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Standing Up For George Zimmerman
AckbarSays ^
| 5/29/2013
| AckbarSays
Posted on 05/29/2013 8:28:02 PM PDT by RightFighter
On the evening of February 26, 2012, at approximately 7:16PM, a white vigilante named George Zimmerman, fueled by racial animosity, called police to report that he was suspicious of an African-American child based entirely on his skin color and the hoodie sweatshirt he was wearing. George ignored clear instructions from police and chased down Trayvon Martin, who was unarmed and had been on his way back from a trip to the store to purchase iced tea and Skittles for his younger brother. Zimmerman held Trayvon at gunpoint and allowed him to scream for help for 42 seconds before Zimmerman pulled the trigger, and then he immediately set about constructing a false story of self-defense to cover for his murderous actions.
Thats the story that the State of Florida would like for you to believe. The truth is that almost none of that story is true, and its well past time for the State to acknowledge the holes in their narrative and drop the charges against George Zimmerman.
First, there is no evidence that George Zimmerman has a racist bone in his body. When he called the non-emergency dispatcher, he didnt volunteer information about Trayvon Martins skin color, as previously suggested in a recording played over and over again on NBC News that we now know was doctored by NBC staffers to remove the dispatchers question to George regarding Trayvon's race. The dispatcher asked "Okay, is he white, black, or hispanic?" to which Zimmerman replied He looks black. There were further attempts to paint George as a racist, with claims that he had used a racially incendiary term on his call with the dispatcher. Those claims were later debunked.
We also know that George Zimmerman had heavily criticized the Sanford police department previously for their failure to arrest the white politically connected son of a Sanford police officer, who had beaten a black homeless man named Sherman Ware. Zimmerman went door to door in that case handing out flyers urging people to take action to see that justice was done. He was also known to mentor black youths in the community.
Zimmermans very name may have played a part in the construction of the racist white guy narrative that is still pervasive today. In the early days after this incident, there were no pictures of Zimmerman available in the media. It was easy for people, including reporters, to jump to the conclusion that a man named "Zimmerman" was white. Later, when they found out that this conclusion was wrong and that George is actually a combination of white, Hispanic, and black (his mother is Peruvian and a grandfather was African-American), reporters coined the term White-Hispanic to continue the non-existent link to white racism.
Perhaps the best evidence regarding the lack of racism that can be attributed to George Zimmerman comes from the FBI. Agents descended on Sanford in the wake of the shooting in March and April of 2012 to interview Zimmerman's coworkers, friends, and others. In all, they interviewed over 30 people, and not one of them stated that George had ever "displayed any bias, prejudice or irrational attitude against any class of citizen, religious, racial, gender or ethnic groups."
George Zimmerman is no racist, by any stretch of the imagination.

Another part of the narrative that has been pervasively misreported is the conversation with the dispatcher that evening. Early in the phone call, after taking the description of the suspect (Trayvon Martin) and hearing from Zimmerman that Martin was coming toward his car and appeared to be on drugs, the dispatcher instructed George Zimmerman to just let me know if this guy does anything else. About 40 seconds later, Zimmerman told the dispatcher that Martin was running, to which the dispatcher replied Which way is he running? Zimmerman, appearing to want to see where Martin was going, simultaneously opened his car door and answered the dispatcher. After 15 seconds during which it was obvious that Zimmerman had exited his vehicle and was moving, the dispatcher said Are you following him? When Zimmerman answered in the affirmative, the dispatcher said Okay, we dont need you to do that. Zimmerman stopped moving a few seconds later.
