Posted on 06/13/2013 6:47:28 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The case that shocked the nation, the Trayvon Martin murder case, has finally come to trial. The case has everything that intrigues, or is, America: xenophobia, race (or racism), guns, liberties debate and media hysteria.
It also has many of the conflictions that Americana brings about: self-defense, rights, free speech, public opinion, protest, fair trial, innocence before guilt, guilt before conviction, right-winged rhetoric, left-winged rhetoric, intelligent analysis, anti-intelligent debate, coherent prosecution, incoherent defense … all making for what will be a highly watched trial.
Will Trayvon’s death be vindicated? Or will the gun culture rationalize social fear as an acceptable defense?
Will race, or media hype, take over the case? Will George Zimmerman get off for acting within “the law” (a weak law, but the law, nonetheless)?
The two real questions here are, did Zimmerman purposely exploit the law? And will he be able to receive a fair trial because of the taint all the noise has directed toward the case?
I know, some people don’t think he deserves a fair trial. Vigilante justice has a rich history in the United States, and it mostly worked to the detriment of Black people (and Native Americans). We most certainly can’t become part of the “hang ’em” politic, as we ended up on the wrong end of the noose more times than the nation ever cares to remember.
Without justice or justification. Just because. “Just because” justice never works because it undermines the justice system. George Zimmerman will not be convicted “just because.” The prosecution will have to prove he broke the law. That’s where things are going to get real fuzzy, because the law loves justice and justice loves the law.
The system is set up to “uphold the law.” A system that has never been perfect, but now works much of the time (the past 60 years), given the many external variables that tend to influence it. But let’s face it, it is a stacked deck, and we know it.
Black people always have to worry about the system failing us, whether it’s in the 19th century, the 20th century or the 21st century. That is largely because the system is set up to fail us. The biases are built in the system, otherwise Blacks wouldn’t be disproportionately convicted, or whites disproportionately exonerated in race cases, and make no mistake, the Trayvon Martin is a race case.
That’s why Black people celebrate so hard when they finally win one, which isn’t often. They are the literal exceptions of that infamous moniker, “beating the system.”
In the Trayvon Martin case, George Zimmerman is poised to beat the system. Why do I say this? Because everybody and everything will be on trial, except George Zimmerman.
The stand your ground law is going to be put on trial, and the whole nation is watching because if it wins, it will be the law in all 50 states. Trayvon Martin, may God rest his soul, will be on trial, as the stereotype of the “angry Black man,” that maniacal, violence-craved, unpredictable beast of a human being, will be resurrected from the grave for the ga-zillionth time.
Though Trayvon Martin was just a boy, he will be cast as a beast in the making. His Skittles will be the weapon of choice and his hoodie will be his indictment. “The system” will have to work overtime to convict George Zimmerman. Here’s why:
First, race. Everything in America is about race. The nation sees race in everything. Those who thought we were in a “post-racial” period in America (even Black people were saying that nonsense), only have to look at five years of the Obama presidency to see that’s just not the case.
They will try to make this a black and white issue, though Zimmerman is Hispanic. He will play white in this trial. The jury will see more images of Trayvon Martin, in a hoodie, out of a hoodie, in a dehumanizing nature that we won’t recognize who they’re talking about. Trayvon Martin will be put on trial — from the grave.
Second, the law. The judge and the jury have the utmost respect for the law. If Zimmerman’s attorney can make a case that Zimmerman was only following the law, it’s a wrap. Never mind that Zimmerman fits the profile of your typical “toy cop” profile of some overzealous cop “wannabe,” on the prowl trying to impose their authority on somebody, “looking for some action,” code words for looking for a chance to shoot their gun.
Whether he confronted Martin or not, once he “feared for his life,” according to the law, he was allowed to “stand his ground.” Martin is not alive to testify, so his word and the cops word are the only things that will stand. Trouble for the prosecution.
Third, the intersection of guns and fear. Don’t underestimate this with a largely white, or all, white jury. We don’t know the composition yet since jury selection is still taking place — but we can estimate what we think it will be. Then just ask yourself (or this jury) one question: What would I do if confronted by a Black male in a hoodie, knowing what society has said about black males. Combine that with the random shooting and the very highly polarized “gun debate,” where we found out that anybody, or anything, that goes up against guns will lose … including Congress. So, his right to carry and his right to use his gun come into play.
Fourth, the jury. Finding and convincing a jury in Florida to go against the law and to go against their racial sensibilities, is a reach, plain and simple. You might find one, but it will be a needle in a haystack.
