Nothing exists in a vacuum, so when looking at the tragic shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida because he appeared ‘suspicious’ to a self-appointed Neighborhood Watch captain named George Zimmerman, it can not be viewed in isolation. It’s part of something that’s much larger and systemic.
Many of us don’t like to admit it, but the fact is, this country has a long and sordid history where those who appeared ‘different’, meaning not white and male, were often deemed suspicious resulting in deadly consequences. Call it a Culture of Suspicion if you will, but it one that’s helped shaped social and political policy and impacted damn near everything we’ve done throughout the years.
TheBlack Codes, Vagrancy Laws, Jim Crow, Internment Camps, Salem Witch Craft Trials, Compulsory sterilization, Poll taxes, McCarthyism, Cointel-Pro, The War on Drugs, The War on Terror, The War on ‘Illegals’, The War on Women, these are just a few of the policies and measures that have emerged over the years out of this culture of suspicion…..And let’s be clear, so we’re all on the same page…The Culture of Suspicion is rooted in irrational FEAR and extreme ANGER.
It’s a FEAR and ANGER that dates back to the days of the pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock where those who weren’t Anglo-Saxon in this case Native Peoples were ‘suspected‘ of being ‘less than human’ and thus needed to be civilized, stripped of their land and exterminated. Can we say Manifest Destiny? That’s what that concept and ideology ultimately meant for Native Peoples..Can we say Genocide?
Nat Turner and FEAR of slave revolts has resulted in deep-seated suspicions of Black people that are alive and well today
This FEAR and ANGER was pervasive among those who brought Africans to America in chains and enslaved us. Our culture was stripped, our language forbidden, our Africanisms stamped and literally beaten out of us.. Why? because slave owners had deep-seated fear of slaves revolting. All sorts of laws were put into place and all types of measures including divide and conquer tactics were employed to keep those who were then seen as beasts from rising up and doing what slaves like Nat Turner, Gabriel Prosser and Denmark Vesey eventually did-kill or in the cases of Prosser and Vesey, plot to kill their white masters.
This FEAR of Black reprisals has resulted in nearly all traces of the over 250 of slave rebellions that went down in the American South being erased from our school history books.
What has remained are disturbing stories of Black men, being lynched and hung from trees in what was described by singer Billie Holiday as Strange Fruit. What’s remained are eerie stories of entire Black town like Rosewood, Florida and Tulsa, Oklahoma being burned to the ground by angry white mobs because of FEAR and suspicion.of a Black man lusting after a white woman.
Sadly there’s a litny of stories about Black men being accused of looking at or lusting after a white women. This irrational Fear of a Black Dick and ‘suspicion’ gave rise of the Ku Klux Klan especially after the 1915 DW Griffith landmark film Birth of a Nation which had Black men lusting after white women as a main theme. You can see one of the more controversial scenes from that movie...HERE It also led to this country keeping anti-Miscegenation laws on the books up to 1967. Tragically it also led to countless young Black boys who having their genitals mutilated when those lynchings I mentioned earlier took place.
Again for many this legacy of FEAR and SUSPICION throughout our history is a painful pill to swallow. As a country we don’t wanna have an honest conversation of how pervasive it was and is and how it’s permeated our collective mind-set.. We don’t wanna talk about how this Culture of Suspicion been used toward various so-called minority groups in this country and the deep scars its left.
We don’t wanna talk about how we executed women who we suspected of being witches during the infamous Salem Witch trials.
We don’t wanna talk about how we rounded up Japanese American citizens during World War II and put them in internment camps because we were suspicious of them..
We don’t wanna talk about harsh and often fatal treatment levied upon men and women we suspected of being gay. How many have been killed, beaten, put into special classes to ‘straighten’ them out..
We don’t wanna talk about the horrific legacy of Cointel-pro a government counter insurgency program headed up by FBI director J Edgar Hoover. We don’t wanna talk about how Hoover kept all sorts of Civil Rights, Black Power, Brown Power and Anti-War organization under a suspicious gaze and actively used every resource possible to destroy them. He went after everyone from Marcus Garvey to Martin Luther King to the Black Panthers and everyone in between. Irrational fear, deep-seated anger and suspicion that those demanding equal rights were somehow not ‘real’ American were part of the rationale behind Hoover and the FBI actions.
To see how deep this gets.. I urge folks to watch this documentary to that lays out this culture of suspicion and Cointel-Pro.. You can peep it HERE: How the FBI Sabotaged Black America
The Importance of Connecting the Dots
Trayvon Martin
Again Trayvon Martin‘s tragic fate is not isolated. It has to be seen through this historical lens that reflects long-standing racial prejudices and attitudes and race based policy decisions in our society.
The unsavory actions of George Zimmerman coupled with the racial hostility he displayed in widely heard 9-11 call where he refers to Trayvon as a ‘F–king Coons and his paranoia (calling 9-11 over 40 times in the past year) are not out of the ordinary. He personifies the culture of suspicion.
The questionable actions and neglect displayed by the Sanford police department (not talking to key witnesses and keeping Trayvon’s body for 3 days without telling his parents) not only have the look of an outright cover up, but they too reflects this culture of suspicion… The message their actions convey is that; Trayvon must’ve been in the wrong. A young Black male wearing a hoody is always suspect. There’s no way Mr Zimmerman would’ve shot him for no reason.
