I recall the October afternoon on which O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder as such a sad day. Not only because the criminal justice system had failed to convict a man who seemed so obviously guilty, but also because of the public reaction to the verdict. Revealed in all its ugliness was our country’s racial polarization. Saddest of all were the televised cheers of young black college students, reveling in this high-profile payback for decades of police brutality and bigotry—and not just in the Jim Crow South.
Thirteen years later we elected our first black president. And while the giddy exuberance of that first inauguration has subsided, we reelected him, even though he seems now less a pioneer than a politician with many of a politician’s inherent flaws. A Republican commentator mused recently on whether allowing that Obama may also be our first bad black president is itself a sign of racial progress. Obama still has a long way to go before history renders that verdict, but I was reminded that Frank Robinson was not only baseball’s first black manager, he was also the first black manager to be fired, mediocrity being the ultimate level playing field.
Which brings us to the latest litmus test of our racial attitudes, the impending trial of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in a Sanford subdivision in early 2012. The trial, which begins June 10, will be covered wall-to-wall by at least one national cable network and a local cable news outlet. Just in case you think this trial is about self-defense or vigilantism or gun rights, let me enlighten you: This trial is about race, pure and simple.
For proof, we need look no further than at the strategy being pursued by Zimmerman’s defense. Attorney Mark O’Mara released text messages and photographs of Martin, some of which made reference to pot smoking and fighting. In a not-so-surprising ruling Tuesday (May 28), Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson declared that the defense would not be permitted to introduce the Martin material during opening statements, but O’Mara scored a major victory nonetheless. His gambit was simply a means by which to poison the jury pool. O’Mara’s message to all of us, including prospective jurors? That Martin was your average suburbanite’s worst nightmare—a pot-smoking truant, eager to get his hands on a gun to prove his gangsta mettle.
This in spite of the fact that Martin had no criminal record, never actually obtained a gun (unlike his accused killer), and as a teenage pot smoker was not exactly part of an exclusive club. But Martin was a black teenage pot smoker. Wearing a hoodie.
To clear his client of second-degree murder charges, O’Mara presumably has to establish that Zimmerman feared for his life at the fists of Martin, and had no other choice but to shoot the young man in the chest. The trial will be a carnival of contradictory testimony, with the defense trying to prove that Zimmerman was in mortal danger, and the prosecution contending that Martin had reason to fear this zealous neighborhood watch volunteer, who had disobeyed a police dispatcher’s instructions not to leave his car to follow Martin.
But the plotline of this trial has already been established. Was Martin a troubled, difficult teenager (and who among us is not familiar with that portrait?) who was simply trying to find his way to his father’s girlfriend’s apartment; or was he a thug, “up to no good,” who got the better of Zimmerman in a fight, and paid for that mistake with his life?
Sadly, the above question reflects racial attitudes in this country that refuse to budge, the election of Obama notwithstanding. The nearly impossible task being handed to a jury of citizens will be to look past their own fears and prejudices and consider simply the accounts of the brief, violent encounter between Martin and Zimmerman.
No one should be cheering at the end of this trial, no matter what the verdict. A young man is dead and another’s life has been irreparably shattered by his decision to undertake an armed pursuit. But I fear that, like that October afternoon nearly two decades ago, we will again witness the sadness of a verdict being celebrated for all the wrong reasons.
Steve Robinson moved to Flagler County after a 30-year career in New York and Atlanta in print, TV and the Web. He previously wrote about Jason Collins’s coming out. Reach him by email here.
Johnny Taxpayer says
Poison the Jury pool? Sort of like the endless “media” reports with pictures of 11 year old Travon Martin along with 5 year old mug shots of George Zimmerman? The invention of a new socio-demographic “White Hispanic” with more emphasis on the white than Hispanic, just to be sure to get as much racial mileage as possible ? Or perhaps the intentional editing of the 911 call by a national “news” organization to make it appear as though Zimmerman identified Travon as “black” unprompted, when in reality he simply responded to a question asked of the Dispatcher? Or perhaps the cover up of graphic pictures that show blood on the back of Zimmerman’s head by the prosecution and their enablers in the media? Or maybe the constant repeating of the factually inaccurate claim that Zimmerman “disobeyed a police dispatcher’s instructions not to leave his car” when in fact the dispatcher actually said “We don’t need you to do that”,
I will agree with the author on one item, that is nobody should be cheering at the end of this trial.
