**Official** Trayvon Martin thread

[kylejack]

Really?

"How do we turn pain into power?" Jackson asked a standing-room only congregation while preaching at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Eatonville, Fla...
..."The blood of the innocent has power," Jackson said, naming other slain black Americans whose deaths became rallying cries in the struggle for equality. "There's power in the blood of Emmett Till. There's power in the blood of Medgar Evers. There's power in the blood of Dr. King."
Martin case rings across country's pulpits

Doesn't sound like racial divide to me. Sounds to me like a call to power, to end racial injustice (which is still very present).

 

[Indy Vidual]

...
This story does not warrant this much of our attention.

That never happens in America:

 

[Danke]

Isn't a gated community private property?

 

[NewRightLibertarian]

Doesn't sound like racial divide to me. Sounds to me like a call to power, to end racial injustice (which is still very present).

He'd be out of a job if racial injustice were eliminated. Vermin like Jackson thrives on it

 

[AGRP]

Cool:

All of the smart Paul people who can see through this BS will be busy getting delegates while most of the Romney, Santorum, and Newt sheeple will be distracted at this non-issue on places like Facebook, Redstate, and theblazed.

 

[BlackTerrel]

Really?

"How do we turn pain into power?" Jackson asked a standing-room only congregation while preaching at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Eatonville, Fla...
..."The blood of the innocent has power," Jackson said, naming other slain black Americans whose deaths became rallying cries in the struggle for equality. "There's power in the blood of Emmett Till. There's power in the blood of Medgar Evers. There's power in the blood of Dr. King."
Martin case rings across country's pulpits

That's not division and it's certainly not "race war". It's talking about justice. Big difference.

Calm the fucking race war talk down. Do you know what even that hypothetically would look like? Millions of Americans taking up arms and shooting at millions of other Americans because of the color of their skin?

It would basically be Armageddon. But it won't fucking happen... 99% of us get along. So calm the fuck down and quell the "race war" bullshit.

People want to talk about justice and bringing a murderer to trial. No one wants millions of Americans shooting each other. That will NEVER happen so stop promoting this fear and violence.

 

[NewRightLibertarian]

That's not division and it's certainly not "race war". It's talking about justice. Big difference.

Calm the fucking race war talk down. Do you know what even that hypothetically would look like? Millions of Americans taking up arms and shooting at millions of other Americans because of the color of their skin?

It would basically be Armageddon. But it won't fucking happen... 99% of us get along. So calm the fuck down and quell the "race war" bullshit.

People want to talk about justice and bringing a murderer to trial. No one wants millions of Americans shooting each other. That will NEVER happen so stop promoting this fear and violence.

You got your head in the sand. Race war concerns are real. There isn't anyone here promoting it, they're just admitting the unfortunate reality

 

[moo]

I agree. Just because you read articles about the black panthers doesn't mean this is a white vs black situation. The black panthers are there because zimmerman is a racist and the police dept tried to cover it up. The only people who fear the black panthers are the klansman. they're trying to portray the panthers as the boogieman but white people aren't falling for that old trick. There are many different organizations that are involved in this case. People of all walks of life all across the world have united together for trayvon martin. Look at the pictures & videos on social networks to see for yourself. EVERYONE has united so don't let an extremely SMALL group of people, who are being paid to divide this movement, make you miss this great opportunity to be apart of a modern day civil rights movement. the occupy movement, the gay rights movement, the tea party movement, the reason movement, the civil rights movement and so many more are historical events that is happening right now.

this shows what the people can do if we simply UNITE and stand together for what is RIGHT. we can change laws & change minds.

 

[fr33]

*jumps into a multi-page topic without reading it*

What I hate is how "we" all feel the need to choose a side on these type of stories if we feel it will be used against our political stances. None of us truly know what happened. We weren't there. Stories like this happen often but are selectively covered by the media.

It gets to the point where there's some type of pressure for me to support this Zimmerman dude if I support self defense. But wait I'm against racism and busy-body pricks so I must oppose, right?

Then some douche-bag like Geraldo Rivera feels the need to inform me that every day this winter I was asking to be shot because I wear a hoodie.

