A good friend remarked to me shortly after the verdict that the attention devoted to the George Zimmerman trial was way out of proportion to its significance.
He was as saddened and angered by the verdict as I was, but in his view the case served only to distract us from more pressing, global issues. And in any case, he said, the trial would not be a catalyst for change.
I have not touched base with him in the last few days to see whether his opinion has changed, but I imagine it has. Demonstrations from New York City to Los Angeles to right here in Flagler County are reflecting the anger of people who had a right to expect that, half a century after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, and with a black man in the White House, Jim Crow was dead and gone.
The message boards on this site and others are rife with accusations that the mainstream media is responsible for turning Trayvon Martin’s death into a racial contest, but nothing could be further from the truth. The moment an unarmed black teenager was pursued and ultimately shot by an armed community volunteer, this case was about race. The media attention given it was deserved. What’s more, the conversation taking place in the aftermath is essential to our understanding of what really led to the killing, and how we might prevent such outrages in the future.
The Pew Research Center took the temperature of the nation in the wake of the verdict by examining traffic on Twitter, and reported that “of the 38% of the statements offering clear views about the result, those expressing anger or opposition to the verdict (31%) outnumbered those in support of the acquittal (7%) by more than 4:1.”
Clearly, interest in the case has evolved into outrage over the verdict, and news organizations urgently need to tell that story in detail. And while they can often turn into circuses (Judge Debra Nelson prevented that from happening in the Zimmerman case), trials are the real-life theater through which we examine our prejudices, our fears, and the differences in belief that fracture our society. Our history is punctuated by sensational court cases that illuminated those divisions, and enabled us to move forward as a more tolerant society.
To read about the murder trial of Sacco and Vanzetti in the 1920s for instance is to learn a great deal about the anti-immigrant fervor of the time, judicial misconduct and investigative cover-up. The ordeal of the nine Scottsboro Boys in the 1930s threw a spotlight on racial injustice in the courtrooms of the South, and resulted in landmark Supreme Court rulings on effective representation and the racial composition of juries.
Even the fiasco of the O.J. Simpson case forced us to confront uncomfortable issues of celebrity, race, and lifestyle.
As for my friend’s second observation, it is apparent that the Zimmerman trial is indeed a transformative event. Though Zimmerman did not invoke Florida’s Stand Your Ground law during the trial, the air in the jury room must have been thick with its acrid smell. The six women were left instead to ponder Zimmerman’s assertion of self-defense, stand your ground’s close cousin in the Florida statutes. Under Florida law, the fact that Zimmerman initiated the encounter with Martin didn’t matter, nor did the fact that Zimmerman was armed and Martin was not. When jurors tell you that they acquitted the man who shot and killed an unarmed teenager because that’s what the law said they had to do, then the laws have to change. Even Senator John McCain, from the equally gun-nutty state of Arizona, is conceding that states, his included, must take a closer look at their stand your ground and self-defense laws.
A boycott of Florida by tourists and business groups might be merely symbolic, or it could be a severe blow to our state, which is slowly clawing its way out of recession. Either way, national appeals for individuals and groups to avoid Florida say a great deal about the emotions the Zimmerman case has stirred. A state government that encourages gun ownership, then tells gun owners that they have broad latitude to use their weapons, even against unarmed adversaries, may not be the best place in which to enjoy a vacation or host a convention.
As for the dialogue in the black community, the case was a slap in the face to parents who must tell their black youngsters to behave deferentially when confronted by a white man. At the same time, defenders of the Zimmerman verdict are insisting that any conversation include the terrible toll that black-on-black crime takes in many of our urban communities. If the Zimmerman case does prompt that discussion, that would be a good thing.
The trial is history, Zimmerman is purportedly in hiding, and a family is left to grieve the death of a son. And looming on the horizon is yet another case that will test our willingness to hold shooters responsible when the victim is black. In September, trial is expected to begin in the case of Michael Dunn, a white man who shot to death 17-year-old Jordan Davis while Davis sat in a car at a Jacksonville gas station. Dunn claims that after he asked Davis and his friends to turn down the music in their car, Davis threatened him and, Dunn says, he saw a gun in the car.