Anonymous says
What the news/police has said is fact is that Zimmerman got out of his car and pursued Martin (who did not have a weapon). Zimmerman is NOT by any means – a cop. Had no business pursuing anyone. He clearly escalated whatever the situation was BY GETTING OUT OF HIS CAR and it is now his word against a dead man. Had he stayed in his car and waited for the real police, a young man would still be alive.
Case closed.
Ron Hubbard says
Steve Robinson: It may be all about race now, after the progressive liberal media got their fingerprints all over the story and glorious leader (little potus) interjected his irrelevant opinion by stating if he had a kid, he would look like the drug using, troubled Trayvon.
Mr. Robinson, the truth of the matter is that above all else, this is a media CIRCUS. The issue of race is secondary. The actual event was about personal defense and protection of one’s life.
Bunnell Resident says
Ron,
I partially agree with you with the exception of your last sentence. We do not know if the actual event was about personal defense and protection of one’s life. Zimmerman is standing on shaky “stand your ground” defense because even if the altercation turned against him, he still initiated the contact. He may not get murder but he will likely get a serious felony conviction. Don’t you think the public would have been better served if the POTUS would have reminded us all to let the justice system work rather than trying to race bait an already volatile situation?
Anonymous says
One still has the right of self defence if they started the event. That may not be a just law but it is the law. I do agre yhat it would have been better if the POTUS just said let the court system do its work instead of makeing a statement like he did.
Pat says
It’s about race because the black community made it about race. Meanwhile, last night in Chicago south side, 4 people were killed and 11 were injured in black-on-black gun violence. How many of them were sons like Travvon? Or do they not count because this is not the kind of public outrage that people in the black community want to associate with? I see too that the strict gun laws in Chicago did not deter these individuals from obtaining and using guns either.
Bert Sterling says
Speaking of “attitudes,” your article here is chock-full of the pro-Trayvon, anti-Zimmerman, talking-point lies.
So, Trayvon “never actually obtained a gun.” Really? What the hell did he take a picture of? Was he taking a picture of, a picture of a gun?
And Zimmerman “disobeyed a police dispatcher’s instructions not to leave his car to follow Martin.” Again, no. She never mentioned the car at all. She told him, “We don’t need you to do that.” She did not “instruct” him in any way.
And then there’s your worst-case scenario that Trayvon was “a thug, ‘up to no good,’ who got the better of Zimmerman in a fight.” The absolute MOST you are willing to possibly believe is that Trayvon and Zimmerman got into a “fight.” You make it sound as though Zimmerman fought back before drawing his gun, because he was losing.
The ONLY injuries to Trayvon’s body were cuts to his knuckles, and the bullet wound. You’ve seen the bloody mess that was Zimmerman’s head and face. To characterize this as a “fight” is a flat-out lie. This was an attack.
So please, don’t deign to criticize others for being biased against race, when you’re biased against reality.
fla native says
The race-baiting left-wing liberal media would like you to think this is racial but as we all know it WAS NOT. George Zimmerman is Hispanic not white as the left wing race-baiting liberal media would like for you to think. Trayvon Martin was not the cute innocent little munchkin that the median portrays him to be. The pictures posted were very old. He was well over 6’2″ and built like a linebacker. He attacked George Zimmerman and could have easily killed him breaking his nose and putting a big gash in his head. Jesse Jackson and Reverend Sharpton, two known racists and the race baiters all gathered together to start a riot with whites and collect a big paycheck which they did. George Zimmerman stood his ground and did his job and hopefully gets the opportunity to do it again.
Outsider says
Actually, this is a legal case, which should be decided using, the law. That law, in Florida allows the use of force, including deadly force, even if the person using said force is the “original aggressor.” I have no love for Zimmerman, but I can’t see what laws he broke, although he obviously is guilty of poor judgement. Martin broke no laws either, unless of course he attacked Zimmerman, where he would be guilty of assault and battery. Regardless of who started it, the physical evidence and witness statements indicate Martin was on top of Zimmerman, pounding his head into the concrete and had also broken his nose. Clearly, someone in that situation could rightfully believe the next blow to the head could render him unconscious, and prone to further unabated attack and possibly death. In that case, even if he provoked the altercation, deadly force is allowed to be used if the person being attacked indicates he wishes to disengage from the fight, as screaming for help could reasonably be interpreted as, or if the person believes deadly force is the only way to stop the assault. The real problem is the narrative created by the media, that a white, well, relatively white guy gunned down a defenseless black boy, who happened to be the size of man. Now thwt they’ve got everyone in a racial rage, they can’t ruin their credibility and admit they may have made a mistake; they have to press on with the notion that white people hate black people so much they are willing to kill them in cold blood.
Bunnell Resident says
Well said Outsider although if Zimmerman was the initial aggressor I seriously doubt he will come out legally without any liability.
excerpt from FLorida Statute:
776.041 Use of force by aggressor.—The justification described in the preceding sections of this chapter is not available to a person who:
(1) Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony; or
(2) Initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself, unless:
(a) Such force is so great that the person reasonably believes that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that he or she has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or
(b) In good faith, the person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he or she desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.
Paragraph 2 is damning to Zimmerman’s defense, whether 2(a) or 2(b) apply is for the jury to decide.
Legally says
Having your head slammed into a concrete sidewalk repeatedly constitutes “imminent danger and death”. At that point, Zimmerman was justified.
funny says
Its funny to me to read the comments on here, I hear things like he “stood his ground” and “did his job”.. The guy was a “night watch” indivdual for his neighborhood, not a police officer or law ENFORCEMENT officer. You have someone in so much fear that this person hes following is so bad that you feel the need to call 911 and then you get out of your vehicle, WHY? You have a gun, so if the TRUE need arises to defend yourself or others you can, dont get out of the vehicle! Guarantee that gun is the only reason he thought about getting out in the first place! You then caused every action after that to happen, 100% your fault! If you dont get out of the vehicle until uniformed law enforcement arrives then none of it happens! He did “part” of his job, he called 911, he then put HIMSELF in the position to have to fall back on the ” stand your ground law”. Dont get to far away from whos actions led to all this being able to happen!!
Bunnell Resident says
@SteveRobinson, This trial is about facts and whether George Zimmerman is guilt of murder or standing his ground. First, let me say I believe George Zimmerman is criminally liable. Is it murder? The facts will tell but for now, why not let the justice system do its job? If Zimmerman was on the sidewalk and being beaten senseless by Martin, the physical evidence will be there to prove it. Who made this about race anyway? Obama for one. If the President of the United States felt compelled at all to comment on this case, he should have reminded us that the justice system usually gets it right and that none of us should jump to conclusions. After all, isn’t he all about staying tight lipped so as not to interfere with an ongoing investigation as he is so quick to remind us concerning Benghazi, James Rosen, the AP scandal, and and IRS-gate? The Zimmerman-Martin situation was the perfect time for him to sow the seeds of reason and to soothe racial tensions. Instead, he chose to jump to an unknown conclusion and add to the race baiting. He must be really disappointed that Zimmerman is hispanic and not white. As for the facts of the case, even if Zimmerman is telling the truth, he will still be guilty of a very serious felony because Florida’s stand your ground law does not allow someone to initiate a confrontation and then shoot someone. Zimmerman was the first aggressor and he will be punished. The facts may prove he did not commit murder or perhaps that he did. Let’s wait and see. In the meanwhile, stop fomenting racism as you seem so eager to do. I will be happy if justice is served and the jury gets it right based upon the facts.
Anonymous says
Wow I think all the bases were covered by everyone else’s comments. I would just like to add that, if I was underneath a MALE *Note I didn’t say black male because skin color has no bearing on reaction* getting my head smashed into the ground, I would have done the same thing. Trayvon was studying mixed martial arts, who was expelled from one school, kicked out of his own mothers house,and led a “thug life”. Yet most of these facts are inadmissible in court because it paints a picture of a troubled teenager who was on the wrong path. But because this is now a “racial” trial, it has nothing to do with self defense which it clearly was…. It’s about someone having to “pay” for a racial crime when Zimmerman is more Hispanic than white. We have to appease the black community and Jesse Jackson an the New Black Panthers. It’s a sad thing that happened, but the facts are there… Plain as day!!!
1) Zimmerman possesed a FL issued concealed weapons permit and legally carried a firearm. What would have happened if he didn’t???