In looking at Trayvon’s murder its also important to connect the dots to fear based incidents currently going on.. Look at the type of anger and hostility directed by those we are suspicious of…
Angel Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican basketball player was greeted with chants of Where's Your Green Card by Southern Mississippi band members.
For example,it was just last week during an NCAA basketball game we saw band members from University of Southern Mississippi resort to chanting ‘Where’s your Green card?‘ as rival basketball player Angel Rodriguez attempted to shoot free throws. The band members along with some fans ‘suspected’ that Rodriguez who is Puerto Rican wasn’t in this country legally. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, meaning they’re citizens.
Sadly similar scenarios played out in other schools around the country including last month in San Antonio, Texas where players from mostly white Alamo Heights started chanting ‘USA USA’ after they defeated their mostly Latino rivals from Edison. Again there was a suspicion that the players from Edison weren’t one of us (American) They must be illegall.
Some may be tempted to chalk these incidents up to sport fans being ignorant. And that may be true until we see this same type of attitude displayed by Presidential hopeful, long time Senator Rick Santorum. He recently stood before a crowd and remarked, that before Puerto Rico can become state folks living there will have to learn to speak English. Again that culture of suspicion at play. He’s suspects Puerto Ricans aren’t really one of us.. On a side note as was pointed out in a recent Reuters article, There’s no constitutional requirement to have an official language nor for a territory to adapt English as an official language to become a state.
Sadly the culture of suspicionit doesn’t stop there. There’s been a rash of anti-immigrant bills being passed with the harshest in Arizona (SB 1070), Alabama (SB 56) and just the other day Mississippi passing (HB 56). All are born out FEAR and suspicion.
We’ve had people like Texas lawmaker Debbie Riddle coin the phrase ‘anchor’ babies and ‘terror’ babies when referring to the children of Mexican and Middle eastern immigrants and push to pass laws to stop them.. This sort of fear mongering has resulted in entire communities being profiled and suspect.
9 year old Brisenia Flores was shot and killed after self-styled vigilante border patrollers suspected her family of being in this country illegally
People like Riddle help foster a deadly climate of suspicion with deadly consequences. For example, we should never forget what took place 3 years ago in Arizona when Shawna Forde a self-appointed border patroller formed the group anti-immigrant organization Minutemen Civil Defense Corps.
In May of 2009 she and some accomplices suspecting that a family was living in a neighborhood illegally, raided the home and shot the 29-year-old father Raul and his 9-year-old daughter Brisenia to death. The mother was there and left alive. Again the Culture of Suspicion resulting in vigilante justice.
The extreme measures taken on those ‘suspected’ of not being America are not just limited to hard-working, law-abiding immigrants. That anger and suspicion has been directed to President Barack Obama. We have a whole segment of society called birthers with people like businessman Donald Trump and Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio leading the charge. In a recent poll over 45% of folks in the south believed he was a Muslim and over 25% don’t believe he was born here in the US..
The suspicions of the birthers is unprecedented. First, they demanded the president show his birth certificate. After he did that they demanded he show a long form certificate. After he did that, they accused the documents of being forged and wanted original draft cards. In fact as we speak Arpaio is launching yet another investigation into the president. Can you say Culture of Suspicion gone wild?
It doesn’t help that President Obama has contributed or reacted to this climate of suspicion, by deporting over one million people and increased surveillance in American Muslim communities..His policies dovetail with the policies of many police departments that have also heightened this culture of suspicion.
It was just 3 or 4 weeks ago that a ‘suspicious’ looking Ramarley Graham was standing outside his home in the Bronx when he saw police officers roll by. He walked into his home only to be followed by police who ‘suspected’ he had a gun.. Police busted into his house and shot Graham in his bathroom in front of his grandmother and a 6 year old.. No gun or weapon was ever found..
Jordan Miles is a 18 year old violinist who played for First Lady Michele Obama
Graham was one of over a whooping 680 thousand New Yorkers who police stopped and frisked last year in their attempts to find ‘illegal’ handguns.. Over 80% of those stopped and frisked were Black or Brown men.. less than a 1% of those stops have resulted in any weapons being found. This policy has led to racial profiling and Black and Brown men being seen as suspects before being seen as productive citizens in their community.
The case of Pittsburgh, PA 17-year-old honor student Jordan Miles being stop frisked and beaten beyond recognition with his dreadlocks torn out his head is another example of what happens under this culture of suspicion..
Ironically in both the Jordan and Graham cases the police accused both men of fleeing when in truth, knowing the history of such encounters they probably developed a healthy suspicion of police who are no longer seen as friendly public servant there to protect and serve, but a vicious gang with a badges and license to kill.
There are too many cases to recount.. but the results are damn near always the same death, scarred communities and a legacy of deep mistrust.. Trayvon Martin is the latest casualty in this long line of tragic mishaps.
What if the Shooter was Black and the Victim White?
John White shot a White Teen who showed up at his house with a mob..He was convicted and sentenced
There are many who have rhetorically asked this question. It’s done not so much to plant seeds of racial hatred and be divisive but to point out the inconsistencies and double standards that exist within our justice system. Its way for us to look at situations and hopefully be moved to change them.
One glaring example of a Black man protecting his family and shooting a white youth involves took place a few years ago in Long island New York. In August 2006, John White confronted 17-year-old white teenager named Daniel Cicciaro who had been threatening White’s son. Cicciaro showed up with a group of his friends to get at White’s son. Fearing for his safety White shot the teen who was on his property. He was convicted and sent to jail. You can and should read about that case HERE.