Sorry but I feel Geraldo comes out of this story being the biggest idiot. A sweatshirt/jacket with a hood on it is not suspicious and those that promote such an ideal deserve nothing but criticism.

 

[onlyrp]

Isn't a gated community private property?

yes, generally. Though they have street addresses, usually they can only gate it up because they owned the land to start, and the streets inside are "artificial".

 

[onlyrp]

*jumps into a multi-page topic without reading it*

What I hate is how "we" all feel the need to choose a side on these type of stories if we feel it will be used against our political stances. None of us truly know what happened. We weren't there. Stories like this happen often but are selectively covered by the media.

yeah, seriously.

 

[kylejack]

Isn't a gated community private property?

Yes. Both had a right to be there (Zimmerman owns or rents a house, and Trayvon was staying with his father.)

 

[moo]

here is the worlds most notorious criminal. being kissed on the cheek by his father must be some kind gang ritual.

 

[onlyrp]

here is the worlds most notorious criminal. being kissed on the cheek by his father must be some kind gang ritual.

You know, there's more options than just "worlds most notorious criminal" and "perfectly innocent and never deserved to be shot", you knew that, right?

 

[Anti Federalist]

Actually, from the facts presented thus far, it is absolutely a textbook case of self defense. In what crazy world is going outside to ask a suspicious lurker who he is and what he's doing constitute "instigating an altercation"? This is a free country. You, I, or George Zimmerman have every right to follow a stranger in public, and when we catch up to them and get their attention, ask them any question we so desire. And likewise, the person we are talking to has every right to tell us to "fuck off", and walk away. What they don't have the right to do is physically assault us. And that is what Trayvon Martin is accused of doing, and why according to the SYG law this was a justifiable homicide.

You are wrong and you are giving out information that could potentially land people in prison for a long period of time if followed:

Q. When can I use my handgun to protect myself?

A. Florida law justifies use of deadly force when you are:

Trying to protect yourself or another person from death or serious bodily harm;
Trying to prevent a forcible felony, such as rape, robbery, burglary or kidnapping.

Using or displaying a handgun in any other circumstances could result in your conviction for crimes such as improper exhibition of a firearm, manslaughter, or worse.

Example of the kind of attack that will not justify defending yourself with deadly force: Two neighbors got into a fight, and one of them tried to hit the other by swinging a garden hose. The neighbor who was being attacked with the hose shot the other in the chest. The court upheld his conviction for aggravated battery with a firearm, because an attack with a garden hose is not the kind of violent assault that justifies responding with deadly force.


Q. What if I see a crime being committed?

A. A license to carry a concealed weapon does not make you a free-lance policeman. But, as stated earlier, deadly force is justified if you are trying to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.

The use of deadly force must be absolutely necessary to prevent the crime.

Also, if the criminal runs away, you cannot use deadly force to stop him, because you would no longer be "preventing" a crime. If use of deadly force is not necessary, or you use deadly force after the crime has stopped, you could be convicted of manslaughter.

http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/self_defense.html

Florida law also provides that the use of deadly force is not justified if the defendant is charged with an independent forcible felony, and the defendant was attempting to commit a felony or the defendant initially provoked the use of force against himself.

http://www.criminaldefenseattorneytampa.com/FloridaDefenses/DeadlyForceSelfDefense.aspx

From the facts presented thus far:

A - Zimmerman played free lance cop by following Martin AFTER being told to stand down.

B - Martin was unarmed and was committing no violent felony during the time Zimmerman had him "under surveillance".

C - A fistfight with a minor does not rise to the level of threat that would justify the use of deadly force.

He was unjustified, under current Stand Your Ground Florida law, in responding with deadly force, based on the facts as they appear now.

 

[Anti Federalist]

The law on this:

Q. When can I use my handgun to protect myself?

A. Florida law justifies use of deadly force when you are:

Trying to protect yourself or another person from death or serious bodily harm;
Trying to prevent a forcible felony, such as rape, robbery, burglary or kidnapping.

Using or displaying a handgun in any other circumstances could result in your conviction for crimes such as improper exhibition of a firearm, manslaughter, or worse.