This exchange has been widely misrepresented and is today often reported as an exchange in which the dispatcher commanded Zimmerman not to follow Martin and to either stay in his car or return to his car. The dispatchers actual words were not a command, and in fact Zimmerman was already following the dispatchers earlier directive to keep him informed if Martin did anything else and also attempting to answer the dispatchers question about which way Martin ran. It is also important to note that the dispatcher was not a police officer, and George was under no obligation to follow his instructions that evening. He certainly was not under an obligation to find a hidden meaning in the words "we don't need you to do that." The misreporting of this one fact has done more to harm George Zimmerman than any other event from that evening, since today, supporters of the prosecution still make claims like If George Zimmerman would have stayed in his truck like the police told him to, Trayvon would still be alive.
Regarding the trip to 7-Eleven, that story was at least partially false. First, in the early days after the incident, the media continued to report (based on a false claim by the family of Trayvon Martin) that Martin had gone to the store at halftime of the NBA All-Star game (which he was watching with his younger brother, Chad), to retrieve tea and Skittles for Chad. The truth is that the NBA All-Star game didnt start that evening until after Trayvon Martin was already dead. Chad wasnt his brother (he was Trayvons fathers girlfriends son), and Trayvon didnt purchase any iced tea. The iced tea had its origins in a mistaken notation on the police reports that a can of Arizona Iced Tea was found on or near Trayvon's body. In fact, the officer was mistaken, and we now know (based on crime scene photos) that the can was actually a can of Arizona brand Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail. Chad, who was allegedly waiting for his iced tea and Skittles and to watch the remainder of the basketball game with Trayvon, apparently didnt think anything was odd about the fact that Trayvon didnt return home.

Why is any of this important? Its important because Witness 8, the states key witness, whose inconsistencies could fill another article, told prosecutors that Trayvon had purchased iced tea at the store that evening, and that Trayvon told her on the phone that he wanted to get home to finish watching the game. It seems odd that Trayvon would have told her that he purchased iced tea when in fact he had bought watermelon drink, and equally odd that he would have told her that he wanted to get home to finish watching a game that hadn't started yet. However, at the time that Witness 8 was interviewed by prosecutors, Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump had already been provided with the police reports that showed officers had (incorrectly) catalogued the can of iced tea, and the Martin family's false story about the NBA All-Star game was widely reported in the media. Crump and Martin's family had already had extensive contact with Witness 8. The obvious inference? Witness 8 may have been coached by members of the family or the familys legal counsel on those issues, since they played right into the false portrayals of that nights events that were making national news at that time.

Early reports in this case portrayed Trayvon Martin as an innocent child, a good student who wanted to be an astronaut. Pictures released by the family included an elementary school graduation picture and a picture of a clean-cut youngster in a Hollister t-shirt. His parents claimed that the Hollister shirt picture was the most recent picture of Trayvon. In it, Trayvon appeared to be about 14 years old. However, interested bloggers immediately began to comb the internet for other photos of Martin, and they found photos of a much older, much more imposing young man, including some of him making obscene gestures to the camera, and others where he was displaying a wad of money reminiscent of something a drug dealer might possess. More recently, the defense has released photos of Martin that show him holding a gun in his hand, and smoking and growing marijuana. They have also released text messages that show that Martin had a propensity for violence, and liked to brag of his exploits as an MMA style fighter, telling a friend regarding one incident that his opponent didnt bleed enough and would, therefore, have to face Trayvon again. Trayvon was also attempting to purchase a firearm after his arrival in Sanford.

That much of this information may be withheld from the jury in George Zimmermans upcoming trial does not make it irrelevant to the truth about what happened that night. George Zimmerman encountered a troubled young man, who had recently been suspended from school for the third time in one school year a young man who was most likely high and certainly in no mood to answer questions from George Zimmerman regarding his activities that evening. While its possible that Zimmerman may have been mistaken in believing that Martin looked suspicious that evening, this mountain of evidence suggests that he nailed his description of Martin and his behavior.

