Re: Trayvon Martin
Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 11:06 am
I believe race did not play a factor in the trial itself.
I believe race did play a factor in the public's attention to the trial.
I am willing to bet...five whole dollars...that if George Zimmerman was the same putzy, not-very-good-at-fist-fighting, lower-middle-class neighborhood watch volunteer,...and also was black...the public would have paid much less attention to this incident and this trial.
This is Florida. Despite being only two percent of the number of United States, the largest portion of Knuckle Heads in the News stories on Lannigan and Malone's radio show come from Florida. The reason Florida tries to attract so many retirees from other states is to reduce the concentration of Florida-ness. The Zimmerman case re-emphasizes that no major deliberation on any issue should revolve around what happens in Florida.
as for Ms.Alexander...the governor of Florida is free to pardon her at any time. and the President of the United States is free to pardon her at any time. there are probably judges at some level of the courts capable of dismissing her case and conviction at any time...but they would have to fill out more paperwork and write some bullshit legal memo. The police were free to not charge her at the time of the incident. the district attorney was free to not prosecute her. the grand jury was free to not indict her. and the judge and jury were free to not find her guilty. although they used bad judgement, the important thing is that these were professionals who don't have to use judgement. they can just say they were following the law.
as for the Stand Your Ground law...it is pretty meaningless. it is just redundant showboating to reiterate older statutes on self-defense or justifiable homicide, meant to appease paranoid gun nuts and people frustrated with adolescent idiots and retards. At best, it tries to paint over the fact that the public is dissatisfied with the lack of judgement that police, district attorneys, and judges have used in prosecuting cases of self-defense.
I believe race did play a factor in the public's attention to the trial.
I am willing to bet...five whole dollars...that if George Zimmerman was the same putzy, not-very-good-at-fist-fighting, lower-middle-class neighborhood watch volunteer,...and also was black...the public would have paid much less attention to this incident and this trial.
This is Florida. Despite being only two percent of the number of United States, the largest portion of Knuckle Heads in the News stories on Lannigan and Malone's radio show come from Florida. The reason Florida tries to attract so many retirees from other states is to reduce the concentration of Florida-ness. The Zimmerman case re-emphasizes that no major deliberation on any issue should revolve around what happens in Florida.
as for Ms.Alexander...the governor of Florida is free to pardon her at any time. and the President of the United States is free to pardon her at any time. there are probably judges at some level of the courts capable of dismissing her case and conviction at any time...but they would have to fill out more paperwork and write some bullshit legal memo. The police were free to not charge her at the time of the incident. the district attorney was free to not prosecute her. the grand jury was free to not indict her. and the judge and jury were free to not find her guilty. although they used bad judgement, the important thing is that these were professionals who don't have to use judgement. they can just say they were following the law.
as for the Stand Your Ground law...it is pretty meaningless. it is just redundant showboating to reiterate older statutes on self-defense or justifiable homicide, meant to appease paranoid gun nuts and people frustrated with adolescent idiots and retards. At best, it tries to paint over the fact that the public is dissatisfied with the lack of judgement that police, district attorneys, and judges have used in prosecuting cases of self-defense.