2) Trayvon Martin studied mixed martial arts, which made him have an upper hand in a fight, Martin was the aggressor that night.
3) Martin was cutting threw the community, why didn’t he just continue to his destination? So what if a “neighborhood watch” was following him, if he wasn’t causing a disturbance it would have been the end of it.
4) They can use Zimmermans past to try an paint a picture but will not allow Martins because they already know what kind of picture it paints….
Smoking pot has nothing to due with Martin attacking Zimmerman. If he was high Martin probably would have kept walking an payed no mind to Zimmerman watching over his community.
Zimmerman is innocent and is not guilty of murder, he was put in position of danger an defended himself. If he is falsely convicted of these trumped up charges, it will just prove that the whole trial was about race and not the truth.
Eagle Eye says
To answer Anonymous questions…
Q1) Zimmerman possesed a FL issued concealed weapons permit and legally carried a firearm. What would have happened if he didn’t???
Trayvon would still be alive, Zimmerman would not be on trial and the Sanford Police department could have responded, counducted an investigation and resolved the situation.
Q2) Trayvon Martin studied mixed martial arts, which made him have an upper hand in a fight, Martin was the aggressor that night.
Studying MMA is not against the law and can be used as SELF-DEFENSE as well. If Zimmerman wouldn’t have pursued Martin and initiated an encounter, there would not have been a fight resulting in injury and death.
Q3) Martin was cutting threw the community, why didn’t he just continue to his destination? So what if a “neighborhood watch” was following him, if he wasn’t causing a disturbance it would have been the end of it.
Martin was unfamiliar with the neighborhood as he was visiting from Miami. A strange person, “night watch”, is following him. Knowing that he wasn’t causing a disturbance, he was concerned as to why someone “night watch” would be pursuing him. Cutting through the community may have been an attempt to lose the person pursuing him.
Q4) They can use Zimmermans past to try an paint a picture but will not allow Martins because they already know what kind of picture it paints….
Zimmerman’s past; an over zealous neighborhood watch who had run ins with residents and criticized the police force as being “in-ept’ and who also had a previous charge of assault on a law enforcement officer.
Martin’s past; a troubled teen headed down the wrong path who had never been arrested before, unlike Zimmerman, who’s labeled just another “thug” because of the way he dressed and postings on a facebook page.
The innocent Zimmerman who conspired with his wife to decieve the Court about his financial resources?
Am a black, law abiding citizen, who has never been arrested before, over the age of 45, college educated, a retired military veteran with over 23 yrs of service, former reserve police officer and a pro-gun rights advocate. I think Zimmerman was wrong in his actions no matter what the race was. I am willing to let justice take it’s course and live by the Jury and Judge’s decision.
I hope most of you can do the same and leave your biased opinions at the door.
Karn says
Ladies and Gentleman, the NAACP Racist Circus is about to begin: Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. Were so glad you could attend..come inside,come inside. Jesse and Al are here to be your pal. Drop your cash into their hats..move along,move along. Come inside the shows about to start, guaranteed to flat line your healthy heart. Ya gotta see the show…its media controlled.
Prescient33 says
“For proof, we need look no further than at the strategy being pursued by Zimmerman’s defense.” Pray tell, how would the author suggest Mr. O’Mara counter balance the provocatively false image Trayvon’s family handlers concocted of the victim-a smiling eleven year old innocent gunned down for no reason, rather than the 6’2″ wannabe thug eminently capable of inflicting serious bodily harm on George Zimmerman that he actually was? The compliant media ran with the false story, forever polluting the jury pool. It was like a scene from the 1987 Tom Wolfe novel, “The Bonfire of The Vanities,” including the appearance of that professional rabble rouser, Al Sharpton and others of his ilk, to throw gasoline on the fire created by the manipulated minions of the media circus. It wasn’t Mr. O’mara that made this a racial incident; harken back to the initial furor set in place by the racist professionals engineering the whole debacle at its outset. And remember, it wasn’t Mr. O’Mara that sought to inflame the racial tension; rather it was the media such as NBC that deliberately falsified and fabricated things to make the alleged shooter appear racist through distorted editing, etc. in their quest for viewers and readers.
