17yr old black kid shot and killed for walking in white suburbia?

[onmyknees]

I wonder if this thread had any value. it reflects or reveals entrenched positions. The law will run its course and justice might be done.

Value? As in something of worth ? The only value I can see is what it's doing for the post count of Natina and James Edwards....that's not necessarily a bad thing, everyone has an opinion and this is an open forum. It's probably more revealing than valuable. I share no racial, cultural, or geographic identity with Zimmerman, and certainly not with Martin, but it does break down pretty much along racial lines on here . Black folks will identify with Martin, white folks by in large won't. We all know it. You need only to go back and look at the reaction on some college campuses after the OJ verdict....yet when he finally was convicted and sent away for unrelated crimes...hardly a response. That's a fascinating and disturbing set of circumstances, yet that's a little too deep for the media and talking heads like Nancy Grace with 30 seconds to make their point care to elaborate on. They'd rather speculate on the latest rumors in cases like this. It is curious to me why some are so heavily invested in this in light of the fact so many of these high profile cases involving race, or the perception of being racial turn out far differently than they first appear. Justice? It all depends on what side of the courtroom you're sitting on. It may ultimately be "just" according to the law and the admissible evidence if Zimmerman is convicted of manslaughter, but that's hardly going to resolve anything, least of all on here.

[Stavros]

I share no racial, cultural, or geographic identity with Zimmerman, and certainly not with Martin, but it does break down pretty much along racial lines on here .

And yet, Trayvon Martin was an American, as you and Zimmerman are, politically, geographically and yes, culturally too.

[jamesedwards]

"The witness said that he never felt physically threatened by Zimmerman or had any violent interaction with him. He said that he complained to management about Zimmerman's behavior, and Zimmerman was eventually "fired for calling the HR hotline so many times."

DAmmmmm they got record of that? And cats running around thinking prosecutors case is diminishing? LOL

[jamesedwards]

If Zimmerman is found guilty on either charge he should do life in prison not a death penalty. Let him rot in jail, no easy way out.

I don't know if he will get found guilty for hate crime, but for killing Trayvon yep I see that.

[jamesedwards]

Justice? It all depends on what side of the courtroom you're sitting on. It may ultimately be "just" according to the law and the admissible evidence if Zimmerman is convicted of manslaughter, but that's hardly going to resolve anything, least of all on here.

What are you talking about? He was arrested under 2nd degree murder charges, why are people saying manslaughter? It's not manslaughter he wasn't the cause of Tray's death, he did murder Trayvon.

I'm not going on racism, I already told someone why people are looking at racism. My point is, ZIMMERMAN SHOULD OF STAYED HIS ASS IN THE SUV, AND ONCE THIS IS ESTABLISHED HE WON'T BE ABLE TO SAY SELF DEFENSE AND HIS ASS IF OFF TO JAIL FOR KILLING AN UNARMED TEEN!!!

That's it.

[hard4janira]

It's amazing how many poeple don't understand how the law works in here. Comments that Zimmerman made at a former job have no bearing on this case whatsoever. It's not admissible in court. They are good talking points, however, for poeple who are trying him in the media and for people who have already made up their minds about matter. You want him to be found guilty so you revel in details that will end up having no bearing in court whatsoever. Somebody even suggested that comments made by Zimmermen in a previous job prove he's a racist - thereofore the shooting was a hate crime (by assoication) and he can get the death penalty...What kind of asshole logic is this?

Personally, I don't give a fuck about Travon Martin one tiny bit. Where is all the media outrage at this? There isn't any.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/18...la-police-say/

Oh, and forget about hate crime charges being brought to the low-lifes who targeted these two asian students.

The facts are these (and you don't have to like the): Black people prey on society with virtual impunity. That's why nobody gives a fuck about Travon Martin. Cases like the one I cited above are commonplace and NEVER hyped out of proportion by the media- so why should I give a fuck about Travon Martin who was well on his way to becoming a degenerate in his own right.

You wanna know why people hate black people? Click on the link above.
You wanna know why poeple stalk blacks wearing hoodies in thier neighborhood? Click on the link above.
You wanna know why we don't give a shit about Travon Martin? Click on the link above.

Taveon Martin....cry me a fucking river.

[Queens Guy]

I wonder if this thread had any value. it reflects or reveals entrenched positions. The law will run its course and justice might be done.

I think it does, as a lot of information has just been released.

Once we reach a point where nothing new comes along, which will probably happen in a few weeks after all of this newly released information is digested, I think you're right, it will become mostly a matter of everybody forming their own opinion. At that point this thread will become stale and we'll just have to wait until the trial happens.

Right now, it's interesting to see how different people interpret the same evidence or information. The things that are what they are, instead of things that lead to speculation. For instance, the video of Trayvon at the 7-11 buying the skittles and iced tea is what it is. Just a video of him at the store.

But jamesedward and I have different takeaways from it. I see a person who looks more like a young man than the tiny tot in the little league football jersey or the other picture of Trayvon in an orange t-shirt that has been shown so much in this story. jamesedward, correct me if I'm wrong, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but you see him as a thin guy, maybe even scrawny. I see Trayvon as more of a potential threat because of that video. I could hold off that tiny tot like in a Three Stooges clip. Just put my hand on his forehead while he swings his short arms. But the Trayvon in the video is taller and has more reach. He could land jabs on me if we squared off. jamesedward doesn't see it that way.

So, I think it's still useful, for now.

[Donkey]

The facts are these (and you don't have to like the): Black people prey on society with virtual impunity. That's why nobody gives a fuck about Travon Martin. Cases like the one I cited above are commonplace and NEVER hyped out of proportion by the media- so why should I give a fuck about Travon Martin who was well on his way to becoming a degenerate in his own right.

You wanna know why people hate black people? Click on the link above.
You wanna know why poeple stalk blacks wearing hoodies in thier neighborhood? Click on the link above.
You wanna know why we don't give a shit about Travon Martin? Click on the link above.

Taveon Martin....cry me a fucking river.

Damn. I'm black and this stings a bit. But, sadly, you are correct. Your point is valid that we need to clean our house. I won't dispute that. Although, I know from having these discussions with my own family and circle of friends that you aren't going to get many black folks to agree. Most refuse to accept any responsibility for the way our young men are turning out. They don't even want to hear this from iconic members of our community, like Bill Cosby, much less whites.

[Stavros]

The facts are these (and you don't have to like the): Black people prey on society with virtual impunity.......so why should I give a fuck about Travon Martin who was well on his way to becoming a degenerate in his own right.

1) If your first comment is true, why are there are so many Black Americans in prison, if they can commit crimes with impunity. Or is it the case that the ones in prison are innocent and its the guilty who go free?

2) Trayvon had a strong father figure in his life, something that runs completely against the stereotypes other BMs have used on this thread who follow the Charles Murray school of Sociology that caricatures 'Black families' as fatherless, moms addicted to crack or booze, dependent on welfare, dysfunctional, disengaged with society at lage, involved in crime, drug addiction etc etc. Your ability to predict how his life would have turned out is either a mark of your astonishing aptitude, or an astonishing act of prejudice.

[DaveO]

It's a tragedy that Trayvon died, but Zimmerman had a right to confront him about why he was in the gated community without being physically attacked by Trayvon. Keep in mind that the whole gated community was private property, including the streets and sidewalks.