According to police, Dunn shot eight or nine times into the car. No gun was found in the victim’s car. Dunn is charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail. His lawyer told CNN that Dunn “acted as any responsible firearm owner would have under the same circumstances.”
Is this starting to sound familiar? Let the conversation continue.
Steve Robinson moved to Flagler County after a 30-year career in New York and Atlanta in print, TV and the Web. Reach him by email here.
ryan says
It still amazes me that the media was scared into ignoring the fact that the neo Nazi group that had planned on shooting dozens of black people at several Justice for Trayvon rallies had all of the charges dropped, even though there was enough evidence to move forward. It seems as if hate groups and people who commit hate crimes get completely ignored due to cowardice. I guess they only go after people who are easy targets, ignore real hate crimes under the excuse of not wanting to gift a hate criminal with an audience, and reward prosecutors who alter evidence.
The Mechanic says
Is this like the 12th article on this subject…ENOUGH !!!!! We know you ass kiss the black community cause your afraid you will get you house burned down or beat up. You article writers are PATHETIC LIBERAL GARBAGE !!!!!
FlaglerLive says
And this, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, is why Flagler County has a bit of a distance to go in race matters. Mechanic, please be sure to note, when we run the 12th article on local government budgets this budget season (which we may already have), that we’re only doing so out of fear that the Palm Coast city councilmen and Flagler County commissioners would beat us up and burn down our houses otherwise.
Kip Durocher says
Bravo !!
NortonSmitty says
Steve, I think your friend has a valid point, as do you. That this incident was a travesty is undeniable, but as I said in another post:
Can’t you people see how you’re all being played here? Forget the trial of this one tragic but insignificant case here and look at how the power-serving media are using this case to beat both sides of the same drum to turn one American against the other. And distract us all away from the important fact that all of us are getting screwed over every day by our Government supported system of crony capitalism bleeding us all for the benefit of the Wall Street Crime Syndicate.
On the supposed Left side, we are told that despite the verdict, justice was not served. This Fascist wannabe busybody shitstain of a human being killed an innocent 17 year old boy he didn’t have to, just because he could show what a stud he was and get away with it. And our legal system decided he deserved absolutely no penalty for it. And that gets a lot of our people angry. Justifiably in my opinion.
And on the Right Fox News and the Right-Wing feeds you the story that Drug using thug can walk through your yard and if you ask what he is doing he will beat you to death! And if you fight for your life with whatever gun that God gave you, the Libbrals will call you a racist! You should be so outraged!
And they both beat their Talking Points into your head 24/7 like this singular tragedy affecting these two familys is the Most Important Thing in the History of The World! Whichever of these two, AND ONLY THESE TWO, stories you believe, YOU SHOULD BE SO OUTRAGED!!
Bullshit! While this inconsequential, but exiting, story has hogged the entire news cycle the last few weeks, important things that used to be called news have been squeezed out of our minds. Things that will negatively impact all of us on both sides of this fake issue. Like:
1- The NSA and the Dep’t of Fatherland Security is listening to every phone call and email we make.
2- The Federal reserve is planning on printing another few billion dollars (Quantitative Easing) out of thin air to prp up the big banks, but will eventually cause hyper-inflation and destroy our savings after the Multi-National Banks and Big Boys have sucked this country dry.
3- Bank of America agreed to pay $4.5 Million last week, but not admit that it fraudulently foreclosed on $4.5 BILLION worth of peoples mortgages!