No Mr. Author, Mr. O’Mara is not the bete noire of the piece; look to the phalanx of agitators that intentionally set out to fan the flames of racism and resentment in the black community in order to pursue their own selfish interests and agendas. Mr. O’Mara, in point of fact, is to be commended for the lawyer like way he approached this, which was to concentrate on getting out the real evidence and the actual facts from a prosecutor reluctant to provide same, and ignore the hyperbole created by agitators to feed the rapacious appetite of the biased media.
Odd.. says
Robert Zimmerman Jr. has done far more to make this about race than anybody. Not an interview goes by where he doesn’t mention it. He even does so without prompting. He’s one of the main parties responsible for stroking those suburbanite fears, going so far as to even compare Martin with a baby killer simply because both were pictured with their middle digits extended.
Now oddly enough, he’s made it about sex too, telling the world that he’s gay in what many likely perceive to be some odd ploy to evoke sympathy for his family.
Can’t wait until the load of damning evidence drops on Zimmerman’s shoulders, because his testimony compared to the forensic evidence tells me that he is an evasive liar.
Magnolia says
@Odd: I don’t think it was the Zimmerman family who called in the Rev. Al Sharpton. That’s when it became about race.
briggid says
I really tire of seeing the fantasy put forth about a “liberal media”. Our media hasn’t been “liberal” for at least a decade, if not longer. That being said, if George Zimmerman was “defending himself”, then ‘funny’ nails it–he would have never gotten out of his car.
And not for nothin’, but it’s just absolutely horrid how this case is being shoved down our collective throats. Anything to try and keep us divided.
Karma says
Zimmerman will never get a fair trail. The court of the national press has already convicted him. No way can Zimmerman be found innocent because of the backlash that WILL occur. Anyone remember the LA riots and why they happened. History will not repeat it self in this case. Justice is not blind here.
Anita says
Some of you call it a “left-wing liberal media” when you don’t agree with what’s being written. Otherwise, it’s “journalism” and “truth”, supporting your deliberate refusal to admit that a murder was committed by a man who is maybe a “little bit” white, who thinks he is white, whose parents raised him to believe he is white and with whom most whites clearly empathize. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the majority of comments on blogs covering the story, including this one. And, the question is, why do they? Forget for a minute that Trayvon Martin is black (if you can) and picture him as a white kid…your kid, stopped by a surly stranger on a dark street. How would your youngster react? Fact is, the young man was doing nothing wrong the night he was killed. He was simply on his way back to his father’s friend’s unit when he was stopped by a stranger whose suspicions told him this boy “did not belong” in the development. What do you think those suspicions were they based on? Skittles? Iced tea? A hoodie like the one Mark Zuckerberg often wears? Sixteen year old Trayvon Martin wasn’t a linebacker for the NFL, but pictured in his HS team uniform, with all of the padding, he would appear bulked up. Zimmerman didn’t know anything about Martin or his history when he challenged him to stop. He just knew he was a black kid whom he labeled as “up to no good.” Not racist? The only thing he lacked was a white sheet with holds for his eyes.
DLF says
Don’t forget, if Obama had a son he would be like Martin, not the kids who were shot in his home town, Chicago.
Helene says
Well said Anita. The fact is that the young man would still be alive if Zimmerman had not gotten out of car as the police operator told him they didn’t need him to. Zimmerman PURSUED instead of waiting for the police. End of story.
just a thought says
There is only one known fact in this case. George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin. All the rest is conjecture. The rest of this story will be told in the trial.
Unfortunately, regardless of the outcome, I doubt anyone will change their opinion.
Sherry Epley says
Right on Anita! Some people are doing their best to figure out a way to blame President Obama for this, just like they do for everything else.
Unfortunately racism is thriving in our nation and it doesn’t just exist between the white and black population, but also includes our hispanic citizens.
It is outrageous that our justice system is turning into a reality TV “media circus”! How convenient that this trial starts just as the Jody Aris trial ended. How outrageous that any attorney is allowed to release information to the media (to be blasted across our country) . . . information that would not be admissable in court. This not only taints the jury pool, but the court of “public opinion”. The sensationalism of murder trials is a disgrace to our judicial system!