Fifth, media distortion. The media has distorted this case so badly that finding a jury that hasn’t been tainted is a problem. Moreover, the prosecution still has to worry about the case being misreported, as many high profile cases are.
Where is Court TV when you need it? That’s what got Ray Lewis and O.J. off. Everybody tends to “act right” when the camera is in the courtroom. But in this instance, Court TV would put a human face on Zimmerman. Trouble.
In conclusion, the variables to a fair trial are many, but the conclusions as to how the case will be tried are few. The law is on trial, and Black men will be on trial (again). Zimmerman is the byproduct of the latest episode of “America on Trial.” Starring race, guns and fear.
Hopefully, justice for Trayvon will be fulfilled and the system will work in his favor.
Hey; if you're a white guy, try walking through Deetroit at midnite without a weapon....we'll see who's got "social fear".....
This dude thinks too much, and is sadly not capable of it.
When a thug jumps you, pounds your head against a concrete sidewalk while saying he’s going to kill you, then tries to grab your gun to shoot you..it’s not “social fear” to think your life is endangered.
That's the prosecution's only hope.
Gee this is kind of slanted isn’t it?
Typical liberal BS artist Journalist.
I call him journalist not because he is one, but because in these times all journalists are lying SOB’s.
“That is largely because the system is set up to fail us. The biases are built in the system, otherwise Blacks wouldn’t be disproportionately convicted...”
Ummm...half of all murder victims are black, and here is a hint: it isn’t whitey entering the hood and shooting blacks! Roughly 3% of the US population (black males 16-40) kill half of the people murdered in the US - and it is their fellow blacks.
Explain THAT one, Samad!
Trayvon wasn’t murdered. He was prevented from murdering
Zimmerman by the use of a legally carried firearm. All the race bating in the world can’t change that fact.
“Justice for Trayvon” should consist of him staying covered in dirt and Zimmmerman walking out of court an exonerated man.
I was looking for the John Semans tagline
Here it is, ladies and gentlemen - the liberal mind on parade. Nothing factual, just inferences upon inferences, and emotionally charged thinking masquerading as reasoning.
“Stand your ground” applies when you have the means to escape, but instead, um, stand your ground. George Zimmerman wasn’t standing his ground. He apparently could not escape, because he was pinned to the ground getting his head slammed into the concrete.
The disgusting sack of mostly water that wrote this piece should be relieved of his writing implement and banished to the Horsehead Nebula forthwith.
He is a disgusting, lying liberal.
If Zimmerman had not been armed he would have been beaten to death and the “black guy in a hoodie” would have gotten away with it.
Will Trayvon be exposed as a thug who was casing a neighborhood looking for an open bathroom window so he could steal the Robitussin he needed as the final ingredient for his batch of "lean", having already braved the rain to procure the other ingredients, Skittles and Arizona Watermelon Tea?
No doubt Trayvon was just offering to share his Skittles with Zimmerman. Yeah, that’s the ticket!
That is not reporting. That is racial propaganda.
Not a peep about what is really on Trial. An American citizen was charged by manufactured evidence while real evidence of innocence was ignored purposefully by a judge and prosecutor for the purposes of creating a manufactured propaganda play. It is a show trial worse than Gary Francis Powers. In America. What the heck?
Is there enough evidence to show that Zimmerman acted in self-defense or not? That’s the only real issue. Vigilante justice has nothing to do with it.
2ndDivisionVet ~: ( from the article) “ In the Trayvon Martin case, George Zimmerman is poised to beat the system. Why do I say this? Because everybody and everything will be on trial, except George Zimmerman.
The stand your ground law is going to be put on trial, and the whole nation is watching “
What is right :” ..Because everybody and everything will be on trial, except George Zimmerman.”
What is WRONG : “.. The stand your ground law is going to be put on trial “
Zimmerman’s defense lawyers purposely did NOT pursue “stand your ground” law . They opted out !
What is being defended is the ability to defend yourself against intent to be killed .
The defense team has chosen self-defense
Zimmerman defended himself....this trial is just a Black Ku Klux Klan lynching
If Trayvon Martin was white....Zimmerman would never have been charged
This isn’t even worth wasting the time with.
Our Justice system was set up with the premise that it is better to let a guilty man go than to unjustly convict an innocent man. IOW, Zimmerman should not be in any danger of being convicted with the circumstances as they are. He is being railroaded by folks such as the "author" of this hit piece putting their emotional spins on it.
I was "perturbed" when OJ got off, but I'd much rather have a 1,000 of him running free than to have one George Zimmerman convicted.
never seen “social fear” bloody the back of anyone’s skull.
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