Zimmerman Found Not Guilty!

[bhsmte]

True but it seems to be a way of life for some.

Playing the victim can be very intoxicating for some. Once you are used to it, giving it up is like losing a security blanket.

 

[Michie]

This afternoon, President Obama showed up before the White House Press Corp and talked about the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case. You can read the full text, here.


I agree with much the president says. Racism is — and always has been — “a God-damned thing”. As a nation we should be under no illusions that just because we’re no longer in a Jim Crow era, that we are living on the Starship Enterprise where racism is a thing of the past. Profiling is real. African Americans (and for that matter, Hispanics) have a genuine right to resent it.

The death of Trayvon Martin is a tragedy of the first order. A wanna-be cop in a state with some laws that should probably be reviewed made spectacular errors in judgment (and yeah, Martin made one too, is throwing first punch) and as a result, one family is grief-stricken with loss and another will never be the same.

But we can’t actually know whether George Zimmerman was racially profiling or was just suspicious because he saw someone in a hoodie, looking at houses on a rainy night (which, by the way, is no freaking crime and Zimmerman should have stayed in his damn car).

From what I’ve read Zimmerman is a walking American melting pot: part Caucasian, part African-American, part Hispanic; I suppose, depending on how he identifies, he could still be a racist who hates some part of himself, but — unless his lawyer is a liar — it seems his kid-mentoring and other volunteer activities would belie that charge.

In fact, if these stories are true, Zimmerman appears to have precisely the sort of instincts toward volunteering and community service that we should try to encourage in each other. Except for the cop-wannabe part.

A very irresponsible press seemed to want racism to be the motive for this awful shooting, even editing a 911 audio tape to give that impression. Why? Why take a terrible tragedy and try to ramp it up, and make it more sensational, more emotional than it already was?

If you want to do a story on racism, there are plenty of them to go around. Why distort, exaggerate and hype this one, when others would meet the case?

Continued-
Obama’s speech: cynical me and cynical he...

 

[Michie]

*dp*

 

[Erose]

Well, not "we". We're the good guys. Other people will try to do exactly that, yes. We need to remind them of the unquantifyable advantages we white were born with. There is no way that I would trade, in this place and time, my white skin for black, my white-sounding name for a black-sounding name, etc. Being black is still a strong disadvantage. Things are better than they were, by leaps and bounds, but in no way are they where they need to be.

Whose fault is this in your opinion? Mine? Yours? Theirs? Whose?

 

[LoAmmi]

Whose fault is this in your opinion? Mine? Yours? Theirs? Whose?

Society.

No two creatures ever have an equal chance due to the circumstances of their birth, but we'd like to think that a group of people wouldn't immediately be at a disadvantage simply because they were born with more or less melanin. How can we fix that? I have no idea. How do you convince people who decide that determines the value of a person? Hopefully they will die out and people who don't believe that will replace them.

 

[Erose]

When the jury has to make a decision based on laws that heavily favor the perpetrator instead of the victim and enormously inadequate gun control regulations, they're not looking at "guilt" the way God would...they're seeing it through the distorted prism of a sick society.

Have you researched this law you are talking about? It basically says that one has the right to defend themselves against an aggressor. Are you telling me that you do not believe someone has the right to protect themselves?

I suppose the real truth is: Zimmerman: "not guilty." State of Florida: guilty.

Zimmerman is not guilty because the system worked. Remember that in this country one is not guilty until proven otherwise. The Prosecution did not nor never had enough proof to convict Zimmerman. At what point does anyone really truly think we need to start convicting people by polling numbers?

 

[Erose]

Society.

No two creatures ever have an equal chance due to the circumstances of their birth, but we'd like to think that a group of people wouldn't immediately be at a disadvantage simply because they were born with more or less melanin. How can we fix that? I have no idea. How do you convince people who decide that determines the value of a person? Hopefully they will die out and people who don't believe that will replace them.

You cannot take away the fact that black Americans keep themselves down as well. Here are the facts today.

1) Even though racism still exists today, it isn't like it was 60, 40, even 20 years ago. There really isn't that much any more, and quite frankly the racism against blacks isn't much greater if any at all than racism against any other racial group including whites.

2) Black vs White racism is maintained in modern society via the very people who claim to be against it! The NAACP, the Democrats, and the Media. If they would stop making a big deal out of race then race wouldn't be a big deal. IMO, the last great racists are found exclusively in the Democratic Party and the media.

3) Blacks need to stop thinking of themselves as victims because at this point in time they are victims only when they make themselves victims. They really need to get rid of their supposed leaders like Jackson, Sharpton, and now it looks like Obama, who maintain the Democratic Plantation, and get them some leaders that actually seem to care about them. Bill Cosby comes to mind.

4) If a black man or woman wants to be successful in this world, they can be. If they work hard, and leave the ghetto behind. They have more advantages of getting out of poverty if they only take them, than lets say an average white person living in poverty.

I can keep going forever on this list, but the primary reason why there are so many blacks remain in poverty today is because quite frankly it is just easier for them to do so. Why get out and work for a living when the government is willing to provide you free housing, food stamps, a welfare check, etc. as long as you want and in return all the government asks of you is vote Democrat when the opportunity arises.

 

[AMDG]

You cannot take away the fact that black Americans keep themselves down as well. Here are the facts today.

