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George Zimmerman trial raises questions of race and racial language (White guilt warning)
The Oregonian ^ | June 29, 2013 | Kathleen Parker

Posted on 06/30/2013 1:19:03 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

The trial of George Zimmerman, accused of fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, inevitably and quickly devolved into a contest of who is more racist -- the victim or the accused?

The question was inevitable because the prosecution is basing its case largely on the suggestion that Zimmerman profiled the 17-year-old African-American, allegedly deciding he was a potential threat by virtue of his race.

This assumption was somewhat complicated Thursday during testimony by 19-year-old Rachel Jeantel, a friend of Martin's who was talking to him by cellphone shortly before he was shot. Sidebar: Poor Jeantel. Whether she is a credible witness will be determined by the jury, but the rest of us really ought to cut the girl some slack. She is young, obviously playing on alien turf and having a tough-enough time on the witness stand without further commentary. She may, indeed, be the best argument yet for keeping cameras out of the courtroom, but that is another discussion. Jeantel's contribution to the race discussion included a quote she attributed to Martin when he told her a "creepy-ass cracker" was watching him. No doubt Zimmerman did seem creepy. He was following Martin after all, who, as far as anyone knows with certainty, was merely walking home from a convenience store. Does Martin's use of "cracker" mean he was a racist and, therefore, may have instigated the struggle that, according to the defense, compelled Zimmerman to shoot Martin in self-defense?

Jeantel told defense attorney Don "Knock-Knock" West that, no, she doesn't consider "cracker" a racist term. Apparently, most whites don't either. In street interviews aired Thursday, CNN found that whites are not as offended by the term "cracker" as they are by the N-word......

(Excerpt) Read more at oregonlive.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: trayvon; trayvonstroops; zimmerman
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Does Ms Parker pretend that the girl could even read the column?


41 posted on 06/30/2013 6:04:38 AM PDT by Repulican Donkey
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; 101stAirborneVet
Sadly, the final verdict for Zimmerman does depend on how people perceive his race.

"Thank you for calling the "blind" US court system. Para Espanol, marke el numero uno. If you is Black English, punch number 2, n***a. If you a creepy ass cracka, hang up."

42 posted on 06/30/2013 6:07:28 AM PDT by Earthdweller (Harvard won the election again...so what's the problem.......? Embrace a ruler today.)
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To: varmintman

Would not GZ’s “excited utterances” during the beating best confirm the fact that he was in fear of great injury or death?

If GZ is screaming like that, is he not in a submissive situation and then Trayvon is escalating the fight with unnecessary force?


43 posted on 06/30/2013 6:16:24 AM PDT by dmet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I have told people in my office to knock off the rapper talk


44 posted on 06/30/2013 6:40:54 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: hoosiermama

nonot “rapist” rape iss


45 posted on 06/30/2013 6:42:15 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

GN:DN


46 posted on 06/30/2013 6:43:22 AM PDT by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... Who will shoot Liberty Valence?)
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To: RC one

Zappa - best concert ever.


47 posted on 06/30/2013 6:45:49 AM PDT by Fzob (In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. Jefferson)
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To: Uncle Chip

I love listening to these yankee libs telling us how Southern blacks talk. If you heard the testimony about what Trademark said you would know she had been coached to sound more PC. Most blacks wouldn’t say creepy. What Trademark likely called Zimmerman was a Gay Ass Cracker referring to him being a Pussy Ass White Boy. That was Trademark saying he wasFitten to Beat him down.


48 posted on 06/30/2013 7:07:15 AM PDT by DeWalt
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Been ages since I read Porker. I can see I haven’t missed much.


49 posted on 06/30/2013 7:07:30 AM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Obama's Enemies List - Yes, you are a crook.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
This assumption was somewhat complicated Thursday during testimony by 19-year-old Rachel Jeantel

The big lie comes pretty early in this article. The assumption was not made "complicated", it was made crystal-clear by her specific statement that she considered it a racial issue because Trashcan called GZ a "cracker".

50 posted on 06/30/2013 7:17:30 AM PDT by jiggyboy (Ten percent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: jiggyboy

Trademark made it perfectly clear he was talking about the Sorry ass white boy.


51 posted on 06/30/2013 7:21:26 AM PDT by DeWalt
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To: SC_Pete

I do Peggy Noonan impressions to make my mom laugh. She tries harder than anyone I have ever seen to make people think she is a WASP. She certainly seems like a wanna be WASP! She IS the worst!