After Zimmerman hung up with the non-emergency dispatcher, we dont know a lot about what happened in the next 60 seconds, other than what Zimmerman said in his interviews with police and the 911 calls that were placed during the struggle between Zimmerman and Martin. One thing is clear Zimmerman has been consistent from the very outset that Martin attacked him, and that Martin was beating his head against the sidewalk to the point where Zimmerman was afraid that he was going to lose consciousness. Zimmerman stated emphatically that he screamed for help and nobody helped him. Zimmerman passed a police-administered voice stress analysis test with no evidence of deception. Listening to the 911 tape that captured the screams and the shooting, it seems obvious to anyone who listens objectively that the screams are those of a person suffering a horrendous beating who was in fear for his life. Those screams are surely the screams of George Zimmerman. Trayvon Martin's own father even told police that those were not the screams of his son.
Those claiming that they are Trayvon Martins screams beg the question why would George Zimmerman hold Trayvon Martin at gunpoint for 42 seconds and allow him to scream for help at least 16 times before finally pulling the trigger to shut Martin up just in time for the police to arrive (police that George Zimmerman had called and was expecting)? That makes no sense, and the physical evidence all supports George Zimmermans claims of self-defense. Martin had no injuries, other than the bullet wound, and Zimmerman was bloodied and had an apparent broken nose. The witness who was closest to the action that night claimed immediately to police that it was the guy on the bottom in the red sweater (Zimmerman) who was screaming, and that Martin was on top of him hitting him MMA ground and pound style.

The State of Florida, with its unlimited resources and its desire to avoid riots or other troubles that are feared should an acquittal come, has reached out and found a voice expert who has concluded that the screams are those of Trayvon Martin. That expert goes beyond that, though, and actually claims to hear things that no other expert in the case who has examined the evidence has heard - including the FBI, who concluded that the recording was of such poor quality that it was not usable for voice identification purposes - things like George Zimmerman yelling These shall be in the voice of a carnival barker, and Trayvon Martin saying Im begging you just before Zimmerman pulled the trigger. It seems that it should be easy to exclude this witness from ever setting foot in front of the jury to offer such confusing and clearly misleading garbage on the stand, but nobody will be surprised at this point if Judge Debra Nelson lets him testify.

There is much more here to discuss regarding the weakness of the States case against George Zimmerman. Prosecutors know all of the facts outlined above, and they know how little their probable cause affidavit has to do with reality. Even if some or most of this evidence about Trayvons character is inadmissible in a court of law, it is not off limits for a prosecutors use in determining the appropriateness of the charges against George Zimmerman. Perhaps, through the efforts of a corrupt States Attorney and the hanging judge who appears determined to railroad Zimmerman to prison and will do so by excluding any discussion of the proclivities of Trayvon Martin toward violence and drugs, the State will win a conviction in this case. If they do so, however, the real loser wont be George Zimmerman, whose conviction will almost certainly be overturned on appeal. The real loser will be our system of justice in the State of Florida.
Its time for those who care about such things to stand up for George Zimmerman. Annette Kelly, a blogger who goes by the handle Nettles18 said it best:
On February 26th, 2012 George Zimmerman screamed for help. Together, lets answer him.
TOPICS: Local News; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: georgezimmerman; injustice; trayvoninc; trayvonmartin; zimmerman
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To: RightFighter
On the evening of February 26, 2012, at approximately 7:16PM, a white vigilante named George Zimmerman, fueled by racial animosity, called police to report that he was suspicious of an African-American child based entirely on his skin color and the hoodie sweatshirt he was wearing. George ignored clear instructions from police and chased down Trayvon Martin, who was unarmed and had been on his way back from a trip to the store to purchase iced tea and Skittles for his younger brother. Zimmerman held Trayvon at gunpoint and allowed him to scream for help for 42 seconds before Zimmerman pulled the trigger, and then he immediately set about constructing a false story of self-defense to cover for his murderous actions. Thats the story that the State of Florida would like for you to believe. The truth is that almost none of that story is true, and its well past time for the State to acknowledge the holes in their narrative and drop the charges against George Zimmerman.
