What Does #Justice4Trayvon Look Like? (Hurl warning)

The murder trial of George Zimmerman for the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin is nearing its end, with the defense expected to rest its case today. It’s time to prepare for what happens if Zimmerman is acquitted.

I believe strongly in his guilt, but I’ve also watched the trial closely, and between the second-degree murder charge, where the prosecution must prove ill will or malice, and Zimmerman’s crafty defense, it is entirely plausible that he’ll walk. The special prosecutor assigned to this case, Angela Corey, originally charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder denying that it was because of “public pressure,” but because of “special evidence” that supported the charge. Legal analyst Dan Abrams, writing for ABC News, said:

I certainly sympathize with the anger and frustration of the Martin family and doubt that a jury will accept the entirety of George Zimmerman’s account as credible. But based on the legal standard and evidence presented by prosecutors it is difficult to see how jurors find proof beyond a reasonable doubt that it wasn’t self defense. Prosecutors are at a distinct legal disadvantage. They have the burden to prove that Zimmerman did not “reasonably believe” that the gunshot was “necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm” to himself. That is no easy feat based on the evidence presented in their case. Almost every prosecution witness was called to discredit the only eyewitness who unquestionably saw everything that occurred that night, George Zimmerman.

It’s heartbreaking to think that Zimmerman killed Trayvon and may never face punishment, but it’s possible. And for those of us deeply affected by Trayvon’s death, we have to think carefully about what comes next.

Because even a guilty verdict is only a consolation. It would send a one-time message that a black child’s life had value, but it would hardly shift the tide from the constant dehumanization. We would still be up against the same system—no only our criminal justice system but a larger cultural sytem—in which it was prudent to test Trayvon for drugs but not Zimmerman, that would ask a grieving mother if her son did anything to cause his own death, and that didn’t see fit to make an arrest for nearly a month and a half.

This requires us to wrestle with this question: What does justice for Trayvon look like?

Because if you’re like me, you don’t see prison as the answer. The prospect of Zimmerman sitting behind bars for twenty-five years doesn’t invoke a sense of justice. That just means they’ll be another person languishing in our broken prison system. Our carceral state doesn’t work, and relying on it to bring justice for any of us is a fool’s errand. We need a new outlook.

Justice needs to be more proactive. It should consist of an entire society doing everything it can to ensure that what happened to Trayvon never happens again. This includes a commitment to seeing the humanity in black men and boys, and letting go of the entrenched idea of their inherent criminality. It means divesting from the racist ideology that would have us believe black men are preternaturally violent creatures seeking to wreak havoc on America. Justice is black boys not having to grow up with that hanging over their heads. Justice is support for their potential. Real justice is this country truly believing that the killing of black boys is a tragedy.

When Trayvon’s father was on the witness stand, it was clear, more than a year later, he was still trying to process his son’s death. Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda was asking him about the 911 call where you can hear the gunshot that killed Trayvon. He started his question: “You realized that that was the shot…” and before he could finish, Tracy Martin chimed in, “That killed my son, yes.”

“That is no easy feat based on the evidence presented in their case. “

Especially when what you set out to “prove” isn’t true in the first place.

As for testing Martin for drugs and not Zimmerman, they tested the corpse in an autospsy. They could have tested Zimmerman any time afterward. The prosecution could have easily demanded hair follicle testing if it was relevant. Apparently they did not see that as helping their case. Trying to suppress the drug evidence was a much better strategy than testing Zimmerman.

If these folks really cared about black youth like Martin, they need to quit embracing a death culture that makes everything about race; glorifies gangs, violence, and sadism; promotes fatherlessness; encourages a “society owes me” philosophy; and discourages pursuing happiness by building healthy relationships, working hard and smart, and taking personal responsibility for our behavior.

Only the black community can accomplish this by getting young black males to stop their violent lifestyles.

Blacks glorify the violent, racist, anti-intellectual, black-hating, misogynist, ghetto subculture in their poetry and music. This is nowhere more clearly evident in their deep commitment to the abort-all-black-babies, neo-Nazi policies of Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party.

I struggle to get my mind around this: blacks complain about whites hating them, yet they vote over 90% for the Democrats who are the Party of pro to-Nazi Margaret Sanger. Blacks murder so many black babies that Hitler would have gagged. Yet, whites are the ones who hate blacks, right?

What a steaming pant-load. The problem is that blacks hate blacks. Such virulent, suicidal self-hate. It's sad but there it is.

My sympathies to the author, but the problem isn't the beliefs of whites about blacks. The problem is the behavior of blacks caused by their diseased self-hatred.

The long and the short of it is this: you can't respect somebody who doesn't respect himself. You just can't. It's humanly not possible.

It's not my fault if I have no respect for you if you don't respect yourself. You want my respect? Great. Start acting respectably. It's just that simple.

Example: millions of young black men walk around with their pants pulled down. I'm supposed to respect them? Sorry. No can do.

Example: millions of young black men and women refuse to learn to speak standard English. Think Rachel Jeantel. An employer is supposed to hire them? Nope. Ain't gonna happen.

Example: millions of blacks give their children (the relatively few they don't sacrifice to Moloch in the name of Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party) names that are clearly meant to taunt the larger society. That larger society is supposed to embrace them? I don't think so.

Young black male culture glorifies violence and ignorance and vilifies success and education. And then you complain about violence and failure? Makes no sense.

It's time the larger American society called folks like this author out on this nonsense.

Sorry, Charlie. I can't respect your community if those are the choices it collectively makes. No sympathy from me.

Get over it. Start respecting yourself as a human being. Then talk to me. Maybe we can do business.

Until then (and I'm not holding my breath) I'm walking on the other side of the street.

Let me see: a neighborhood-watch volunteer named George Zimmerman, part Hispanic/White European/African, sees a suspicious character walking through his area looking at houses. He notifies the police and then proceeds to trail the suspect for a distance. He then returns to his truck only to find the suspect, Martin, had followed him back to his truck and angrily demanded to know why he, Zimmerman, was trailing him. Martin then assaults Zimmerman, knocks him down, straddles his body, and begins to strike Zimmerman forcibly in the face breaking his nose and banging his head against the concrete. In the melee, at some point Zimmerman pulls out a handgun and fires striking Martin and killing him.

That is about as much as we know about this case. And based on the only evidence available, Zimmerman acted in self-defense.

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