Posted on 03/26/2012 10:52:53 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin was driven by the stereotype of black men as criminals and the designation of the Young Black Male as the fall guy for the nation’s neighborhood fears.
The killing of Trayvon Martin (essentially for the “crime” of walking while black) and its aftermath provides one of those riveting moments in American history when the curtain of our still-all-too-rampant racism normally hides behind is pulled back … exposing the ugly underbelly of prejudice and hatred that still exists in too many corners of our society.
Through decade after decade of scurrilous application of Jim Crow laws—combined with other forms of racially motivated biases that keep minorities marginalized—our country has created the near-perfect target for the majority culture’s collective hatred, fear, and opprobrium: the Young Black Male. Hoodie optional.
And thanks to new laws on the books in various parts of the country, the demographic many seemingly love to loathe and despise now have legalized targets pinned on their backs; the Young Black Male is now officially considered fair game in some parts of America. Game on—lock and load.
Under the “Stand Your Ground” laws that have been enacted in many states anyone can do what George Zimmerman did in Sanford, Fla.: shoot someone (preferably a Young Black Male) to death and then claim self-defense. Of course, it won’t work too well if the shooter is black and the victim is white. Oh, and after the “kill” the shooter should bop him or herself upside the head with that trusty Glock … just hard enough to raise the self-defense knot right above the left eye.
In spite of the fact that the shooter in this case will, in all likelihood, stand trial on state or federal charges, Southern “justice” being what it historically has been, there’s no assurances of a fair and unbiased jury being selected—or of a conviction … even if the evidence is overwhelming. This is why so many blacks were lynched in America a century ago: whites knew they could carry out their murderous acts with impunity. And, to quote an NAACP slogan: in America, “much has changed, much has not.”
The emerging facts surrounding Trayvon’s death are so glaring as to be mind-boggling. Most important among them is the fact that when Zimmerman told a police dispatcher that he was following a Young Black Male (who, according to Zimmerman, “appeared to be on drugs”), the dispatcher responded, “We don’t need for you to do that.” At that point Zimmerman should have gotten back into his vehicle and simply followed Trayvon until police arrived, but he continued his pursuit; a deranged white man on the hunt of the elusive Young Black Male. Zimmerman even said, “These assholes always get away.” But not this time.
Supposedly, a number of break-ins had occurred in the gated community that served as Zimmerman’s hunting and killing grounds, and while no suspects had been arrested or even spotted … it was assumed by him and others that the dreaded “Young Black Male”—the fall guy for all our nation’s collective neighborhood fears—was responsible for them.
It’s abundantly clear by a preponderance of (albeit) circumstantial evidence that Zimmerman wasn’t simply “standing his ground” … he actually was out looking for what he considered “fair game” (read: the Young Black Male) and clearly was the aggressor in the confrontation with Trayvon, whom he ran to ground and slaughtered.
And if Zimmerman is not prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, expect other killings to occur in states with similar laws and even some where laws are not so unambiguous. There are an untold number of other Zimmermans out there, waiting to protect the white race by offing a Young Black Male.
The “investigation” (if you can call it that) carried out by the Sanford Police Department was so slipshod one has to wonder what relationship—if any—Zimmerman had with local police prior to the killing. Because Travyon’s body was tested for drugs and Zimmerman was not (all police officers involved in a shooting, deadly or not, are routinely tested), does this suggest a special relationship between the shooter and the police? Was Zimmerman on their payroll? Was he a cop wannabe they tolerated? Why did police never investigate someone who had called them dozens of times (always with unfounded, wacky suspicions about Young Black Males) just to see if he had a screw loose? The questions just keep coming and coming.
The silver lining of this darkest of clouds is that while the majority of protesters at the rallies protesting Travyon’s killing are people of color, there have been enough whites in attendance to prove that all people of good will find this killing abominable and not to be tolerated. Travyon’s death could bring about a new era of multiracial civil-rights activism in America.
