Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 24 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 7/18/13

The Racial Divide of America: How some Trayvon Martin supporters are dishonoring the dead teenager

Message John Greenewald
Become a Fan
  (1 fan)
By: John Greenewald, Jr., TheBlackVault.com

What's sad... is I'll probably be called a "racist" for this opinion piece. Somehow, someone, somewhere, will be upset that I don't drop to my knees, screaming, "Why? Why is our justice system so corrupt where a sweet innocent boy can be shot with nothing but Skittles and a can of Arizona tea in his hands? Why, tell me WHY!?" 

Why? Because the answer is simply not that easy. 

I would venture a guess that a shade fewer than one hundred percent of those speaking out for Trayvon and harshly against George Zimmerman have NO legal experience, watched nearly NONE of the actual trial, and studied nearly NONE of the actual evidence. Because they saw it on a 90 second news piece by some "expert" stating their OPINION, it becomes gospel, they shout it from the heavens, and Zimmerman is guilty before ever having faced trial. 

This has all become a joke that dishonors the dead teenager Trayvon Martin, and cultivates more hatred, racism, and divides our country more so than it already is. And the media is top of the list when it comes to, "Who is responsible?"

The media IS a JOKE. Whether it covers the Zimmerman trial, Obama's corruption, or a political scandal; the amount of unreliable facts and completely one-sided presentations are all we get to decide as a country on the issue at hand. No one wants to research anymore or look at the actual evidence. Their information has to be spoon fed to them through a highly editorialized, news channel straw, and most of the public buys it hook, line and sinker. That's the issue with society -- not someone like Zimmerman.

The media and their laughable "journalism" have cultivated George Zimmerman "The Monster", not George Zimmerman "The Defendant". I would think, any good journalist would know how to differentiate the difference, but I guess the skills to do so just aren't there anymore with today's "media empires" and 21st century journalists. (For the record, not all journalists fit into this category, but as a whole, there are definitely many that do more harm than good after they report the news.) 

In doing this, the public as a whole issued their verdict long before the trial ever took place. Is this America? The days of a "fair trial" and "presumed innocence" have long gone out the window -- since the dawn of social networking and the rise of digital lynching in the form of "tweets" and "hashtags." 

But let's move beyond the media, and get to the racially and politically charged messages spewed by our friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Calling for "street justice" against Zimmerman? Posts looking for violence against Zimmerman that call for his death? Does anyone in their right mind think that any of that helps or honors Trayvon or helps us as a society learn from this and move on? If there is a problem with the judicial system... change it! If there is a problem with the prosecution" speak out against them! But simply mocking the judicial system, alleging "hateful racism" on the part of Zimmerman and society, but then in the same breath wish Zimmerman dead or that he find himself in some horrific situation that leads to a painful demise? I could only offer one piece of advice: Pull out a Webster's dictionary and discover the definition of "hypocrite" because none of that makes any sense to me. 

If you think this violence would satisfy Trayvon's dying wishes, and honor him by calling for Zimmerman's head on a platter, then you are showing more disrespect towards the deceased then the man who pulled the trigger" guilty or not. 

Shame on all of you -- and if you believe Trayvon is in a better place, then he's probably looking down at you as well saying, "Shame on you." 

If you want to stay on the bandwagon calling for violence against Zimmerman, and if it makes you feel better to perpetuate the racism and violence in this country" go ahead. But just know you disrespect far more than just Zimmerman in doing so, and that includes the deceased Trayvon, his family, friends, and those supporters who don't turn to such threats of violence and hatred when the "reality television show" we call life, doesn't quite have the season ender twist you were looking for. This is the show in the real world, called, "Real Life." If the evidence just wasn't there to convict him of the second degree murder or manslaughter charge put forth by the state you may not get the result that you were looking for. Is that racism? Is that a failed system? Or could it be, that some people just are "not-guilty" in the eyes of the law. Because let's face it - not everyone is guilty of every crime alleged against them - even if you want to brand them a racist.

You want to argue he was judgmental? Maybe he is guilty of that. You want to argue he was prejudice? Maybe he was guilty of that, too. Maybe the 6 member jury might even agree with you on those two counts. But second degree murder or manslaughter? Not sure if anyone, other than the 6 members of that jury, can truly say one way or another if a conviction is worthy. 

But I think we may want to ask why the sitting President of the United States, had to inject himself into the case by saying if he had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin. Where was the outrage then? That did nothing but fire up a part of society that did not need any kindling and it also offered up a racially toned message that didn't need to be said. If the President doesn't see in color, or at least he shouldn't, than maybe he should've said something like, "As a parent, we can ALL sympathize with the parents of Trayvon Martin no matter the circumstances. But our justice system will be as swift as it can be to get to a sound verdict which will either convict, or it will exonerate George Zimmerman." Instead, he went another direction entirely. 

Obama injected race and color where there did not have to be. He is in large part to blame for this case becoming what it did and this herein lies another ignored problem by our American society. Obama, the President of the United States, is human. He makes mistakes like everyone else, and in this case, he made a big one. But where is the outrage? 

Imagine for a moment, if a white kid was killed by a black man, and sitting President George W. Bush put a spotlight on the white victim, comparing him to his own son, and in essence, firing up a white base in America looking for the slaughter of the alleged shooter, and demonizing the man before he ever had a trial? Would that be racist? It made me cringe to write such a statement -- but just think about it for a moment. If you think that it does not compare, please reference your open dictionary. It should still be open to the page that will help you.

And now that it is all over, Obama finds a way to politicize it even more by almost immediately asking for more gun control to honor Trayvon and to decrease the number of gun tragedies. Does this truly honor Trayvon? In fact, does anyone think Trayvon would want that, either? The jury never saw the evidence that pointed to who this "sweet boy" really was, like the multiple photos of his semi-automatic weapon in his cell phone; the multiple photos and videos of Trayvon and his friends taking part in neighborhood brawls to tone their fighting skills; or even see the photos of Trayvon blowing marijuana smoke out of his mouth chronicling his pot-smoking abilities. Was anyone in this case really innocent? I guess, those asking for Zimmerman's crucifixion have selective memory and a one-sided agenda... because the answer to all of this is simply not that simple.

But I would say before anyone turns into judge and jury from the confines of your computer chair giving him the cyber-death-sentence -- learn the facts and the evidence put forth in the real world -- not what the pundit made-up and spelled-out in crayon.
Well Said 5   Supported 4   Must Read 2  
Rate It | View Ratings

John Greenewald Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

John Greenewald, Jr. - http://www.theblackvault.com


In 1996, John Greenewald, Jr. began researching the secret inner workings of the U.S. Government at the young age of fifteen. With targets like the CIA, FBI, Pentagon, Air Force, (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Inadvertent Nuclear War - The India/Pakistan Armageddon

Sylvia Browne’s FBI File Highlights Bank Fraud and Embezzlement

The Racial Divide of America: How some Trayvon Martin supporters are dishonoring the dead teenager

Missile or UFO Buzzes Continental Airlines Flight

Eerie Simulation on 9/11/01: Plane Slams into National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend