Posted on 07/30/2013 2:38:06 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
CROSSVILLE — The drama that has taken place in Sanford, Florida, has all the marks of a great American tragedy. Beginning with the shooting of Trayvon Martin on February 26, 2012, and coming to a climax but not an ending with the acquittal of George Zimmerman by a jury of six women (five white and one Puerto Rican) on July 13, 2013, the drama has brought to light a number of key issues before our nation today.
One issue is what kind of community life we will seek to have in our country. It was not accidental that the shooting took place in a gated community—one that has tried to protect itself from those who are “other.” Had the community ever provided George Zimmerman, a volunteer community watchman, any guidance or instruction on how to represent his community creatively on such occasions? There is no evidence of this.
Seeing Trayvon walking through the village on a rainy evening, Zimmerman quickly profiled this youth during a 911 call, describing him as being “up to no good.” He then began following him and finally caught up to him—an encounter that ended in Trayvon’s death. Unfortunately we have only Zimmerman’s version of the encounter, not Trayvon’s.
Susan McFarlin of Gallatin, in a letter to The Tennessean on July 18, asked a thought-provoking question, “Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world where a ‘good’ man stops to ask a 17-year-old boy, walking home in the rain, if he could give him a lift?” What if George Zimmerman, as a neighborhood watchman, had shown a basic attitude of hospitality and empathy for the young Trayvon walking through the neighborhood? There is a good chance that Trayvon would still be alive today.
But Zimmerman, in his encounter with Trayvon, had a gun and a “Stand Your Ground” law of self-defense to back him up. When police arrived after the shooting, Zimmerman told them that he had to shoot Trayvon in self-defense. As a result, he was not arrested immediately but only after a gap of 44 days. During the resulting trial his attorneys sought to portray Trayvon as the aggressor and Zimmerman as the victim, displaying a piece of sidewalk cement as Trayvon’s weapon of choice and a photo of a shirtless Trayvon to suggest a picture of a thug.
Although the attorneys did not base their case on Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, the judge brought this law into jury consideration by instructing the jury members as follows: “George Zimmerman...had no duty to retreat and had the right to stand his ground and meet force with force, including deadly force, if he reasonably believed that it was necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself.” She said nothing, however, about affording Trayvon, who probably had a similar fear of death or of great bodily harm at the hands of Zimmerman, the benefit of this law—even if he was not old enough to carry a gun.
At least twenty-two states, including Tennessee, now have “Stand Your Ground” laws. The National Rifle Association, arguing that such laws are making America safer, is trying to get these laws adopted in additional states. Another outcome, however, is emerging. Using homicide data from 2006 to 2008, two researchers at Georgia State University have found that “Stand Your Ground” laws that provide protection for deadly force in public places have resulted in a “significant increase in the number of homicides among whites, especially white males.”
But getting back to our gated communities, and our gated nation, how will we deal creatively with our young poor minorities who are so often excluded, disposable, the other? Too often they are perceived as a threat to be contained or eliminated rather than as an object of compassion and social investment.
An ancient rabbi once asked his pupils how they could tell when the night had ended and the day was on its way back. “Could it be,” one student asked, “when you can see an animal in the distance and tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?” “No,” answered the rabbi. “Could it be,” asked another, “when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree?” “No,” said the rabbi. “Well, then, what is it?” his pupils demanded. “It is when you look on the face of any man or woman, and see that he or she is your brother or sister. Because if you cannot do this, then, no matter what time it is, it is still night.”
Mmmmm. Lamb. Tasty.
I'm thinking a graceful interpretive dance might have diffused the situation.
Now that there is funny. How disappointed the researchers must have been to discover that the primary effect of SYG was more white guys getting shot!
Assuming the discovery is correct, which is a pretty big assumption.
Or possibly defused it. Although I like your version better, implies the audience wandering vaguely off in all directions.
No option for comments, of course. This person can spout his or her ignorance with no one to correct it.
As I read this, it became apparent that Ted Braun wears lacy panties.