1) Even though racism still exists today, it isn't like it was 60, 40, even 20 years ago. There really isn't that much any more, and quite frankly the racism against blacks isn't much greater if any at all than racism against any other racial group including whites.

2) Black vs White racism is maintained in modern society via the very people who claim to be against it! The NAACP, the Democrats, and the Media. If they would stop making a big deal out of race then race wouldn't be a big deal. IMO, the last great racists are found exclusively in the Democratic Party and the media.

3) Blacks need to stop thinking of themselves as victims because at this point in time they are victims only when they make themselves victims. They really need to get rid of their supposed leaders like Jackson, Sharpton, and now it looks like Obama, who maintain the Democratic Plantation, and get them some leaders that actually seem to care about them. Bill Cosby comes to mind.

4) If a black man or woman wants to be successful in this world, they can be. If they work hard, and leave the ghetto behind. They have more advantages of getting out of poverty if they only take them, than lets say an average white person living in poverty.

I can keep going forever on this list, but the primary reason why there are so many blacks remain in poverty today is because quite frankly it is just easier for them to do so. Why get out and work for a living when the government is willing to provide you free housing, food stamps, a welfare check, etc. as long as you want and in return all the government asks of you is vote Democrat when the opportunity arises.

According to that black actor (can't remember if it was Morgan Freeman or Bill Cosby) the very hyphenation "African-American" continues that separation. We are unified as citizens of the United States (Americans) regardless of color. In his opinion, only those people (again regardless of color) that were born in Africa and then immigrated to the U.S. can properly call themselves "African-Americans".

And black pastor have even said that the "reverse discrimination" regulations and "Affirmative Action" programs of forced percentages of those of certain skin color instead of qualifications which have given lower standards to blacks than whites is actually insulting. They claim that this is not what Martin Luther King wanted. MLK wanted equality not black discrimination of whites (and as the Zimmerman cast shows, of Hispanics.)

 

[Erose]

Has anyone listen to the talk shows this morning? They are trying to make this tragedy into a white vs black thing. Can someone tell these idiots in the press that Zimmerman is Hispanic?

 

[cathoaholicliz]

Oh boy another thread and another opportunity for liberals to espouse their white guilt.

 

[Michie]

Seems some just want this to be racial & fit their agendas rather than look at the facts.

The media should be horrified by itself.

 

[bhsmte]

Has anyone listen to the talk shows this morning? They are trying to make this tragedy into a white vs black thing. Can someone tell these idiots in the press that Zimmerman is Hispanic?

Does that surprise you?

 

[S.ilvio]

Six person 'jury'. Explain that one to me...

 

[sylverpiano]

The end result here is really very simple to understand.

Our justice system is founded upon the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty. The State has the burden of proof. The prosecution must prove that the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

In this case, the prosecution failed to make its case.

The public on the outside of this legal process have formed opinions of the guilt or innocence of Mr. Zimmerman based on reports in the media. Media reports are not held to the standards of evidence, or even the standard of simple truth. Objectivity has sadly been in short supply in this process.

 

[Davidnic]

Six person 'jury'. Explain that one to me...

in Florida 12 are used only for cases where the death penalty is involved. Otherwise it is 6. The Supreme Court allows it but no smaller than 6 and if it is that small the decisions must be unanimous.

I think Florida is one of the few places that does it.

 

[S.ilvio]

The end result here is really very simple to understand.

Our justice system is founded upon the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty. The State has the burden of proof. The prosecution must prove that the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

In this case, the prosecution failed to make its case.

The public on the outside of this legal process have formed opinions of the guilt or innocence of Mr. Zimmerman based on reports in the media. Media reports are not held to the standards of evidence, or even the standard of simple truth. Objectivity has sadly been in short supply in this process.

Travon's folks have just buried their son and the guy who was 'sick of seeing his sort getting away with it' walk free after shooting him at point blank range at the decision of half a jury.

You gotta love justice, Deep South style...

 

[bhsmte]

The end result here is really very simple to understand.

Our justice system is founded upon the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty. The State has the burden of proof. The prosecution must prove that the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

In this case, the prosecution failed to make its case.

The public on the outside of this legal process have formed opinions of the guilt or innocence of Mr. Zimmerman based on reports in the media. Media reports are not held to the standards of evidence, or even the standard of simple truth. Objectivity has sadly been in short supply in this process.

You are so correct on that one. If the media is relied upon for people to get an objective view of the news, good luck.

With that said, even with the clear media bias against Zimmerman the latest polls show; 48% agree with the verdict and 34% disagree. Also, only 21% of those polled felt the justice department should file a civil rights case.

 

[S.ilvio]

in Florida 12 are used only for cases where the death penalty is involved. Otherwise it is 6. The Supreme Court allows it but no smaller than 6 and if it is that small the decisions must be unanimous.

I think Florida is one of the few places that does it.

Thanks for the explanation, though it doesn't remove the stink...

 

[catholicbybirth]

Six person 'jury'. Explain that one to me...

In Florida, many of us found out today, 12 jurors are required only for capital cases when the death penalty is being considered.

George Zimmerman Trial: How Can Zimmerman Have an All-Woman, 6-Member Jury?

 

[sylverpiano]

Travon's folks have just buried their son and the guy who was 'sick of seeing his sort getting away with it' walk free after shooting him at point blank range at the decision of half a jury.

You gotta love justice, Deep South style...

S,ylvio, my friend,

What changes would need to be made in jurisprudence to satisfy you that the trial process is fair?