Trayvon Martin

[All-American]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/21/trayvon-martin-george-zimmerman/?hpt=ju_bn1

I don't know enough about the case to call for any one course of action, but irrespective of whatever else you can say about this case, it is a tragedy. The kid didn't need to die.

Hopefully, the outcry sheds some light on the severe problems we have in this country with respect to race and the justice system. The problems are real and they are disturbing. As much as we'd like to think we've progressed from 60's-era racism, we've got a long way to go.

[oxcoug]

It's clearly a tragedy. But quite honestly I'm baffled by the explosive outrage, for a few reasons.

1. The facts of the case are not at all clear and from the sound of it - and per one eye witness - it does seem that Zimmerman fired after a physical altercation http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,1716605.story

2. Tragic - but kids die every week of the year - Here's Edgar http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sec...rticle-8549585 Here's Anthony http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news...-dead-20100715 and Albert http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news...lated-20120229 - where is the outrage at all these deaths?

3. Up to this point from everything I'd been hearing this was a case of some angry white racist who decided to off a black kid - but no, turns out George Zimmerman is Hispanic, fluent in Spanish and cldn't be further from white - http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...jCqQBdhL1pzHSr -the name is a bit of a mystery and I'm still trying to figure out - is he adopted? Or is he descended from one of those rare German emigres to Latin America from the last century? Cuz that kid doesn't look like he's got a drop of Caucasian in him.

The disproportionate outrage seems to center around the inaccurately perceived fact that this was a white-on-black crime. I wonder how/if it will redirect once it become clear that it was a Spanish-speaking minority who was involved.

[snowcat]

It's clearly a tragedy. But quite honestly I'm baffled by the explosive outrage, for a few reasons.

I think it is because no parents want to have their teen shot by some random person on the street.

My wife was outraged last night. I had to keep telling her that we don't know the whole story yet, but this hits too close to home.

We have two black boys ages eight and nine. Whether race plays a role in this or not (at this point we don't know), it feels like it does.

[dabrockster]

I listened to the 911 call (Specifically the one where you hear someone crying for help etc)..

You clearly hear a shot (Warning shot) and then a second shot at least 5 second or longer after.. After listening to that. I am not sure how he can justify claiming self defense or Stand My Ground.. Of course he could of been the one crying for help and not the teenager..


My brother lives less than 10 minutes from Sanford.... To close to home..



Very tragic indeed..

[All-American]

It's clearly a tragedy. But quite honestly I'm baffled by the explosive outrage, for a few reasons.

1. The facts of the case are not at all clear and from the sound of it - and per one eye witness - it does seem that Zimmerman fired after a physical altercation http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,1716605.story

2. Tragic - but kids die every week of the year - Here's Edgar http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sec...rticle-8549585 Here's Anthony http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news...-dead-20100715 and Albert http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news...lated-20120229 - where is the outrage at all these deaths?

3. Up to this point from everything I'd been hearing this was a case of some angry white racist who decided to off a black kid - but no, turns out George Zimmerman is Hispanic, fluent in Spanish and cldn't be further from white - http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...jCqQBdhL1pzHSr -the name is a bit of a mystery and I'm still trying to figure out - is he adopted? Or is he descended from one of those rare German emigres to Latin America from the last century? Cuz that kid doesn't look like he's got a drop of Caucasian in him.

The disproportionate outrage seems to center around the inaccurately perceived fact that this was a white-on-black crime. I wonder how/if it will redirect once it become clear that it was a Spanish-speaking minority who was involved.

That's what makes this so tricky. This may not be the 60s, but racial tension is still very palpable, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the criminal justice system. On the whole, blacks, and especially black men, are accused, victimized, over-prosecuted, and under-protected. It's a major problem.

On the other hand, the millions who are now demanding Zimmerman's arrest clearly cannot be adequately informed of all the different considerations. We can't say for sure that this is one of those cases where a murderer would have been locked away for life if his victim were white. We just don't know.

[Tex]

Drudge is headlining an Orlando Sentinel article where the father released a statement saying the shooter comes from a multi-racial family. It also apparently challenges some of the facts we've been hearing about in the media.

Having a racist firebrand like Al Sharpton there isn't helping. Neither is having the President of the United States yet again weighing in on an issue to which neither he nor the rest of us have all the facts.

[Tim]

Drudge is headlining an Orlando Sentinel article where the father released a statement saying the shooter comes from a multi-racial family. It also apparently challenges some of the facts we've been hearing about in the media.

Having a racist firebrand like Al Sharpton there isn't helping. Neither is having the President of the United States yet again weighing in on an issue to which neither he nor the rest of us have all the facts.

How did the President weigh in on it besides to point out that the boy's death is a tragedy and that we need to gather the facts and context? I watched the video of him speaking to reporters about it and he didn't "weigh in" on anything -- that would've required him to pass some sort of judgement or give an opinion, neither of which he did.

[All-American]

How did the President weigh in on it besides to point out that the boy's death is a tragedy and that we need to gather the facts and context? I watched the video of him speaking to reporters about it and he didn't "weigh in" on anything -- that would've required him to pass some sort of judgement or give an opinion, neither of which he did.

I heard the President's comments live. I thought his comments were measured, careful, and largely appropriate.

It might have been even better to say less on the matter to avoid inflaming any passions, but that would be nitpicking. There's really very little to quibble with about what he said.

[Tex]

I heard the President's comments live. I thought his comments were measured, careful, and largely appropriate.

It might have been even better to say less on the matter to avoid inflaming any passions, but that would be nitpicking. There's really very little to quibble with about what he said.

He's the President of the United States. Weighing in on this issue is already inappropriate before he ever opened his mouth. That he chose to emphasize the boy's race simply compounds that mistake.

[wuapinmon]

Cuz that kid doesn't look like he's got a drop of Caucasian in him.

[All-American]

He's the President of the United States. Weighing in on this issue is already inappropriate before he ever opened his mouth. That he chose to emphasize the boy's race simply compounds that mistake.

He's the DOJ's boss, is he not?

[MarkGrace]

The disproportionate outrage seems to center around the inaccurately perceived fact that this was a white-on-black crime.

Really? I didn't know people thought this to be the case.

[All-American]

Really? I didn't know people thought this to be the case.

Of course, a good number of the policemen and prosecutors are white, so . . . .

[SoonerCoug]

Yet another example of guns saving lives.

[All-American]

He's the President of the United States. Weighing in on this issue is already inappropriate before he ever opened his mouth. That he chose to emphasize the boy's race simply compounds that mistake.

Newt agrees with you:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/23/presidential-candidates-reflect-on-trayvon-martin-case/?hpt=hp_t1

EDIT: It kind of feels like we've turned this kid's death into a political football, doesn't it?