How outrageous that our civilization has de-evolved to the place that we have “armed” self appointed vigilantes roaming the streets. . . enboldened by the “stand your ground” law, and the hard steel in their car, or in their pockets. “Mad Max”. . . here we come!
r&r says
Quote of the decade. “If I ever would have a son I’d want him to be just like Trayvon”. Your Prez..
Anita says
To DLF and r&r:
“If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Obama said… “I think [Trayvon’s parents] are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves, and we are going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.” YOUR prez, too so get it right!
local says
We need some white sheets around here! :)
Legally says
Trayvon Martin had no respect for authority, never mind a white guy. He was stealing, pushing drugs and he was a punk. Had he been taught to act like a law abiding citizen, he may have asked Mr. Zimmerman what he was doing and respected the fact that the apartment complex his father was living in was ROBBED 11 TIMES BY BLACK MEN. Mr. Martin chose to act like the punk he was, and he made a huge mistake, one he will never make again. Democrats don’t know how to teach their children morals and respect. If they did, the crime rate would be down to nothing and we wouldn’t have 1800 black babies a day being aborted.
briggid says
Really? Which entertainment-masquerading-as-news told you all this?
briggid says
A lot of people have said that about Trayvon, r&r, besides the President. Some of you seriously need to turn off your televisions and radios and become reacquainted with the concept known as “reality “
RG says
I dont believe this case is about race. Zimmerman is hispanic. He gave a discription to police when asked.
He was doing his civic duty as a community watch person. Yes he placed himself in a compromising position
but at this point no evidence of aggression on his part has come to light. Why is race an issue? Maybe because people want to make it so. I dont see it. If any of us were getting pounced on alone with an unknown aggressor and were losing then what. Dont take a societies constant problem and try to fix it by applying it to this case. Sanford police may have handled thier initial investigation in away that brought contoversy which has brought out race issues with them not Zimmerman. Lets hope the jury sees it for what it really is and leaves the race card out.
Outsider says
@ Bunnell Resident: I believe you are misinterpreting the law. You correctly cited the apicable section of the Florida statute. However, 2a allows the use of any force necessary to protect oneself, even if the original aggressor is the one using that force.
@ Anita: Of course people would see things differently if it was their kid. Emotion would cloud one’s ability to look at the situation objectively, which is why an impartial jury is tasked to sort out the legal aspects of this incident.
Anita says
@Outsider: Trayvon was not my child, but that doesn’t stop me from evaluating the sequence of events as they’ve been so far presented, and they point to Zimmerman’s guilt.
@Legally: George Zimmerman was the person whose record showed assault of a law enforcement officer, not Trayvon Martin. Who was it you maintain had no respect for authority, again?
Magnolia says
Anita, our criminal justice system prevents us from using prior information or charges against a suspect. All are presumed innocent.
IMO says
Mr. Robinson….George Zimmerman’s father is Hispanic and his
Mother is Jewish. Now without getting into the debate as to weather or not the Jewish people are a race unto themselves the ancestral roots of the Jewish people are not European “White.”
About 80% of Jewish males and 50% of Jewish females trace their ancestry back to the Middle East.
So to write George Zimmerman is “White” is totally incorrect. His DNA would probably indicate him to be of Hispanic and Middle Eastern Arab descent.
But “European White?” Absolutely not. The only “European White” one might find in George Zimmerman’s DNA would have to come from his Father’s lineage and would only be found due to the fact Spain occupied the America’s in the 15th Century and some Spanish Conquistador may have engaged in sex with one of his distant Central American, South American, Mexican or Caribbean female ancestors. The Hispanic race as per modern DNA testing is definitely a race that grew out of the mixing of the DNA of the Indians that inhabited Central America, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands, Blacks that Spain imported from Africa as Slaves and Spanish soldiers who may or may not have engaged inn a sexual tryst with one of your relatives after the late 1500’s.
Mr. Robinson most people if they submitted to modern DNA testing would discover they are of the “admixture” race — the genetic mixing together of previously-separate populations.
But for you to state that George Zimmerman is “White” as in what today is described as “European White” is way beyond the pale.
Now if we had a photograph of that “Jewish” man who is famous in World history for being crucified by the Romans on Calvary my assumption based on modern DNA testing is the complexion of that man would be somewhere between the complexion of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. But that man would definitely not be white, blue eyed blond. That’s Middle Ages art and Hollywood stuff.