We know" (insert standard disclaimer here about nothing having been proven in court - but note, that is normally a line in favor of the defendant, not the prosecutor) all that. The real issue is not whether it is reasonable to convict on the facts, but whether a reasonable verdict based on the facts can be a reasonable verdict for the jurors to announce and subsequently live with.
There is much more here to discuss regarding the weakness of the States case against George Zimmerman. Prosecutors know all of the facts outlined above, and they know how little their probable cause affidavit has to do with reality. Even if some or most of this evidence about Trayvons character is inadmissible in a court of law, it is not off limits for a prosecutors use in determining the appropriateness of the charges against George Zimmerman. Perhaps, through the efforts of a corrupt States Attorney and the hanging judge who appears determined to railroad Zimmerman to prison and will do so by excluding any discussion of the proclivities of Trayvon Martin toward violence and drugs, the State will win a conviction in this case. If they do so, however, the real loser wont be George Zimmerman, whose conviction will almost certainly be overturned on appeal. The real loser will be our system of justice in the State of Florida.
Obviously, the risk of violence ensuing from an acquittal is nothing to sneeze at, but there are two other considerations. One, would it not be equally likely for a guilty verdict to precipitate a riot, on the grounds that the presumption of white racism is vindicated? Second, would not the propaganda media influence potentially riotous behavior in either case? I put it to you that the public interest lies in not having a riot - and for the right reasons. The public interest lies in having the public fully informed about all the ins and outs of the case. It is not merely George Zimmerman who is on trial, the legitimacy of the Establishment is on trial, as it is in every criminal case. And, in fact, the real trial of the Establishment is scheduled for after the criminal trial of George Zimmerman. The real trial of the Establishment, which should precede the criminal trial, is the civil suit Zimmerman has filed against NBC. Zimmerman should have never agreed to delay it until after the criminal trial, as if the tort of editing out the context of Zimmermans He looks black comment - and broadcasting the resulting libel to the whole world - would not be a tort if Zimmerman is convicted of the murder charge.
And it is not just NBC which should be on trial in that case; journalism as a whole is guilty of promoting the atmosphere which produced the (on the merits of the case, irrational) arrest and indictment of George Zimmerman. Establishment journalism as a whole - for which the best proxy is the Associated Press and its members individually - should be called to account in civil court for everything that has happened to George Zimmerman and his family since he was released by the police, for whatever residual effects that propaganda campaign will have on the family in the future, and for every dime of damages which arise from any riot which might ensue on a not guilty verdict (or for that matter a guilty verdict).
In that trial, there would be no escape for Establishment journalism from all the facts surrounding the case - not only the reasons why your first paragraph, which not only is an accurate portrayal of the prosecutions case, but also reads like a parody of the actual facts surrounding the case. In that trial, perhaps, the reality that a defense of Zimmerman is inherently, and can only be, an attack on the decedent Trayvon Martin would allow the facts about St. Skittles to be brought into evidence.
If the journalism Establishment were confronted with responsibility for the actual costs of its tendentiousness, perhaps it would have the prudence to use its incalculable influence to defuse the situation before the murder trial. And even, as you suggest, to obliterate the rationale for the mockery of a trial which the prosecution has planned for George Zimmerman.
If in fact Zimmerman is acquitted and a riot ensues, the people of Florida deserve nothing less than that the governor call out the National Guard and read the riot act to all TV and radio broadcasters in the state - telling them that they would broadcast the exculpatory truths vindicating the decision, and nothing else, until order was restored - or they will be shut down by the National Guard.
41
posted on
05/30/2013 1:20:14 PM PDT
by
conservatism_IS_compassion
(“Liberalism” is a conspiracy against the public by wire-service journalism.)
To: Cboldt
So you’re saying Zimmerman has a chance then?
To: RightFighter
Good post... just one nit to pick: :-)
More recently, the defense has released photos of Martin that show him holding a gun in his hand, and smoking and growing marijuana.