At the time of White’s sentencing there were many who compared his situation with that of a White man out of Texas, named Joe Horn who shot two Black men on his property who he shot and killed after disobeying police orders. Like Zimmerman, Horn wasn’t directly threatned but he went ‘hunting’ for the people he eventually shot.. You can read about that case HERE and HERE.
This should come as no surprise to anyone that we have this type of double standard. The question and challenge before us all, is how will we fix a broken, racially biased justice system? Do we have to vote in new judges, new DAs and new prosecutors? Do we have to change the entire way we do business in the justice arena?
There are no easy answers and ultimately we are going to have to change people’s hearts and minds. Say what you will, but what fueled these confrontations and uneven results was racism and the suspicion that those who have darker skin are ssuspect..
The Zimmerman Is Hispanic Not White Argument
George Zimmerman
In recent days we’ve seen many in the media play this card and play it hard.. There’s a couple of things going on here that we should all think about.
First, is by playing up the fact that Zimmerman is half Hispanic suggests that he at one point or the other has been subjected to the suspicious FEAR laden gaze of society and hence he’d be a bit more sensitive and perhaps a bit more insightful when confronting folks, in particular Black folks. The implied thought is that Zimmerman, the half Hispanic would know what Black or Brown man to confront and not to confront better than the average white person..That’s utter nonsense so lets put that to rest..
Zimmerman was a racist who had a clear disdain for young Black males. He was as FEARFUL as any of the white person who has held similar attitudes. In short, what does Zimmerman being Hispanic have to do with anything? He drank the kool aid of white supremacy. His Hispanic background didn’t make him immune, the same way it doesn’t immune self-hating Black folks who buy into the same flawed belief systems where even with Black skin and having faced discrimination themselves, will see a young Black male with a hoodie and think the worse and become suspicious. Some of those FEARFUL Negros once they get a position of power or get to wear a gun and badge act out fearfully and suspiciously with the same deadly consequences.. So Zimmerman being Latino means nothing..
The other thing at play here is by the media highlighting Zimmerman’s ethnicity, Black folks are supposed to suddenly unite and start bombing on Latinos. We’re supposed to suddenly be upset with our Mexican, El Salvadorian or Puerto Rican neighbors? Was Zimmerman acting on their behalf and carrying out their agenda? I think not..
If they’re gonna play the ethnic card with Zimmerman all of us should be asking is Zimmerman repping for a large Latino body of people who are in the same struggles and fighting against an oppressive system. Is he part of an organizations like La Raza, MeCHA , NDLON, Puente, and in are they vouching for him? Would he have been suspicious of one the courageous Dreamers, undocumented youth who actually Marched through Florida a year or so ago pushing for passage of the Dream Act? Has Zimmerman been out there protesting all the anti-immigrant laws popping up all over the country or was he the type to support them, suspicious off other Latinos confronting them asking if they’re criminals or here ‘legally’?
Again either your working to free people from oppression or your working for the system, helping keep people disenfranchised and marginalized. Don’t buy into divide and conquer tactics. Connecting the dots, uniting marginalized communities and addressing institutionalized oppression is not in the best interest of those in power.
I’m not sure what Zimmerman represents and who he rolls with, but his actions deserved to be punished. And while in many places there are Black and Brown tensions which should be addressed the shooting of Trayvon Martin is not the jump off into further divisions. Whats at stake here is the death of an innocent 17 year old coming home in the rain wearing a hoodie and carry a package of skiddles..He was confronted by large, overzealous, suspicious wanna be cop who killed him.. We must resist the attempts to keep this tragedy isolated from these larger issues and histories at hand..We must seek justice and seek it in such a way that it puts a major dent in some of overarching problems and prejudices impacting us all.
written by Davey D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKaJoEyYXyI
This historical perspective is on point. I love how you brought it all full circle. No, it wasnt an “isolated incident”.
You know what I hate…when they say stuff like: “He was a good student, a straight A student, minding his business…” and stuff like that. By inference its also saying that if he was a bad student, a D student, being rambunctious or anything else, then he may have deserved to be killed.
Yo Davey,
Great commentary on the Trayvon Martin murder and related white racist phobias.
I see you use the term “Native People”…: was that from when I say that I use that collective term — actually “Native Peoples”, because they were of many ethnicities and nations (just like European whites are of many ethnicities and nations) — because the Native Peoples never called themselves “Native Americans” — named after some European. In Canada the Native Peoples collectively call themselves “First Nations” on the Canadian half of the continent.
You know, I haven’t heard it discussed on the news or even on PBS news discussion programs (like the PBS Newshour), but legally one can’t just go out and shoot someone — especially, arbitrarily — and necessarily claim that they “were in fear of their life” and “acted in self-defense”. When something like this, or anything related, happens, there is a judicial standard application that can be applied — but obviously the white cops didn’t apply and D.A. is resistant to applying — called “the reasonable person standard”. As one attorney — a Black attorney said on TV — in a controversial or questionable shooting like this (obviously not controversial or questionable to the cops and the D.A. in Trayvon’s murder) — especially when the other person is completely innocent and completely unarmed — *the mere claim* of “self-defense” is not something the cops are supposed to just ‘rubberstamp’, especially without so much as at least an initial *investigation* of that claim. “Self-defense” is, at the least, something that the D.A. and/or a court of law is supposed to determine — or, failing that, then federal civil rights investigators.
