Monday, March 26, 2012

What Trayvon's Death Means for America


There are some events that transcend all others and taken on greater historic value and significance, perhaps even serving to reshape our culture, our laws and how we ultimately think. Trayvon Martin's death is such an event. And in terms of civil rights and race relations, the name Trayvon Martin will be forever etched in America's collective consciousness much in the same way as Rosa Parks, Emmett Till and Martin Luther King Jr.

To be sure, all of the facts of Trayvon's death have yet to be investigated, uncovered and revealed. But on the surface, it would seem highly likely that an innocent 17-year-old black youth was stalked, confronted and provoked into some sort of dispute in which the young man, holding only an iced tea and bag of Skittles, was shot dead. His killer, 28-year-old George Zimmerman, remains free and has yet to be arrested or charged with any crime. Trayvon's killing has spurred impassioned protests nationwide, even resulting in an emotional statement from President Obama.

Zimmerman is hiding behind Florida's controversial "Stand Your Ground Law" which permits the use of deadly force in cases of self-defense. But a 911 tape of his call while on neighborhood-watch patrol in the gated community where he followed and ultimately shot Trayvon clearly shows how he was told to stop pursuing the youth. This is the precise point where the law should no longer protect him, because it was the moment Zimmerman lost his right to claim self-defense and instead chose to put the life of another in grave danger. It was Trayvon, an unarmed young man being followed by a menacing older man with a 9mm semi-automatic weapon, who had more of a right to stand his ground.

As his grieving, shell-shocked father Tracy has vowed, Trayvon will not die in vain. His death has galvanized an entire nation in demanding justice. From his death I'm sure will come new legislation ("Trayvon's Law," which will protect innocent people from over-zealous civilian patrols) and amendments to old laws. You can bet that Stand Your Ground will soon exclude the pursuing and confronting of people. Police protocols will be changed. There will be schools named after Trayvon. There'll be documentaries and films preserving his legacy. Thousands of babies will be named Trayvon. And, justice will ultimately be served.

Trayvon was on the phone with his girlfriend at the time Zimmerman was following him. She told him to run. He said he didn't want to. And he shouldn't have needed to. Trayvon Martin stood his ground and he died for it. In America's chain of progress, he is already a major link.

14 comments:

Michael Rivero said...

Trayvon's murder is being used to ignite a racial crisis in the United States, to give President Obama something he can run on this November. The black population is just as disgusted with the economy and wars as the white population, perhaps even more so since they suffer more of the losses. Obama needs to win back the blind unquestioning support of the black voters, and the Trayvon case is the perfect ignition point. Given that Zimmerman broke every major rule of the Neighborhood Watch program, one cannot rule out a staged confrontation intended to produce an event to ignite racial tensions. The volunteers for Neighborhood Watch are supposed to watch and report suspicious activity to the police. They are expressly forbidden to approach a suspect, expressly forbidden to confront a suspect, expressly forbidden to attempt to apprehend a suspect, expressly forbidden to carry weapons, and expressly forbidden to engage in a fight. Already the online shills are pushing stories to demonize the victim and excuse the shooter, actions sure to further enrage the black community in their sense of disenfranchisement.

So cui bono? Who benefits?

Obama benefits because now he has something to talk about that isn't the economy and the wars.

The gun-grabbers benefit, because they have a new bloody shirt to wave around and a reason to claim it is the law-abiding citizen who must be disarmed.

The Wall Street money-junkies benefit because the media has something to report on other than the occupy movement, and indeed can portray all public disorder as caused by racial tensions instead of Wall Street's crimes.

Go back and study the history of the FBI's COINTELPRO program in the 1960s, when the White House decided to distract from the growing anti-war movement by manufacturing a little racial discord; turning the whites and blacks against each other rather than allow them to unite in opposition to the Vietnam war.

Anonymous said...

Its better for USA to stop interfaring the internal matters of the world and and should solve its own problems. First make sure peace in its own country.

Anonymous said...

This was a run-of-the-mill crime and just because it was White or Black vs. Black or White , doesn't make it a huge event.

Why the Mass Media chose to make this a Racist issue, is beyond me.


And why now?!

And for Obama to stick his snout in the case is....well, you can imagine. He wants a distraction from the National Issues.

I suspect you, Mass Media,a re hand in glove with Obama to stir up Racial Riots.

Anonymous said...

Nice. You state not all the facts are in and then jump to conclusions. Your mindset is the problem, not the solution.

Anonymous said...

I suggest you research your articles better! You have been watching the MSM to get your facts. Guess what? Your WRONG!

Wallace said...

You might want to check your facts there, Pee-Wee fan...

Martin was 6'3" and physically attacked Zimmerman.

He was slamming his head into the pavement.


Trayvon Martin Shooter Told Cops Teenager Went For His Gun:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/trayvon-martin-shooter-teenager-gun/story?id=16000239#.T3BjUFvzJyU

Police: Zimmerman says Trayvon decked him with one blow then began hammering his head:

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-26/news/os-trayvon-martin-zimmerman-account-20120326_1_miami-schools-civil-rights-punch

Police report:

http://cnninsession.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/martinpolicreport.pdf

Anonymous said...

What was a seventeen year old doing out at 3:00 a.m.? The only people up at this time of the morning are paper delivery people and drunks.
Why does the media continue to use a picture of Trayvon that is five years old? Trayvon was 6'3" tall, not a child as portrayed by the media.There is a witness to the attack who verified Trayvon was on top of Zimmerman beating him and the police report verified blood on Zimmerman's face and grass stains on his back but of course this information hasn't been reported. There is a reason Zimmerman hasn't been arrested and it's because he's telling the truth, but why let the truth stand in the way of public hysteria?

The Ostroy Report said...

Against my better judgement I've chosen to print all these outrageously offensive comments (Obama's "snout?") so that everyone can see just how racist many in this country still are. Such ugliness is despicable. Easy to see how Zimmerman could have killed this kid when this kind of anger and hatred and intolerance exists.

Lee Fisher said...

Obviously the fact that the picture of the black kid is 3 yrs old, lets see what he really looked like. What about the black panthers offering 10,000 for him and spike lee tweeting the address of the man who shot him. More and more I am suspecting dis info from certain patriotic groups, about 80% right on and 20% dis info.

Anonymous said...

You don't have to go as far back as the 1960's, What about the Rodney King case in LA circa 1992. This was to establish race wars as well, however, it did not work!!

The Ostroy Report said...

Anon 10:15...amen, brother...

The Ostroy Report said...

Lee, I don't care if the photo is 20 years old and if Trayvon is 7'1" and 300 lbs. He was unarmed, Zimmerman was armed, and Zimmerman was told to go home and not continue his pursuit. Trouble didn't find him...he went looking for it.

Anonymous said...

What difference does it make that Trayvon was 6'3" and punched Zimmerman first? Zimmerman was a glorified wannabe vigilante who was the original aggressor. He profiled a black male because he suspected him of being a criminal. If he stayed put and did not try to get so involved Trayvon would not have had the opportunity to attack the man following him at night. This is not like he was an off duty police office who identified himself as such and then was attacked and had someone go for his gun.

Jill said...

Wow, Andy, you really reaped a bumper crop of racists, didn't you. I think it's hilarious that the very same people who would stop George Zimmerman on the street and demand to see his papers because he "looks Hispanic" are defending him for killing a black kid.

What this is really about is defending a law that was signed by former Florida governor Jeb Bush -- the great GOP hope of 2016. Frankly, I think that every image of Jeb Bush for the next four-plus years should be accompanied by one of Trayvon Martin, because Martin's blood is on Jeb Bush's hands.