Sorry, but Trayvon was the one who proceeded to confront Zimmerman after Zimmerman had quit following him, as he was instructed. Second...there was no evidence that Trayvon was a poor black kid. He was in trouble at school and suspended, so he was sent to live with his father’s girlfriend. His brother, apparently, is a medical intern, so that does not suggest poverty. Trayvon was self-directed to fulfill his own wants and needs and as such it was a wrong direction he’d taken. His prior criminal offenses, having caused him no consequences, he was carefree and felt that he was on his way to being a rapper. Trayvon was every bit as guilty. He had Zimmerman on the ground, punding his head into the pavement and threatening that he was going to kill him. Would I have just let him kill me, or would I have defended myself in some way that might have brought his death, as well? THAT is what we must all think about. In that same situation, a grown man on top of you, threatening to kill you....well, maybe this writer needs to think of it in that perspective. You’re probably NOT thinking of presenting the gospel to him right then and there.
“She said nothing, however, about affording Trayvon, who probably had a similar fear of death or of great bodily harm at the hands of Zimmerman, the benefit of this law—even if he was not old enough to carry a gun.”
Stupid should hurt. This has to be the dumbest thing I have read amidst a lot of stupid on this issue. Obviously Ms. Braun ( I know it is a he) doesn’t even understand how SYG works. There is no evidence whatsoever that Zimmerman threatened Martin and a unanimous jury trials worth of evidence that Martin was the one who initiated fear of imminent bodily harm. SYG would never be available to Martin under the FACTS of the case. But why let that get in the way of an emotional appeal to avoid using the facts and the law.
This is now the accepted leftist version of the Zimmerman-Martin case. The racist George Zimmerman sees a black teenager in 'his' neighborhood and instantly 'profiles' the stranger as 'up to no good'. Then, Zimmermaan follows and viciously assaults the sainted Travon Martin, shooting him to death and claiming the 'Stand Your Ground' law as his defense. Of course, this account is pure rubbish, as the trial- and the 'not guilty' verdict - demonstrated.
Young Black Men: 3% of the population. 50% of the murders.
“You got a problem? Well you do now!”
Why break my nose
And make me bleed?
One minute to home
Is all you'd need.
Don't pound my head
Against the street.
I'm a gentle guy
But packing heat!
Is the next victim of an unprovoked assault supposed to come up with poetry under stress?
Re. It was not accidental that the shooting took place in a gated community—one that has tried to protect itself from those who are “other.”
Wow! So even living in a gated community makes one a racist now. Soon breathing will be considered racist.
Hey we've had some break-ins in my neighborhood, and there's a real suspicious guy . . . looks like he's up to no good, or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about . . . He's here now, he was just staring. [Dispacher: OK, he's just walking around the area.] looking at all the houses . . . Somethings wrong with him. Yup, he's coming to check me out, he's got something in his hands, I don't know what his deal is.
It wasn't actually a 911 call, but the rest is wrong too. Based on behavior, Zimmerman correctly profiled Trayvon as a druggie thug casing houses for burglary. I don't see the problem with that or with the eventual outcome.
She said nothing, however, about affording Trayvon, who probably had a similar fear of death or of great bodily harm at the hands of Zimmerman, the benefit of this [SYG] law
Perhaps that is because Trayvon, according to substantial evidence that was never contradicted, initiated the violence.
. . . dedicated by the local writers to the theme that the lion and the lamb can and must learn to live together and grow in their relationship toward one another to ensure a better world
Personally, after a lion has taken down a few lambs, or even on its first taste of mutton, I don't mind if the lion discovers that a bighorn sheep is perfectly capable of protecting itself and the whole flock from a predator.
Completely one sided article.
Dear God what nutty clueless dreamy eyed goof balls
In the case of the gated community where Trayvon Martin met his end, which was multiracial, who qualifies as 'the other', and more importantly, why?
the infowarrior
Or, to be a bit more accurate, protect itself from BURGLARS, especially in view of the demonstrated fact that they had active ones. To portray this as the "fear of the other" sociological pap that is so very trendy among Deep Thinkers these days is profoundly intellectually dishonest. The community had a real, physical problem, not a mental pathology. If the writers for the Cumberland Countians for (heaven help us) Peace and Justice actually wanted either they wouldn't find themselves having to lie about it.
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