The Author
Posted on 07/13/2013 9:09:28 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Washington, D.C. – It is distressing that George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager who was gunned down last year by a man who saw him as a threat, not because he posed a threat, but because of the color of his skin. We join the NAACP and others in calling on the Department of Justice to act on the violation of Trayvon Martin’s civil rights. There is no more fundamental right than the right to live.
Trayvon Martin is America’s son. He represents the precariousness of life as a young Black man in America today. Black men are routinely racially profiled whether by a neighborhood watchman, store security or police. New York City is a case in point on racial profiling by police of both Black and Latino men. In 2012, The New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policy led to almost 533,000 stops , in which a staggering 87% of those stopped were Black or Latino; 88% of those stopped were innocent. All across the country, young black men continue to be the victims of police killings by officers who are then rarely held accountable for their actions:
In March of this year, 16 year old unarmed Kimani Gray was shot seven times, including three times in his back by New York City police as he left his friend’s birthday party. An unarmed 19 year old college student Kendrec McDade was shot and killed by officers in March 2012 in Pasadena, California. In Las Vegas, 28 year old Orlando Barlow was surrendering on his knees when officers fatally shot him in 2003. And four years ago, 22 year old Oscar Grant was killed by Oakland transit police, who said they accidentally used a gun instead of a taser. All of these young men were unarmed and in almost all of the cases the officers were exonerated and returned to the beat. In the case of Grant, despite video showing the young man being shot as he was handcuffed and laying face down on the platform, the officer was convicted of manslaughter and served less than one year. Sadly, the saga of police killings and beatings of unarmed black youth is as story that forms a part of the fabric of the everyday life of most American black men.
Young men of color are also victimized by schools’ zero-tolerance policies that result in the arrest, suspension , and expulsion of students for minor infractions. Black and Latino students represent more than 70% of those involved in school-related arrests or referrals to law enforcement mostly for violating minor school rules like the dress code, carrying a cell phone, or talking back to a teacher.
The statistics paint a portrait of racial inequity. African Americans make up two-fifths and Hispanics one-fifth of all confined youth today. Black men represent 7.9% of 18- 24 year olds in America, but only 2.8% of undergraduates at public flagship universities. The jobless rate among poor black teens without a high school diploma is an alarming 95%, according to Northeastern University.
The disparities, unfortunately, do not end there. According to Human Rights Watch, people of color are no more likely to use or sell illegal drugs than whites, but they have higher rate of arrests. African Americans comprise 14% of regular drug users but are 37% of those arrested for drug offenses. From 1980 to 2007, about one in three of the 25.4 million adults arrested for drugs was African American.
Upon conviction, black offenders often receive longer sentences compared to white offenders. The U.S. Sentencing Commission stated that in the federal system black offenders receive sentences that are 10% longer than white offenders for the same crimes. The Sentencing Project reports that African Americans are 21% more likely to receive mandatory-minimum sentences than white defendants and are 20% more like to be sentenced to prison.
The killing of Trayvon Martin is a clarion call for our nation to finally grapple with the issue of racial injustice, especially with regard to young black men. The response of millions to the injustice of failing to arrest and try Trayvon’s killer is a testament to the power and effectiveness of grassroots movements. The movement must not stop with this verdict but continue on not only until each and every young man of color in America can walk the streets in any of our nation’s neighborhoods unafraid, knowing not only that he is safe, but also that as a nation we no longer tolerate the unfairness facing them but will ensure opportunities to thrive.
The Author
You mean “The Slimeball.”
Let’s go back to the O.J. trial. Shall we?
You deserve my complete utter indifference
“Trayvon Martin is America’s satan. He represents the destruction of life as a young Black thug in America today.”
Live like a thug, die like a thug.
If only we could agree that Islam is the common enemy.
She is an ignorant fool. I watched the trial the state case lacked evidence of guilt, the lead police investigator said there was ZERO evidence of racial ill will by Zimmerman, and he found no major inconsistencies in Zimmerman’s story.
But we are supposed to convict Zimmerman and American society because TM had dark skin.
Well guess what Zimmerman is a dark skinned minority. She has the nerve to quote some statistics about Hispanics being discriminated against.
They’re converting to Islam by the thousands each day.
I think it was the great pedophile-philosopher Michael Jackson who suggested “looking at the man in the mirror”
I love the logic of, the prisons are full of black people so how can you dare say a black person committed a crime!
Wrong. Martin most definitely was a threat. Or would the author like for me to knock him down, break his nose, pound his head into the concrete and tell him he is going to die tonight? Are you ready to rely on my good intentions under those circumstances? You ready to bet your life I wouldn't make good on my threats and actually kill you, either by intent or accident? Of course not. So stop being so disingenuous and trying to paint Martin as a non-threat. Martin {expeltive}'d up, pushed things way, way too far and got exactly what he deserved.
...but because of the color of his skin...
So you say - in spite of there being absolutely no evidence to support this claim. None. So, I guess those mind-reading classes from the back of Mad Magazine were a success? {snort} What am I thinking right now?
George was being pounded by an in shape 6 foot tall male who liked to fight.
Maybe she should focus the little brain of hers on Chicgo and why 75 blacks were killed or wounded by other blacks over July 4th weekend.
She regurgitated all kinds of statistics about blacks being arrested disproportionately, which had nothing to do with this case. Then she stuck “Trayvon Martin” in there a few times.
She’s probably never had an original thought in her life.
When will they face up to the real problem..themselves.
What about George Zimmerman's right to live? What about HIS civil rights? Was Trayvon FORCED to attack George and give him a beat-down? These people are nothing more than race baiters and hustlers who would be out of a job if what they claim to really want really does happen!
ANd, how many blacks were shot (by other blacks) in Chicago last weekend....?????? The Race industry is REALLY pissed about this. I predict that white women will be removed from the Affirmative Action Rolls because of this trial...all those white women on the jury were racists, right? Why should they be given special privileges?
C**ze!
Apparently blacks are in prison because of me. Nobody told me I feel terrible.
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