4.- The US is secretly negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, which will finish asset-stripping our American manufacturing capabilities. It’s been called NAFTA on steroids, and gives Corporations more rights that sovereign governments and eliminate Buy American as well as environmental and product safety laws between the signers. So we will have the same laws on Baby Formula as the Phillipines or our tax dollars will compensate the wronged corporation if we say no. Google it yourself, or here:http://www.salon.com/2012/10/23/everything_you_wanted_to_know_about_the_trans_pacific_partnership/
And us sheep keep biting on the bullshit. When are we going to realize that at 9:00 every night we have the choice of watching Shaun Hannity or Rachael Maddow, and both of them work for the same damn team, and people, it ain’t us.
I could go on and on, But I gotta’ go. I’m making popcorn for the coverage coming up for the Jody Arians sentencing trial. Jefferson would be so proud!
Kip Durocher says
It is called Fascist Capitalism.
People need to research ALEC to find out who is paying whom to write American laws.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Legislative_Exchange_Council
http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/What_is_ALEC%3F
Ben Dover says
This is just nonsense, black people seem to always want more of everything , they get invited to spring break , but have to have a black spring break, they can come to bike week , but have to have a black bike week , they participate and have won the Miss America contest , but have to have a black Miss America contest , they also participate and win in the music awards , but have to have a black music awards, they can go to college like everyone else , but there has to be a special negro college fund, my guess is all this fuss is to get more of something for themselves , if white people had marches for the crimes committed against them by blacks, wed have to do it in shifts, because it be non stop they kill 12 white people a day in this country, and car jackings and rapes and home invasions , this is getting ridiculous, why don t they just rename it the Hypocritical Shuffle.
m&m says
It’s over. Deal with it. Stop glorifying this and move on..
The Truth says
I think everyone realizes it’s “over with”. They’re dealing with it by demonstrating peacefully a call to anyone that our culture as a whole needs to change. The problem we have in this country is not specifically just racial profiling, it’s our culture as a whole. We are not welcoming, we no longer care for our neighbor, we no longer care for our co-workers. We have become a selfish society and we focus on our political beliefs and don’t respect others opinions.
Our country is a beautiful country, great in so many ways, yet we are clouded by so many things that cause us to stray off the path. We can disagree but still be respectful to one another. Until we as people realize this, we will continue down this path of violence and hatred towards EVERYONE.
Sally says
It’s very frightening to live in a state where people can shoot first and then think of a reason later! And I’m only an elderly white lady! Pity the poor African American men- whatever age! With folks of your mind set maybe it’s time for those of us that think this is craziness to start marching with our pitchforks (of course I’ll get clobbered by the gun crazies for that, too!).
A.S.F. says
m&m–I would offer the opinion that some of the more offensive posts that I have read here would indicate that It’s anything BUT over. Therefore, it’s kinda hard for some of us to just “move on.”
tom jack says
NO, this case was Not about race but rather an overzealous neighborhood watchman and a teenage punk. Both of them had the opportunity to walk away. Did you not listen to the testimony? Jentil testified that Martin made it to his fathers house, but went back to put a whoop ass on the crazy ass cracker. She also testified Martin threw the first punch, Tell me Mr. Robinson, if you had your nose broken and were getting your head pounded on the concrete would you pull your gun and defend yourself, or would you say to yourself maybe I should just let this thug beat me because i am white and he’s black and I don’t want to create a racist event? I don’t think so. The Martin family said from the start that they just wanted their day in court. Well they got it but now that they don’t agree with the verdict they want new charges. Our system does not work that way. The press has tried to make this about race from day one calling Zimmerman a self described Hispanic, or a White Hispanic. I don’t recall the press ever calling President Obama a White Black do you? The press keeps fanning the flames because as we all know if it bleeds it leads. No MR, Robinson. this was a tragic situation that spiraled out of control resulting in the death of a teenage boy. Let’s not forget the pictures of Martin the press continually ran showing Martin at age 12. Was this the only picture the family had of their son? This was and is about self defense and the right to protect yourself from bodily injury.
amom says
well said! This incident and the verdict (and the reactions and comments) show us clearly that we still have a long way to go.
PC Mom says
This was not about race….
Martin may have been statistically profiled based on the recent rash of crime in the area, but racially….nope.