If you went out looking for trouble and aggress against someone — and the cop on Zimmerman’s cell phone told him, “We don’t need you to do that [go after Trayvon]” — you can’t then claim “self-defense” against an unarmed, innocent person at that, especially when you weigh fully _80lbs_ more, because you *precipitated* the aggression — you were the *causal* factor — and it’s actually the *other* person you aggressed against who would have been acting in self-defense.
So, let’s say you’re a big, 250lb, dark skin Black man (or let’s say even, especially, if you’re white): If you’re an outside vendor technician going to work on some office suite’s copier machines, and in the course of your project you reach into your workclothes cargo pocket to pull out several loops of twine for something and, at a nearby open office desk, with other people in their nearby open offices, and plenty of building security available, some white woman — in one of those states, where you can ‘pack & carry’ — pulls out her gun and shoots you because she thought you were about to tie her up and rape her, after she just saw “Birth of a Nation” (or one of those white rapist-slasher-killer horros movies) last night on cable TV. Maybe she subsequently claimed that you smiled at her and said hello, before you reached into your pocket. (The cops always claim, “reached just under — or even just *by*, as they tell you to put your hands up — his waistband.”)
Now in her twisted mind, she might have actually been in, and reacted in, fear of her life — or she might have just been a racist looking for the first excuse to kill some Black male who smiled at and said hi to a white woman in such a state. However, the law recognizes that we can’t literally get into anyones head and thus determine whether they actually believe(d) something or not, or if they’re actually crazy or not (at least short of a psychiatric “determination”). *BUT* would she — an arrest, judicial indictment, and trial examination would investigate (among other factors) — have been reacting as “*a reasonable person*” would in those circumstances: could, by this judicial standard, “*a reasonable person*” claim to be acting “*in fear of their life*” and thus “in self-defense”?
Unless, it were a ‘Jim Crow’ jury — and if by what logic/math calls “a subsitution analysis” (put into the logical/mathematical analysis/equation), white shooting victim in place of Black shooting victim — I think we all know what legal conclusion, and whether such a legal defense met or exceeded that standard, a jury would arrive at.
Would “a reasonable person” be “in fear of their life” if that person went out looking for trouble against someone, or went out to aggress against someone, when fully armed “professional” help, and as much armed “professional” help, with all the resources and back-up and radio intercommunications, as that “professional” force felt they needed, was on the way within minutes, if not less? Even by Zimmerman’s own steadfast refusal to stay put — as well as Zimmerman’s own words — or meet the cops at a designated location, he was obviously not “in fear of his life”. The 911 callers — who were ear-witnesses and/or, at least partially, eye-witnesses — who didn’t even want to go to the source of the incident — who didn’t even want to go outside — were obviously in fear of their lives about going there — and were in fear of their lives about the *shooter*.
No one has yet addressed this legal concept and standard.
— Joseph from Berkeley
I don’t want to sound inconsiderate or as if I’m disagreeing in principle, but pointing out Angel Rodriguez’ “welcome” by the band at Southern Miss reminds me of similar events abroad. Racism can be pretty serious in Spain: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1176955,00.html & of course Germany: http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,445903,00.html Islamophobic France also comes to mind.
Compared to many other places in the world (including parts of Europe as I said earlier), we do pretty okay. Make no mistake, That this stuff can happen in a country that is “pretty okay” means more than “the world is really screwed up” than anything else. But still, take heart, things are getting better and I like to believe having this conversation will help things continue getting better faster.
Still, I think our country IS making progress as each new, better connected/educated generation grows up. BUT there are the economic and educational issues. When the few have power over the many, differences will encouraged and pointed out to help maintain control. Classism and racism are made such a durable policy that not even the president feels like he can reverse it. Racial tensions are stirred up with each new war and the lingering war on drugs.
Also, whatever makes money is what gets put on the television. Usually it’s not what is best for society. So, the most common stories are not those of reconciliation, but those of disagreement and violence. I guess that’s why many of us turn to the internet, huh?
A brilliantly well written article. I appreciate all the examples you used to outline points rather than going off on a detailed rant (which, let’s face it, is what I would have done). I am sharing this.
Davey D on the Trayvon Martin murder:
Two *EXCELLENT* commentary interview shows by Davey D on KPFA, 91.4fm / kpfa.org (livestream and audio archives), Berkeley, CA:
Hard Knock Radio show, for Monday, March 19, 2012 — 4:00pm, PST
http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/78856
Hard Knock Radio show, for Thursday, March 22, 2012 — 4:00pm, PST
http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/78958
Another interview to follow on Friday, March 23, 2012 — 4pm, PST
http://www.kpfa.org/
See archives.
Stay tuned, for further relevant developments, for future Hard Knock shows on the Trayvon Martin murder.
–
TRAYVON — JASIRI X
I want to say that I can understand your views. They are not unjustified. I am a white male just for the record. What I don’t like is that with you strongly putting your viewpoint out there its almost anti-white and I think it just encourages the race wars. Your painting police and “white” people as savages basically which then causes your readers to develop hatred against them which causes “white” people to develop the same hatred and prejudices in return. Its a never ending cycle. I think as Human Beings in general we have the violent tendencies against others not the same as us. If it was just say Africa that sent ships over to “discover” America I can guarantee you a similar outcome against the Indians. And “whites” weren’t the only race to enslave, conquer and massacre people different from themselves. The Spanish is just one race that comes to mind for being slave owners.