Now, if we can just convert some of the extant outrage over the killing of a Young Black Male by a white vigilante … to similar outrage when Young Black Males senselessly kill each other, we would be paying fitting tribute to the life—and tragic death—of Trayvon Martin.
Alternate title,
“The Nancy Strait Rape and Murder Shows 85-Year-Old White Woman Are Society’s Prime Target”
No, it’s not. How many times can it be said that Zimmerman is part of Neighborhood WATCH, not Neighborhood Pursuit. The dispatcher discouraged him from following/looking for Martin. The police had been dispatched.
I’ve asked numerous times, but I can’t get anyone to speculate, what was Zimmerman’s purpose in getting out of his truck?
Who cares? He was getting back into his truck when he was attacked. So a better question is why did Martin attack him?
Zimmerman’s responsibility was to report potential “thugs,” not confront them, not stop them. That’s the police’s job.
“not confront them, not stop them. That’s the police’s job.”
I see you’re an indoctrinated sheeple. That is NOT the job of the police. They DO NOT have a duty to respond nor take ANY action if they do respond.
And I see that you’re one of those people who likes to use that tired, worn out, overused word “sheeple” when you can think of anything original to say.
Why don’t YOU tell me what Zimmerman hoped to gain by getting out and looking for Martin? You know it all. Was he going to arrest him? Was he going to hold him at gunpoint until the police arrived? What did he hope to achieve? Because all he succeeded in doing is making an innocent person, by all accounts, fearful enough for his safety to attack him (it appears). Just the way a mighty man such as yourself would do if someone were dogging you for what turns out to be no reason.
Oh. Well, why didn't you just SAY that we were going to throw all the applicable laws out the window and render a verdict based on what YOU "feel"?
There, fixed it. Most young black males killed are killed by other blacks.
I don't know why she believes this drivel. She just does.
It's obvious that I think your point is lame. From the account in the Florida paper, it seems that the democrat Zimmerman was talking to 911 while he was out of the truck already.
He was returning to the truck when the yute assaulted him.
For you in Rio Linda, let me restate myself at your level: I suspect that Zimmerman is legally guilty of no crime. He does, however, have to live with the fact that this would not have happened if he had remained in his truck and WATCHed.
Stereotype or Fact??? It carries weight because well over 50% of the murders are committed by 12% of the population( guess what that is), and almost half are under 22 years of age. And that is combining Females and Males.
you: The fight couldn’t have happened if Zimmerman had stayed in his vehicle as the dispatcher suggested. The police were on their way, according to the dispatcher. What in the heck was Zimmerman going to do anyway?
Me:Are you Trayvon’s mom?”
You: Given my post above, I’m trying to figure out how you arrive at a brainless comment like “Are you Trayvon’s mom?” Isn’t it great that you get to post anonymously, so no one knows who you are? What a deal for you.
Me: You call me brainless when it is you who are defending the Thug Trayvon while ripping Zimmerman. Anyway, when you go to the rally, say hey to Al Sharpton for me. I am sure he is impressed with your large brain.
I’m pretty sure you’re the one residing in Rio Linda. If we could all see into the future, I’m sure there’s lots of things we’d do differently, including you.
It’s inaccurate, hyperventilating weenies such as yourself who have blown this incident into a near race-war I didn’t “rip” Zimmerman. I criticized him for getting out of his truck when he should have remained inside and awaited the police.
What a drama queen you are. [Just FYI: I’ve been a monthly donor here for years.]
You might be a good freeper otherwise, but you’re wrong on this one. It doesn’t take a drama queen to see that. BTW- Most here seem to disagree with you.
I do find it interesting that not one FReeper over the last two days has answered my question: What could Zimmerman have hoped to gain by getting out and looking for Martin (with police on the way, per the dispatcher)? No one will offer an answer.
Your question makes no difference. The fact that Zimmerman got out of his truck does not give the thug the right to beat the crap out of him. In fact, that is why Zimmerman was never charged, because a witness attested to this fact.
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