JL says
M&M, really? Move on? This is a sad case. I have sons, so my heart goes out to Trayvon’s family. My sons are white, so they have never had to endure someone questioning their intentions based solely on the color of their skin. I can’t imagine what that must be like, to live in fear that someone may shoot you just because you’re a black teenager? And if anyone says that race played no part in this? Then you live in Fantasyland. I will bet money that Zimmerman went after Trayvon solely because he was a black teen, running between houses. At that moment, he made himself judge/jury/executioner. It shouldn’t have happened. Zimmerman shouldn’t be free. We’re not living int he 1860s. Not even the 1960s. And I’m really peaved that Zimmerman is now the face for Sanford, FL. I grew up in Seminole County. Altamonte Springs, but my high school years were spent in Sanford/Lake Mary. My high school was a yuppy stuffy school – Lyman, I liked hanging out with the kids from Seminole High better. My Mom taught elem. school in Sanford for years. Zimmerman isn’t from Florida, so it makes me sick that he moved to Sanford, and now everyone thinks Sanford is filled with jerks like him. It’s not. Not that Sanford is perfect, no place is. But I hate to see this small town turned into a circus because of this jerk.
I think peoples views need to change and hopefully this trial will help with that. A black teen in a hoody doesn’t deserve to be labeled a criminal just because of his looks. If Trayvon attached Zimmerman, it’s because a fat man came and attacked him first. My sons would haved one the same thing. But they wouldn’t deserve to be shot and killed for defending themselves. I hope Zimmerman lives a very long, miserable life and never knows a moment of peace. Trayvon’s parents never will.
Robert says
Keep of the good work.
Your articles have a way of bringing the white hooded folks out in force.
All you have to do to get them going is to write a story in favor of the President or write of the race bias in this country and they are ready to fight or shoot, figuratively speaking.
Robert says
Keep up the good work.
Your articles have a way of bringing the white hooded folks out in force.
All you have to do to get them going is write a story in favor of the President or write of the race bias in this country and they are ready to fight or shoot, figuratively speaking.
charles marschka says
13% of U.S. population is black
80% of all murders in the U.S. are committed by blacks
93% of all black murder victims are killed by other blacks
Of the 7% of other black deaths, I’m quite confident they are not all racially motivated. To race bait this case to this extreme shows poor judgment and moral for all involved. It also creates a crying wolf scenario. Each day the protesters and those with other agendas are losing credibility.
Oh yeah, it also shows a complete lack of concern for the “other” 93%.
Steve says
Charles, as several erudite statesmen have said over the years, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” According to the 2012 FBI Uniform Crime Statistics, of total persons arrested for murder, 48% were white and 49.7% were black. There is no question that this is disproportionate to the total black population of the U.S., but your 80% figure is erroneous.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-43
The Truth says
Apparently, Charles Marschka has been watching too much Fox News. Having incorrect facts is their specialty.
teddyy11 says
fox news is the ONLY station that tells the truth, and fox 35 local news as well.. NUFF SAID
charles marschka says
If my numbers are incorrect I apologize. I will research again. However, that 30% doesn’t make that much difference in the “grand scheme” of things. I stand by my statements and wish we as a country could move forward as a people.
The issue is not all about guns. It is about responsibility. Of both gun owners and criminals. I will never give up my God given right to protect myself or my family regardless of any law set forth by some twisted political agenda. And in my opinion, criminals give up certain rights when they make poor decisions. To cry foul after they do not like the reaction or result of their decision is shameful. On them and of the media who try to spin it to fit their rhetoric.
Sherry Eppley says
Another great article, Steve, Thanks!
Let’s all ponder this for a while. . . most intelligent, educated citizens, from both sides of the aisle, would agree that our current electorial process is corrupt to some extent. Our politicans simply are not making decisions based on the true will of all their constituents. They are greatly influenced by lobbyist, and large campaign contributors. . . in our crazy world, corporations are now considered to have the same rights as individuals, when it comes to rules for campaign contributions and the resulting influence.