52 posted on 06/30/2013 7:34:17 AM PDT by leaning conservative (snow coming, school cancelled, yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If the cracker’s head got split you must acquit.


53 posted on 06/30/2013 9:02:04 AM PDT by Bubba_Leroy (The Obamanation Continues)
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To: yldstrk

Actually thought she said ray sis s at first


54 posted on 06/30/2013 9:03:07 AM PDT by hoosiermama (Obama: "Born in Kenya" Lying now or then!)
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To: Verginius Rufus
"... a reasonable person might not given that his injuries were not severe enough"

Perhaps if that "reasonable person" had their nose broken and their head repeatedly bounced off the concrete they might have a little more...um...perspective.

I saw another female former prosecutor on FOX make a similar statement. I had no idea a person had to suffer a certain amount of physical damage before he could defend himself.

55 posted on 06/30/2013 9:15:11 AM PDT by Flag_This (Real presidents don't bow.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

That’s because blacks and latino’s have a huge chip on their shoulders.


56 posted on 06/30/2013 9:25:21 AM PDT by 38special (For real, y'all.)
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To: Verginius Rufus
Marcia Clark of O.J. trial infamy was on Judge Jeanine last night and was claiming that GZ’s “self defense” claim would only be valid if a reasonable person thought he was in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, that he may subjectively have thought he was in danger but that a reasonable person might not given that his injuries were not severe enough...sounded like she was hoping for a “manslaughter” verdict.

Zimmerman has two points in his favor here:

First, a reasonable person could think he was in danger of being beaten to death at the point when the back of that person's head was bleeding from being pounded against concrete. We know from physical evidence that George Zimmerman was in that condition when he fired the shot, unless he injured himself and Trayvon Martin's knuckles after shooting. It's implausible that he could have faked that well enough to fool professionals.

Second, Zimmerman specifically reported that Trayvon Martin said, “You’re gonna die tonight” as he reached for George Zimmerman’s gun. At the point when you are beaten to death and your attacker says he's going to kill you and reaches for a gun, it's completely and totally reasonable to think that you are in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm. George Zimmerman had just lost a physical struggle against Trayvon Martin and could not reasonably have been expected to bet his life on winning a struggle for the gun without firing a shot.

Reasonable doubt is a slam dunk. Even if the prosecution could prove that Zimmerman provoked the attack (impossible to prove without a witness), at the time when the shot was fired it would have been lawful even for the aggressor to shoot.

57 posted on 06/30/2013 9:46:07 AM PDT by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Her liberal racism is showing.

She perceives the occasional white racists as dangerous and ignorant people. They are worthy of a response and rejection because whites are better than that.

However, it’s not surprising to her when blacks are ignorant and dangerous racists. Blacks just are that way so it’s nothing new, shocking and no big deal. It’s just blacks being inferior blacks.

Thanks for straightening us crackers out, you racist idiot.
Racists are dangerous, ignorant animals, no matter the color of their skin.


58 posted on 06/30/2013 11:08:14 AM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

This is dumb article.


59 posted on 06/30/2013 11:54:59 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: Verginius Rufus

Marcia Clark is an either an idiot who should know better or she’s pimping an agenda. At least in Florida, you don’t have to wait to suffer injuries to justify deploying deadly force in self defense.

If anything, Zimmerman showed amazing restraint and reluctance to deploy his weapon, and waited until the last possible moment to do so despite the danger he was so obviously in.

Martin had proximity, ability and intent to kill or seriously harm Zimmerman, and was trying to do so for quite some time. Zimmerman narrowly missed becoming one of the 800 or so poor souls who are murdered every year in this country with what the FBI calls “personal weapons”, mostly hands, feet and fists.

That’s discounting the very real possibility that Martin could have gained control of the firearm involved either before or after he beat Zimmerman senseless.

The more I think about it, I’d file Marcia in the large category of talking heads willing to lie and omit facts in order to prolong the controversy. If they had an honest panel on a news show, they’d only be talking about why on earth would a prosecutor might file charges with such an anemic case.

If and when somebody has the guts to go there and tell the truth, watch the ratings of this pioneer of honesty skyrocket.


60 posted on 06/30/2013 11:56:35 AM PDT by M1911A1
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