I don't believe that there is any evidence that Martin is the one holding the gun in that picture that was on his phone. And for that matter, is there any way to prove that the smoke coming out of Martin's mouth in the picture was marijuana and not cigarettes?
To: Jacob Kell
--
So you're saying Zimmerman has a chance then? --
Yes. There is ZERO chance of a conviction by the jury, in my opinion. I dither on the chances of acquittal vs. hung jury. Worst case, 50-50, best case, 15% chance of a hung jury, 85% chance of acquittal.
If the jury hangs, I think the DCA takes the decision away from Nelson and the state. There is not enough evidence to support a conviction, as a matter of law. Never was.
44
posted on
05/30/2013 8:28:19 PM PDT
by
Cboldt
To: Uncle Chip
I’m not sure if I’ll be at the courthouse. I might go over and meet Nettles.
45
posted on
05/31/2013 7:48:57 AM PDT
by
RightFighter
(It was all for nothing.)
To: sport
I have been very up front about my initial reaction to this case and how wrong I was. I was not alone in that reaction, since the entire country was being inundated with the “Racist white guy shoots unarmed kid” narrative on every single channel you turned on. I encounter people every single day who have only recently begun to see the truth about this case, and it’s been almost a year and a half since it happened. I’ve expressed regret here in these forums and in several other places about my reaction, and I’ve more than made up for it with my advocacy on George’s behalf. What have you done to help him?
So, let me put this as eloquently as possible - you can take your holier than thou attitude and shove it right up your ass.
46
posted on
05/31/2013 8:06:54 AM PDT
by
RightFighter
(It was all for nothing.)
To: RightFighter
I would say that I cared or was concerned about what you thought or said, but i would be lying.
As to your "";Road to Damascus" epiphany, The residends learned the hard way to beware when a foe appears to be friendly.
As far as your "advocating " for him goes after you helped place the nose around his neck, will you do his time when he is convicted?
47
posted on
05/31/2013 9:09:06 AM PDT
by
sport
To: sport; RightFighter
Seems like he should at least get some recognition for realizing his error and now advocating for the truth. A lot of other FReepers (you guys know who you are) who were ready to put Zimmerman in front of a firing squad have yet to come forward.
I had heated conversations with many of them, as they were swallowing the MSM narrative hook, line and sinker at the time.
To: RightFighter
Im not sure if Ill be at the courthouse.Please reconsider as we need first hand reports from the scene.
To: 101stAirborneVet; RightFighter
You are correct. Upon further reflection and when I was in a saner frame of mind I realized that I went a little too far maybe. But what actually convinced me was when I read my response. Anyone that does not have the intelligence to type: The residence of Troy learned the hard way to beware when a foe appears to be friendly" has no business critizing anyone else' actions.
RightFigher, my "holier that thou" attitude probably fit up my ass anyway. Sometimes my mouth runs wild and I stick my nose where it has no business. As I did in your case. I would say that I was sorry, but judging me by the same standard I judged you,being sorry after the fact is not good enough.
What I will say is they you were right in telling me to stick my holier than thou attitude up my ass and I was wrong in critizing you.
50
posted on
05/31/2013 11:23:13 AM PDT
by
sport
To: RightFighter
To: sport
{extends hand of friendship}
52
posted on
06/01/2013 10:15:32 AM PDT
by
RightFighter
(It was all for nothing.)
To: RightFighter
53
posted on
06/01/2013 11:53:58 AM PDT
by
sport
To: RightFighter
What’s a fair trial compared to the possibility of a repeat of the Los Angeles Riots?
54
posted on
06/01/2013 12:11:39 PM PDT
by
RWB Patriot
("My ability is a value that must be purchased and I don't recognize anyone's need as a claim on me.")
To: sport
55
posted on
06/06/2013 11:03:08 PM PDT
by
RightFighter
(It was all for nothing.)
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