Understandably many see police as vicious gangs but have you tried to look through their eyes? They are being shot at, they see so much violence and hatred in the areas of minority, and it does happen in “white” areas too but you have to agree it is more common in minority areas. They are just responding how I think all humans would respond regardless of race. We respond to violence with violence right or wrong.
Please encourage your readers to love, not hate, regardless of race. Trust me, I know from your viewpoint “white” people can be vicious but really if you seen it through our eyes you would have a different opinion. Speaking on behalf of other “white” people that I know and have known throughout my life I know they see “blacK” and other race people as violent and uncivilized. Thats how you view “whites” right? So there is definitely 2 sides to every story.
So please try to see it from every side. In the beginning and end we are all the same. We are all born and we all die. We all bleed. Everyone is the same. Just trust God and promote love. Theres already enough of the Devil trying to promote hatred. You dont need to help!
Great writing man! And I do agree with you 100% that Zimmerman deserved to be punished..
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TO *CLUELESS*, *PRO-POLICE* — OR DAMN *COP* — WHITEY:
*STOP IT*, _”GEORGE” (March 23, 2012 at 5:54 am)_: YOU ARE _**EMBARRASSING**_ THE *CONSCIOUS*, *COOL* WHITE PEOPLE WHO READ DAVEY D’S WEBSITE AND HIS COMMENTARIES AND LISTEN TO HIM ON HIS RADIO PROGRAMS.
Great idea, George. Let’s stop talking about white supremacy because POC may rise up and take away our underserved privledge! Shhhhhhhhhh, brown people. We all bleed the same color! Don’t look at the man behind the curtain! Don’t explore the origins of your marginalization or hold us to task for perpetuating it!
There are far better things ahead than anything we leave behind look-towards your future the past is over no matter what you try to do, the past CAN NOT be changed nor forgotten so strive for a (your) better future.I hope everyone will help to serve justice for this tragic issue. But not just for Trayvon and his family but for what was done against man kind, Trayvon I wish you and your family piece with knowing so many want justice for the wrong that had happened in the hopes things of this nature will never happen again. RIP GOD Bless YOU .
Trayvon Martin my Prayers will be with you Forever
Davey, thanks for always putting out some great food for thought. George, where do you get off telling Davey how to write and how to feel? Unless you have LIVED what a large amount of people of African descent go through in this country, please step aside, and go somewhere else – better yet, use that energy to teach your White Brothers and Sisters who have the same mindset as george zimmerman, instead of trying to tell US how to feel, write, and react.
You are FULL OF IT and then some!! In case you haven’t noticed dumbass there is a LOT of hatred by Latinos towards blacks but people of your ilk are so damn determined to have EVERY POC be your ‘buddy’ you don’t want to see that.
*THIS* IS SOME DIVIDE-&-CONQUER BULLSH*T:
*RE*: Lauren (March 24 at 11:57am): “In case you haven’t noticed dumbass there is a LOT of hatred by Latinos towards blacks but people of your ilk are so damn determined to have EVERY POC be your ‘buddy’ you don’t want to see that.”
As one article points out (in addition to about Zimmerman’s kind of shakey background, which would make *him* the suspicious character), “There have been some signs in Florida that Hispanics and African Americans are forging a bond, said Soto, the state legislator. During redistricting debates in Florida, the two groups have “stuck together very solidly.”
* * * THE BROWNWASHING OF GEORGE ZIMMERMAN * * *:
George Zimmerman’s father is white and his mother is Peruvian — which could be of ALL or MOSTLY European background. PERUVIAN IS A NATIONALITY, NOT A RACE OR ETHNICITY — and Peruvians can be of *ANY* race (white, black, Asian, indigenous, etc.), racial origin, national origin (Spanish fm Spain, German, Italian, French, etc.), descent, or mix. Saying his mother is “Peruvian” is like only saying that she’s “American”. And if his mother had the means to get to the U.S. all the way from Peru, she’s probably of European or primarily European descent.
One can be “Hispanic” and be of *ANY* race or national origin — even pure European (or pure Asian, for that matter, as in Peru). “Hispanic” is a *geographical* ‘catch-all’ designation (except for anyone Black) — and, in this country, it’s primarily a census term contrived by the U.S. govt — i.e., by *white* people (I think during the Nixon Administration) to designate *ANYONE* — i.e., non-black and usually non-indigenous — from Latin America (and/or even from Spain). In that sense, Hispanic is a “divide-&-conquer” term (and may have been created or adopted by the Nixon Administration (the one that othewise invented the racist “Southern strategy” campaign to further alienate, especially, working-class and poor whites from working-class and poor Black peope) to socially and politically divide “Hispanics” from Black-Americans (so Nixon probably had “a Hispanic strategy” too). Mainstream Republicans — not those crazy right-wing Tea Party types — have long tried to politically recruit and carve away “the Hispanic vote” and “Hispanic people” from solidarizing with Black people.
[Even the term “working-class” is a capitalist-invented “divide-&-conquer” term to divide people who have to work for a living — office workers from non-office workers — and are not owners of the industrial means of production, capitalist executives or upper-level managers, and who don’t primarily or disproportionately live off of investment securities, excluding retirement pensions.]