Now let me really shock you Mr. Robinson. Modern DNA testing shows us all to have our original ancestors in Africa. They would be what we describe today as “Black.” Once our ancestors left Africa we all become an “Admixture” “Race” with our first ancestors coming out of Africa.
Steve says
IMO, my apologies for the late response to your comment, but, if you read the article again, you will see that at no point do I refer to Zimmerman as white. In fact, I do not refer to his race or ethnicity at all. The salient point is that Trayvon Martin was black.
IMO says
I absolutely refuse to believe that out of the hundreds of shooting of Blacks in this nation during that same time period the Trayvon Martin shooting was not only chosen but used as a political tool by the democrat presidential campaign to mobilize their base.
Only an idiot would not see that. Because like it or not I do not recall the current President or any member of Congress commenting on the investigation of an individual shooting of any other Black teenager in any other state before the Trayvon Martin shooting.
Martin was shot on February 26, 2012 or 9 months before the election. His being shot became a national story the following month. The first national media reports as to this shooting occurred March 17, 2012 or 8 months before the election. This all occurs after the lead Sanford PD Detective had requested Zimmerman be charged with Manslaughter II and arrested but the Florida State Prosecutor assigned to the case advising that Zimmerman had committed no crime, shot Martin in self defense and denied the request of the Sanford PD. The Florida State Prosecutor advised Zimmerman was to remain a free man.
(It will be very interesting if Mara calls that Florida State Prosecutor who advised Zimmerman killed Martin in self defense to the witness stand to explain his initial decision. I know i would if I was Mara..)
Between February 26th and March 12, 2012, 14 people were shot on the streets of the City of Chicago alone in that 2 week period. The victims were as young as 6 months old and also included both male and female black teenagers of the ages of 17 and 18. None were reported by the national media to any extent but suddenly the Martin shooting is being reported by the national media and the President of the U.S. is being asked questions about it. . So one must ask themselves why did the national media run with the Trayvon Martin shooting and who was behind it.
That answer is blatantly obvious. The democrat campaign mangers in Chicago had to be behind it. Campaign Managers are highly intelligent people and have studied just about every campaign of the past. So what we had here is the very same thing that candidate Al Gore attempted to use against Michael Dukakis with the Willie Horton work release which the George H.W. Bush campaign then expanded on in their famous Willie Horton campaign commercial against Dukakis to mobilize voters, with a great big Thank You to Al Gore for bringing it up to begin with during the democrat primaries in 1988. I am not saying that any of this is wrong simply saying politics is a nasty game.
All this said I have very deep reservations as to why this trial is being held in June with a verdict coming down in mid summer. The request to postpone the trial has been rejected. Now every Sheriff in this nation, every Police Chief in this nation, every Police Commissioner in this nation and every Mayor in this nation knows that when you have a trial that is a potential powder keg you schedule the trail to begin in late November with the verdict coming down in the cold winter months of January. But the last thing you do is light the fuse of that powder keg with a potential Not Guilty verdict coming down in mid summer.
JL says
People, do you really believe Zimmerman did nothing wrong? How about provoking an attack on an innocent kid? Had he did what the Police told him to do, stay in your car and do NOT follow, the Trayvon would be alive today. It does NOT matter what Trayvon did the day before, the morning of, or the month before. It matters what he was doing at that moment. Talking to his g/f and coming home from the store with Skittles and a drink. Zimmerman had no business following him. He called the cops. He should have left it in their hands. That’s what they ‘re hired to do. NOT Zimmerman. I don’t care what bruises and cuts he had. The kid thought some thug was coming to attack him. And he did! Trayvon was trying to defend himself. So who protected him? I hope Zimmerman gets life in jail. If a Florida jury lets him off, like they did Casey Anthony, no one will take Florida seriously again.
I live part of the year in Philadelphia where murders are a daily thing. Over the weekend, Philly had 9 murders. Usually the discription the police give of shooters up here is “black, wearing a hoody and jeans”. But that doesn’t mean that every black male wearing hoodies and jeans is guilty of something.
I hope justice is done, and Zimmerman is convicted of killing an innocent boy.
IMO says
Are you reading or simply posting. The lead Sanford Police Investigator’s recommendation to the Florida State Prosecutor was that George Zimmerman should be arrested and indicted for Manslaughter II.