How then is the true will of the people to be communicated to their leaders? I wonder, if it weren’t for marches and protests, would we still be at war in Vietnam? Would women be allowed to vote? The marches have been peaceful. Is no one allowed to stand up for what they believe is right. . . if their opinion differs from yours? While the protestors are simply marching and holding up signs, many who disagree are aggressively buying guns and supporting laws that defend violence against humans. . . with NO due process. I wonder who exactly are the ones impacting our society in an unhealthy and negative way here?
Sherry Epley says
Another great article, Steve, Thanks!
Let’s all ponder this for a while. . . most intelligent, educated citizens, from both sides of the aisle, would agree that our current electorial process is corrupt to some extent. Our politicans simply are not making decisions based on the true will of all their constituents. They are greatly influenced by lobbyist, and large campaign contributors. . . in our crazy world, corporations are now considered to have the same rights as individuals, when it comes to rules for campaign contributions and the resulting influence.
How then is the true will of the people to be communicated to their leaders? I wonder, if it weren’t for marches and protests, would we still be at war in Vietnam? Would women be allowed to vote? The marches have been peaceful. Is no one allowed to stand up for what they believe is right. . . if their opinion differs from yours? While the protestors are simply marching and holding up signs, many who disagree are aggressively buying guns and supporting laws that defend violence against humans. . . with NO due process. I wonder who exactly are the ones impacting our society in an unhealthy and negative way here?
Magnolia says
Sherry: Very good comments. All they worry about now is staying in office and not much worry there anymore. They know that only about 20% will vote.
I have the feeling that we are all writing letters, making phone calls with little results. The corporations are definitely in charge.
People are buying guns because of their government, not because of their neighbors. As more laws are not enforced by our government, few are obeying the ones we have. Stand Your Ground has little to do with why folks are buying guns. The main reason is fear of what is happening in Washington.
A.S.F. says
Yes, Magnolia, we all know that Obama and his henchmen are holed up in the West Wing (illegally because, of course, he forged his birth certificate), plotting how to destroy America and its unwitting citizens. Good thing we have true patriots like you left to tell it like it is and defend us with firearms (and all the ammuntion your money, which the government is trying to steal, can buy.)
George says
Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a national dialogue about race in the United States. The Stand your Ground doctrine encourages unnecessary violence and death. It is unbelievable that the Sanford Police did not initially arrest George Zimmerman.
Karma says
[Karma: please post your cut-and-paste jobs elsewhere. Original comments only here. Thanks.–FL]
Comment deleted.
anonymous says
It’s funny when Caucasians say it’s over with. Just like the OJ trial right???
DLF says
Where is OJ as we speak and where is Zimmerman as we speak. What go’s around comes around.
Joe Schmo says
Isn’t it funny that if Knee Grows had any intellectual honesty they would have to admit that OJ most definitely was GUILTY, but no they were all high fiving, dancing, and celebrating the not guilty verdict. I do not remember seeing any of such behavior from Caucasians after the Zimmerman verdict.
Ben Dover says
So Steve, I`d love to know what you`d of done in Georges place on your back, with a fractured nose, being pummeled with fists and your head slammed into concrete, the only words he got out of his mouth was, What are you doing here , the tapes prove it , Trayvon answered with violence, I`m guessing you`ve never been in a fight in your life , never got sucker punched , I have , and I can tell you , your eyes immediately tear up, and your brain is seeing stars, if he had bad intentions , why would he call the police and ask for them to come fast as they can, after he was hit he probably never had a clear thought in his head, there are pictures of Trayvon with a gun in his hand , and I have no doubt George wasn t even thinking about his gun , he was screaming for help and no one was helping, even John Good who was 8 feet away , didn t try and stop the assault , but he did tell Trayvon to stop or he`d call 911, if he`d of stopped and not tried to get Georges gun , because him trying to grab it ,is what made him remember he had it ,Trayvon would be a live , or if Trayvon simply would of ran home instead of confronting George violently, he`d still be alive, and just like I said above , blacks got a lot of nerve getting all riled up like this , because if the black youths that set the stage for it all to begin with, I can see why Al Sharpton made it out to be racial, its just a little alarming your hopping on that bus of bull
DLF says
What per-cent of the people in Flagler showed up for this march? I bet the per-cent is smaller then the per-cent who think this is a media hype and its time to move on. Lets give the same amount of attention to the killings at Fort Hood, oops I forgot the liberal media will not cover this crime because it was not a racial based crime, it was worked related, how the standards change.