For example, Argentina (like Chile), overall, is essentially a *European* country in Latin America, although there are certain regions, outside the major metropolitan areas of indigenous people (but then, the U.S. has similar kinds of regions, although artificially created, called “reservations”). In many South American countries, people of primarily European descent either politically and/or economically dominate the nation. And the most popular and successful figures in society — whether in govt, media, entertainment and advertisement — are European, mostly European, or have very light skin — and they certainly mostly don’t want to *marry* (or want their daughters or sons to marry) anyone with skin any darker than theirs.
Peru is definitely a white and/or whiter and highly class dominated society — even the Spanish-speaking population that dominates is primarily from Spain and generally seeks to maintain that class “purity”.
I know an older guy born in Argentina, his native language is Spanish, and he is pure European — his parents immigrated many decades ago from *Yugoslavia*! He ‘hates’ what we would typically think of as (non-European) Latinos. He even hates Latino/Chicano organizations, especially Latino/Chicano student organizations and Latino/Chicano history classes in this country, and he’d be right there down on the U.S.-Mexican border in Arizona with the white racist militias ready to round up and/or shoot, or at least shoot at, “illegal aliens”, if he lived there — and as far as he’s concerned the “illegal immigrants” could just die of thirst in the desert. I don’t *think* of him as homicidally racist, but he’s rather racist!: I could see him doing the same thing as George Zimmerman if, given a gun, put in the same circumstances. And I’m *sure* that those crazy, white, right-wing Miami Cubans don’t put themselves in the same ‘boat’ (so to speak) as Puerto Ricans, or Chicanos, or poor El Salvadorans, or mestizos, or indigenous Latin Americans.
Upper-class (and therefore the lightest-skin and European Spanish oriented) “Hispanics” generally *hated* and *rejected* the term “Latino” or “Chicano”, which were terms of and used/created by progressive, socioculturally consciousness and politicized, mostly working-class and some middle-class, often then or to-be, 1st-generation college-educated, otherwise so-called “Hispanics” who *rejected* the term “Hispanic”. In fact, “non-black Hispanic” was often classified under “Caucasian” in U.S. govt and institutional (like colleges/universities) designations.
So, one thing I’d be interested in — since the mainstream media and the white cops and politicians are so eager to “brownwash” George Zimmerman (who’s last name could even be *Jewish* or of European Jewish descent) — is what is his Peruvian mom’s actual ethnic/racial background?: let not any automatic assumptions or contrivances or “brownwashing” be foisted upon us. Maybe someone can find out her maiden name and background. I, as an African American, given many African Americans’ historical background (often directly or indirectly mixed with Native Americans [as my paternal grandmother was], and/or often mixed with people of Spanish and/or Mexican descent), might be more “Latino” than George *Zimmerman*.
@Joseph
Even still there IS a lot of resentment towards blacks by Latinos and that needs to be addressed before we embrace them as ‘brothers’.
RE: Lauren (March 24 at 7:37 pm): “@Joseph Even still there IS a lot of resentment towards blacks by Latinos and that needs to be addressed before we embrace them as ‘brothers’.”
You know what, “Lauren”?: there is too much capitalist-manipulated prejudice and negative stereotypes even between POC ethnic groups, and between POC classes, and *WITHIN* POC classes, and *WITHIN* POC ethnic groups. (There are *some* middle-class and upper-class Blacks who have downright ‘racist’ attitudes, that sound as bad as the KKK, against all lower-income Blacks — and many Latinos and even many Asians who treat those lower-income Blacks with far higher respect than *some* middle-&-upper-class Blacks.)
And to the extent all that capitalist manipulation is true — capitalism *invented* the modern idea of race (because capitalism invented _the economic model of *artificial scarcity*_, and so had to divide the weath and resources of the nation in priority to those who “mattered” the most, to those who “mattered” the least, as racism [coupled with sexism] is really _a system of *economic* organization_) — the answer to this manipulation is not *more* prejudice, negative stereotypes and hatred that plays right into the capitalist hands, but more interethnic POC education and enlightenment. No “race” on earth has a monopoly on intelligence and hard work and good character and love for their children.
I see that you *refuse* to recognize what I have documented: “During redistricting debates in Florida, the two groups [Blacks and Latinos] have “stuck together very solidly.””
Furthermore, not only, for example, have Latino/Chicano and Black student groups *supported* each other, but Blacks and Latinos/Chicanos have *often* worked together and supported each other.
I am African American (as I’ve pointed out above, for all I know I am part Latino [just as I am part Native American]; I have a Latino middle name) and I have *lived* with Latinos and I have had lots of Latino friends over the years. There was a VERY POPULAR professor at UC Berkeley who had very culturally diverse classes (including lots of Black and Latino students, as well as Asian and white): he looked African American, but his first and last name are Latino. There were/are also very popular Latino professors at UC Berkeley who had very popular, culturally diverse classes (including lots of Black students). There were/are very popular Black professors at UC Berkeley who had/have very diverse classes (including lot of Latino students).