He was overruled by the Florida State Prosecutor who declared the shooting an act of self defense and ordered Zimmerman to be released.
Somebody in that Florida State Prosecutor’s Office has some explaining to do.
It is also being noted that a second Florida State Prosecutor assigned to the case after the media picked up the story did not present the case to a Flori9da Grand Jury but instead charged Zimmerman with Murder 2nd degree.
So what do we have a Grand Jury System for if Prosecutor’s can simply bypass that part of the process. If a State Prosecutor is going to charge a person with Murder they usually want a Grand Jury Indictment. They usually want a panel of citizens assigned to the sitting Grand Jury to say “We The People Accuse.”
So why was this case handled differently that the norm. Instead of seeking a Grand Jury Indictment Zimmerman was charged with Murder 2nd degree with hearsay affidavit filed by special prosecutor Angela Corey. Now Prosecutor Corey was well with the parameters of Florida Law. The Grand Jury is only required when a person is going to charged with Murder 1st Degree. That said many reporters in Florida that cover the Courts wrote arti9cles that the real; reason Corey did not go before a Grand Jury was because they did not want the Grand Jury to indict Zimmerman for Manslaughter or some other lesser crime or refuse to indict him at all. She wanted a charge of Murder II. So she ap[pointed herself a one woman Grand Jury.
hiredtekneck says
i am just glad the editor of this article is NOT on the jury…….
zimmerman WILL walk…..hopefully
devrie says
It’s absolutely ridiculous that people are saying Trayvon acted like a punk and that’s what caused his death. We. don’t. know. that.
The only argument reasonable in favor of George Zimmerman is the head-to-concrete/self-defense. However Zimmerman’s head got to the concrete is a mystery. We only have Zimmerman’s words. We don’t know, though, if Zimmerman tried to keep Martin from running away–which may have lead to Martin fighting back, or if Martin saw Zimmerman approaching him and charged him to attack him.
There IS a possibility for both scenarios. If it’s the second–the one where Trayvon charged him–I think Zimmerman stands a chance of being found innocent–because no one should fear approaching a stranger in his or her neighborhood to see why they are there–intrusive or not.
It seems more plausible to me; however, that Zimmerman didn’t want Trayvon to get away and tried maybe to stop him from running before the police got there–that Zimmerman didn’t recognize him and was thinking Martin could have been a robber. He had no reason to suspect that Martin was dangerous.
Martin never got in trouble for fighting with adults.
Martin never got in trouble for robbing houses.
Martin was not armed.
The fact that Martin was looking into getting a gun isn’t relevant, because he didn’t have the gun on him if he did have one. Getting a gun shows what, that he’s packing heat so none of the other kids his age know not to mess with him?
Martin got suspended for one fistfight and for refereeing a second one. Big deal. He’s was no super angel kid. He was a rebellious teen. White kids get into fistfights. So do many young men. Many never do, but of the ones that do, most grow up and chuckle about the ones they did get into.
Martin smoked pot. News flash: 6.5 percent of high school seniors smoke pot every single day. Nearly 30 percent of high school seniors have smoked pot on some occasion. At best pot calms one down. At worst, it drops the person’s IQ by as much as 8 points with regular use before adulthood.
There’s no deed to drag poor Martin’s soul through the looking glass and magnify his every sin just to show how probably it was that he made some unprovoked attack on Zimmerman—there’s no need to do that to justify Zimmerman’s shooting.
Zimmerman followed this young guy. Martin wasn’t doing anything wrong in the first place, and if you look at the map of the shooting, you’ll see he was mostly likely on his way home. What happened was unfortunate and horrible. What I find alarming is that most folks, even if the kid charged them, would have some feelings of guilt–some thoughts of, “I wish I never followed him,” because even if he did charge at Zimmerman, we know he did it because some guy was watching him and following him.
Unless Martin was up to no good, he had no reason to believe Zimmerman was following him to “check” on him.
Martin wasn’t a thug. He was an average young man who did have a few issues, but his issues don’t seem to suggest he would just walk up to an adult and attack him.
Disgusted says
Wow,
Anyone who believes Travon’s girlfriend was not his girlfriend can buy my Golden Gate Bridge. She has told so many lies that I will be shocked if even this judge does not impeach her.