN AMERICA, get use to it.
Whew. The info you have is so last month.
No- you are not out of line. Indeed, you are asking the tough questions the media has absolutely refused to ask. They (the major media) are hell-bent on causing race war (it gives them something to cover that will get viewers - and also furthers their political agenda).
What happened to the Twitter account that has been associated with Trayvon? What about the "rest of the story" on his school behavior issues and suspension (or the rumor I read that this wasn't his only trouble at school).
And I still don't buy that the police just let Zimmerman off with no investigation. They did, after all, take him into custody the night of the shooting. They did collect witness testimony (evident on the released police report). If you add a little more unreleased guesses - like maybe Martin had a reputation or was being watched for suspicion... well - it would be easy to see why Zimmerman was not initially charged.
But this is all as dangerous as the speculation that grew this to the international media frenzy it has become (and source of fuel for the true racists in this society- the Sharpton/Jackson/Farrakhans)
“Im a yooper “
No, you’re an idiot. Go back and read the pc.
“because he pursued and fired, and he just gives me an impression that he is an overzealous idiot.”
I’m not sure it is clear he pursued and fired from what has been leaked so far. He could have been an overzealous idiot but not as much so as the prosecutor. She should have gone for manslaughter rather than murder 2. She has set up a likely failed prosecution and the street will riot when it does. That’s how I see it unless there is something powerfull against zimmerman that has not been made public.
directive? Define directive. "We don't need you to follow him". That was it.
Let me clarify:
1) There was no “directive to not pursue”
2) He did no pursue
Of course, there has been a lot of misinformation about this event, so I can see how you’ve come to believe that he disobeyed the law and was bent on killing this thug from the get-go.
“You don’t need to do that”
Btw, what authority does an on air secretary have anyways??
You all cannot defend this man on grains of straw. He is a prime example of the outlier vis a vis that liberals throw in our faces to justify their attempts to take our guns. Zimmerman is guilty, and your posts here trying to find SOME justification for his actions only serve to embarrass our claims to our gun rights. So stop it and call it like it is.
“Zimmerman ignored a 911 directive to not pursue, he did not “Stand His Ground” because he pursued and fired, and he just gives me an impression that he is an overzealous idiot. I’m also white and open minded. I’d vote to convict this a-hole in a heart beat.”
Capt. Zimmerman was protecting his NW patrol area from Martin who was looking suspicious while out seemingly casing houses for burglary when he attacked Zimmerman.
It’s also so correct.
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