In the end, “my people”, “my sisters & brothers” are not just Black — because Black (or Latino or Asian) capitalists and Black (or Latino or Asian) cops — after all, they too ultimately work for a white racist economic system — can ecnomically oppress or physically beat you down just as fast as a white capitalist or white cop. (This so, just as Arab cops in the Arab world beat Arab people — even viciously beat Arab women, for all the idea that the Qu’ran says to respect women — just as badly as white cops would in the U.S.) Latino and Asian production/industrial capitalists in the U.S., Latin America or Asia, can ecnomically oppress Latino and Asian workers just like white capitalists often do. In fact, it’s often popular white corporations who, to retain their good name, often domestically and internationally inspect their Latino and Asian manufacturing plants to try to ensure humaine working conditions.
You can fall victim — or _CHUMP_ — as you seem to want — to all that capitalist interethnic, interclass and intraclass manipulation — like trying to pit Blacks and Latinos of all classes against each other — capitalist divide-&-conquer stuff — as you are the only one around here determined to hate — but I *won’t*.
For me, when all is said and done, “my people”, “my sisters & brothers”, are all the people — Black, Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern and white — because we were originally ALL African — who want to live in a world of peace & justice & respect & love for each other as human beings. Enlightened people from Malcolm X to the Black Panthers found sisters & brothers of all “races”. I have *lived* with Black (aside from my family), Asian, Latino and white people as close housemates — and I dearly wish I could have, especially during college days, lived with some Middle Easterners (some, good friends of mine, now).
Now, you, “Lauren”, go do what you want and, if you must, on the mere basis of “race”, go hate who you want…, but you’re barking up the wrong tree there with me.
@George Thanks for derailing have a nice day!
You know, I have been following this case from day one and my thoughts about George have not waivered:He needs to be in Prison soon as possible. Far as Trayvon’s supporters, I hope that this journey don’t stop with Trayvon,but for all of those POC’s that have died in the hands of racists vigilantes like George Zimmerman.
I also just love how they are trying to divide Latino’s and Blacks against each other for thier own personal racist gain. Yes, we know that there are Blacks who are against other POC’s and Latinos who harbor the same feelings,but there are Blacks, Latinos and other POC’s who are unified for the betterment of their people and for ours. The detractors always bring up ” Why don’t you see Latinos and Asians complaining about similar issues like the one about Trayvon as one asked on a blog. Is he kidding me? I know whether they are loud or quiet, they aren’t accepting things as they are. Do they really think that they are going to let racists cause harm to their love one and just say ” it’s ok”. OMG! George was a racist plain and simple and using his the / JewishLatino half of him is no better than Herman Cain spewing ugliness against us. If you think like a White supremacist then you need to be blessed out.They are both anti-Black and far as I’m concerned are scum to me.
The problem with White society is that they are always looking for racist people to use and spit out. They are so against Black people because we refuse to bow down to their demands. They may say that Asians and Latinos won’t say anything. Several months ago, there was an 18 year old Asian soldier who “killed” himself( If he did this to himself, I believe that he was forced to by his superiors) named Danny Chen. he was wronged by the military, yet the manslaughter charge that was supposed to be in the books was reduced. The other ones are going to trial. Now do those people really think his folks want to settle for less after that? I think not. That is why this case is being followed as of this day and I’m praying for justice with that case as well.
Along with Trayvon, there are other POC’s, and religious minorities who I haven’t forgot and never will that have lost their lives because of who they were. This is why this battle with Trayvon Martin cannot stop.
RE: Lauren (March 24 at 11:57am) TO [“???”] : “You are FULL OF IT and then some!! In case you haven’t noticed dumbass there is a LOT of hatred by Latinos towards blacks but people of your ilk are so damn determined to have EVERY POC be your ‘buddy’ you don’t want to see that.”
Hey “Lauren” (a name that is typically *not* Black or Latino, but usually white; perhaps you’re another *cop* or another *idiot*, often one and the same…), I don’t know why you originally brought up Latinos out-of-the-blue (no one else even mentioned Latinos before you did, so I don’t see who you were replying to) or who you were originally talking to — other than just some divide-&-conquer tactics sh*t — but guess what?: I went to an Oakland, Ca., justice for Trayvon Martin rally — and I saw plenty of Latinos, along with everyone else (Blacks, whites, Asians, Middle Easterners). The same was true in the San Francisco rally. You need to get out more…
Oh “Lauren”, while you’re at your little divide-&-conquer play, go online and look up _”THE STOLEN LIVES PROJECT”_: portable murals or very large banners in various U.S. cities or metropolitan areas that show lists, photos, dates, and describes all the unjust victims of legalized murder by the cops. There’s also The Stolen LIves Project _book_ you can look up and buy at Amazon. The project was started by DANNY GARCIA — a Latino — and you can see from the murals and all the photos that he generally includes (whatever the specific numbers) as many BLACKS as LATINOS.
M (March 26 at 8:22pm): “The detractors always bring up ” Why don’t you see Latinos and Asians complaining about similar issues like the one about Trayvon as one asked on a blog. Is he kidding me? I know whether they are loud or quiet, they aren’t accepting things as they are. Do they really think that they are going to let racists cause harm to their love one and just say ” it’s ok”. OMG! George was a racist plain and simple…”
Good words, M.
In fact, The Stolen Lives Project that I mentioned in my previous post…: there are Asians on those murals and in that book too.