Outsider says
The Michael Dunn case and Trayvon Martin case are not even close in comparison. If the facts are as reported, in my opinion, Dunn is guilty of one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder, and I would be the first to recommend the death penalty. However, since I read the story in a “Rolling Stone” magazine at my doctor’s office, I will wait until all the unbiased facts are released, considering all the “evidence” manufactured by the media in the Martin Case.
teddyy11 says
don’t these people work?? they don’t want justice they want blood.. NUFF SAID
Sherry Epley says
This from an Oxford Journals study of the race of jury members and conviction rates in Florida, a very informative read at: http://qje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/04/15/qje.qjs014.full#sec-13
“our main findings imply that conviction rates for black and white defendants are similar when there is at least some representation of blacks in the jury pool, but in the absence of such representation, black defendants are substantially more likely to be convicted. Defendants of each race do relatively better when the jury pool contains more members of their own race, and, as a result, black defendants are clearly disadvantaged relative to their white counterparts when the proportion of blacks in the jury pool is so small.
Another immediate implication of our main findings is that the application of criminal justice in these Florida counties is highly uneven, as a small change in the composition of the jury pool (i.e., adding one black member) has a large impact on the conviction rates of black versus white defendants. Although heterogeneity in the jury pool is obviously unavoidable, a potentially desirable feature of a justice system is that jury verdicts are not arbitrary given the evidence. In this context, increasing the number of jurors on the seated jury would substantially reduce the variability of the trial outcomes, increase black representation in the jury pool and on seated juries, and make trial outcomes more equal for white and black defendants”.
I have wondered why there was only 6 juriors, no men, and no black persons on the jury. Was this designed by the jury consultant? Just sayin’. . .
Karma says
One potential black juror was released by the prosecution because he watched Fox news. Maybe they could not find any blacks that were not bias. Should we make quota laws for a jury now?
E.C.H. says
You need to start writing like a responsible citizen of the human race Steve Robinson.
I’ve told my two children if they dare do any of that behavior, they may run the risk of being shot.
Why?:
Trayvon was not innocently walking home minding his own business. He made choices along the way.
1. He made the choice to circle George Zimmerman’s car ~ an adult authority figure ~ in an attempt to intimidate him.
That was a real choice and real behavior HE was responsible ~ not the white or Hispanic community racially profiling him ~ unless we prefer to live in denial.
2. He chose to smoke pot **which is illegal** ~ and known to make some people paranoid.
That was a real choice and real behavior HE is responsible for ~ not the white or Hispanic community racially profiling him ~ unless we prefer to live in denial.
3. He chose not to go straight home and watch the game but instead tried and beat the crap our of an adult which clearly showed his lack of respect for adult authority.
That was a real choice and real behavior HE is responsible for ~ not the white or Hispanic community racially profiling him ~ unless we prefer to live in denial.
4. Rachel admitted they knew George was some sort of security in her interview with Piers Morgan when she answered what a “cracka” was the first time. She said it with her own mouth. Is she lying now? Is she too uneducated to choose her own words now? She made the choice to let those words flow from her lips. Or, would race again be the lame excuse for the choice she made to utter those words?
No, that was a real choice and real behavior SHE is responsible for ~ not the white or Hispanic community racially profiling her ~ unless we prefer to live in denial.