Example of the kind of attack that will not justify defending yourself with deadly force: Two neighbors got into a fight, and one of them tried to hit the other by swinging a garden hose. The neighbor who was being attacked with the hose shot the other in the chest. The court upheld his conviction for aggravated battery with a firearm, because an attack with a garden hose is not the kind of violent assault that justifies responding with deadly force.


Q. What if I see a crime being committed?

A. A license to carry a concealed weapon does not make you a free-lance policeman. But, as stated earlier, deadly force is justified if you are trying to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.

The use of deadly force must be absolutely necessary to prevent the crime.

Also, if the criminal runs away, you cannot use deadly force to stop him, because you would no longer be "preventing" a crime. If use of deadly force is not necessary, or you use deadly force after the crime has stopped, you could be convicted of manslaughter.

http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/self_defense.html

Florida law also provides that the use of deadly force is not justified if the defendant is charged with an independent forcible felony, and the defendant was attempting to commit a felony or the defendant initially provoked the use of force against himself.

http://www.criminaldefenseattorneytampa.com/FloridaDefenses/DeadlyForceSelfDefense.aspx

From the facts presented thus far:

A - Zimmerman played free lance cop by following Martin AFTER being told to stand down.

B - Martin was unarmed and was committing no violent felony during the time Zimmerman had him "under surveillance".

C - A fistfight with a minor does not rise to the level of threat that would justify the use of deadly force.

He was unjustified, under current Stand Your Ground Florida law, in responding with deadly force, based on the facts as they appear now.

 

[asurfaholic]

how am I a troll when I am discussing the murder of trayvon martin?

Why is traayvon martin so special????

Don't you realize that the media has worked its magic on you? Media sensationalism has definitely done its trick across the country. Would people have been less outraged if the headlines were "newcomer drug dealer attacks a local neighborhood watch captain, dies."

Instead the media has turned this into a bloody racial issue, knowing damn well that idiots eat that up..

Trayvon martin... im sick of this story already

 

[Working Poor]

I honestly don't know who was right or wrong here. What I do know, is that this story is very divisive, and after the two groups get done tearing each other apart, nothing good will have come of it. Then we just wait for the next divisive story and repeat this cycle, ad infinitum.

Pass. I want no part in this.

I believe the media is pushing this to create more racial tension.

 

[MelissaWV]

Why is traayvon martin so special????

Don't you realize that the media has worked its magic on you? Media sensationalism has definitely done its trick across the country. Would people have been less outraged if the headlines were "newcomer drug dealer attacks a local neighborhood watch captain, dies."

Instead the media has turned this into a bloody racial issue, knowing damn well that idiots eat that up..

Trayvon martin... im sick of this story already

Not sick enough of it to label Martin a "newcomer drug dealer" and once again perpetuate the meme (made up by people who weren't there) that he attacked first.

Interesting gymnastics you go through in a single post.

 

[nobody's_hero]

Not sick enough of it to label Martin a "newcomer drug dealer" and once again perpetuate the meme (made up by people who weren't there) that he attacked first.

Interesting gymnastics you go through in a single post.

I think you missed what he was trying to say (he was speaking hypothetically). His point was that the media has a powerful role in determining how important a story is. The media *COULD* have said that he was a 'newcomer drug dealer' and everyone would have just rolled over in bed and slept in. Instead this story is getting massively pumped up.

My question is the same as a few others: Why this one? The Ohio school shootings were good for national ratings for only a few days. We've had a few courthouse shootings in various states since around that time. These stories are thrown out and if they don't stick, they're dropped.

My theory is that if there's a story with any degree of potential 'racism value', they media will lay it on hard-and-thick. This one is gonna stick for a while longer. Can't let the American people start viewing these crimes as 'normal' crimes. No, this one is special. They had different skin color. We aren't quite to the point where the media lets us view each other as individuals.

I think I'll agree with asurfaholic. I'm sick of this story too, due to the way it's being handled. Try Zimmerman for murder (of which he'll likely be found guilty) and lets move on with things. No need to mention skin tone for the extra boost in ratings it gets.