And now you want to help Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson grandstand and turn this into the government or other races needing to give more to the black community to go off and try to solve the problem on their own? I don’t care what color you are if I have a problem in my family I need help with. The three of you must have screws loose ~ but you sure are selling ad space with your denial.
You insult every intelligent human being of any race with this race card. We are a human race who can make a choice to be color blind. A choice!
I can’t say how many times I’ve sat and cried for their family’s pain, but if we do love them, at some point in the future, we need to help them accept the sober truth that their dear son Taryvon is in Heaven by the grace of God ~ because he made some bad decisions that caused a man to shoot him in self defense. He didn’t have to circle the truck like he chose to. He didn’t have to decide to wait outside like he chose to. He didn’t have to try and beat the daylights out of another human being like he had already learned to do before that night.
But then again, you didn’t have to turn this into a race issue.
But you chose to.
Outsider says
Well Sherry, wonder no more. Two black women jurists were rejected because they failed to disclose connections to Martin, and a third black jurist was dismissed for watching Fox News.
http://topconservativenews.com/2013/06/battle-over-zimmerman-jury-ends-after-two-black-jurors-dismissed-for-concealing-information/
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2013/07/16/cnn-zimmerman-prosecutor-excused-potential-black-juror-being-fox-news
Karma says
My apologies for the cut and past. The author did such a good job pointing out the hypocrites between the deaths of Tryvon compared to 13-month-old Antonio Santiago . You would think there would be outrage about child sitting in his stroller being shot in the face.
Why is this not a hate crime? In a city that is 60% black, this white mother (31%) and child were singled out. Was it the white privilege you all claim that got him killed and his mother shot? Because the killers where 14 and 17 there is no talk of the death penalty. No words from Obama or Eric Holder about tragedy either. Just more everyday violence that is acceptable to must I guess.
Sherry Epley says
Right On “The Truth”! For all those who uses Fox News as their bible, press here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News_Channel_controversies#Photo_manipulation
This is just a very small sample of their manipulation:
On the July 2, 2008 edition of Fox and Friends, co-hosts Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy aired photos of New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg and Times television editor Steven Reddicliffe that appeared to have been crudely doctored, apparently in order to portray the journalists unflatteringly. This occurred during a discussion of a piece in the June 28 edition of The New York Times, which pointed out what Steinberg called “ominous trends” in Fox News’ ratings.[77]
According to Media Matters, the photos depict New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg with yellowed teeth, “his nose and chin widened, and his ears made to protrude further.” The other image, of Times television editor Steven Reddicliffe, had similar yellow teeth, as well as “dark circles … under his eyes, and his hairline has been moved back.”[78]
During the discussion, Doocy called the Times report, written by Steinberg, a “hit piece” ordered up by Reddicliffe.[77] The broadcast then showed an image of Steinberg’s face superimposed over a picture of a poodle, while Reddicliffe’s face was superimposed over the man holding the poodle’s leash.[77]
Times culture editor Sam Sifton called the photo that was aired on Fox “disgusting,” and the criticism of the paper’s reporting a “specious and meritless claim” while denying that it was a “hit piece.”[77]
9/12 newspaper ad controversy[edit]
On September 18, 2009, Fox News Channel took out full-page ads in The Washington Post, the New York Post, and The Wall Street Journal with a prominent caption reading, “How did ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, and CNN miss this story?” with pictures of a Tea Party movement protest on the United States Capitol lawn. A still picture in the ad was in fact taken from a CNN broadcast covering the event. The veracity of this ad was called into question on the air by then-CNN commentator Rick Sanchez, along with others pointing to various coverage of the event.[79][80][81] CNN, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, and CBS Radio News provided various forms of live coverage of the rally in Washington throughout the day on Saturday, including the lead story on CBS Evening News.[79][81][82][83]
Fox News’ vice president of marketing, Michael Tammero, responded, “it’s fair to say that from the tea party movement . . . to ACORN . . . to the march on 9/12, the networks either ignored the story, marginalized it or misrepresented the significance of it altogether.”[84]