Who should (not) forget the Vincent Chin case in Detroit where several white vigilantes bludgeoned an Asian American guy to death, using a baseball bat, on the street, because they thought “all Asians look/are alike” and they thought he was Japanese and therefore ‘of course responsible’ for Japanese auto imports into this country. You can look up that case on Wikipedia. The white vigilantes, before a white judge, got a plea bargain: they served _NO JAIL TIME_, were given three years probation, fined $3,000 and ordered to pay $780 in court costs! — FOR HUNTING DOWN BLUDGEONING AN ASIAN MAN TO DEATH! Subsequent Federal prosecution was a result of public pressure from a coalition of many Asian ethnic organizations, Vincent Chin’s murder is often considered the beginning of a pan-ethnic Asian American movement.
Asian Americans have *also* been victims of legalized murder, or otherwise abuse, by the cops — not only, but especially “working-class” and poor Asians, as well as even recent immigrant middle-class Asians. I remember a ‘famous’ case (at least ‘famous’ to Asian Americans old enough to remember in California) of a Korean man in a small pick-up truck (like a small Toyota) that LAPD police cars _completely cornered_ over some kind of traffic incident — when they approached the small pick-up truck, the LAPD, using whatever pretexts racist cops make up on the spot, just all opened fire through the pick-up’s windows and killed the guy right on the spot. This was all shown on video! The guy was completely unarmed and it turned out that he had no criminal record. And what do *you* think ever happened to the cops…
For a while, back a while, Asian American women, often students, were being harassed by white male cops around UC Irvine.
Asian Americans eventually get their turn, cyclically, at the white racist lynching or political whipping post just like other POC’s, if not, seeminlgly, as often.
When I once went to a forum in downtown Oakland on police brutality, even I was stunned to see that about one-third of the people there were Asians!! (And there’s often a big social difference between working-class and poor Asian Americans [the ‘hidden’ Asian Americans] vs. Asian Americans, as well as foreign Asian nationals, who go to or graduate from universities like Berkeley or Stanford [the ones shown on TV].) So, to say or believe that Asian Americans don’t experience police abuse/brutality/murder too, or don’t complain, is just _wrong_: the media don’t show it, because the white *media* tries to use Asian Americans as ‘the silent minority’ and, especially, “the model minority” against Black people. But, have you ever noticed that the white media, establishment and politicians often call Asian Americans “the model minority”, but *never* “the model *Americans*”!
EXCERPTS FROM THE LATINO PRESS:
The death of Trayvon Martin has sent racial shock-waves through the country, and while the focus has largely been on anger from the black community, the fact remains that the alleged shooter, currently in hiding from vigilante threats, is a self-described Hispanic man.
But if George Zimmerman was hoping to find support in the Latino community, he should look elsewhere.
“The Latino community joins the African-American community and other communities in condemning George Zimmerman as what he is – a murderer and a racist,” Roberto Lovato, co-founder of the online Latino advocacy organization Presente.
The group is acting on Trayvon’s behalf. Presente has joined with Color of Change to petition for the arrest of Martin’s murderer.
“Todos somos Trayvon! (We are all Trayvon!),” Presente wrote, urging supporters to sign the petition. The group also has a petition to condemn Geraldo Rivera for blaming Martin’s hoodie for his death. According to Lovato, the petition currently has 18,000 signatures.
La Raza has rallied for Martin with the civil rights community as well.
The organization’s urged so much in a March 22 post at the Huffington Post.
“NCLR [the National Council of La Raza] joins allies in the civil rights community in calling for a real investigation for this grievous failure of justice,” president and CEO Janet Murguía wrote.
Murguía further encouraged members of the Latino community to participate in a rally to demand justice for Martin that evening at the First Shiloh Baptist Church in Sanford, FL.
In an interview with The Daily Caller, La Raza spokeswoman Lisa Navarrete reiterated the importance of an investigation.
“I think at the end of the day the indisputable fact is that the police did not do a thorough job, certainly given the 911 calls and everything else there was clearly much more to this than the police initially thought and should have been investigated and hopefully now it will be,” she said.
___________________________________________________________________________
A Complete Investigation is Vital for Justice in Trayvon Martin Case
The death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager who was fatally shot by a neighborhood watch member in a gated community outside Orlando, FL, remains an unresolved and disturbing incident. The lack of action from the police–despite mounting evidence that the findings of their initial and unconscionably cursory investigation are incorrect–has led to national outrage, online petitions with thousands of signatures, national mobilizations, and a Department of Justice investigation. Unfortunately, Trayvon Martin’s death reminds us of a frightening time in our country’s history when violent crimes perpetrated against African Americans went unreported or were protected by law enforcement authorities.
Earlier this month, NCLR [the National Council of La Raza] joined with African American civil rights leaders to march from Selma to Montgomery, AL. We marched against unjust and discriminatory laws that threatened to take away our vote and our civil rights. We marched for a common struggle against a hateful environment that is being sown in not only Alabama, but throughout the United States. It is an environment that says that if you are Latino, you somehow “don’t belong” in this country. It is also an environment that says that if you are African American in this country, you don’t have the right to walk on the street.
The fact that the Sanford police chose not to fully and thoroughly investigate this incident is unconscionable and unacceptable. From numerous media and witness reports, it seems that the police failed in their most basic and fundamental duty to the citizens they are sworn to protect.
NCLR joins allies in the civil rights community in calling for a real investigation for this grievous failure of justice. We urge members of the Latino community to join the rally taking place on Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the First Shiloh Baptist Church in Sanford, FL to demand justice for Trayvon Martin and to stand for the protections that all Americans deserve.
We commend the Department of Justice for launching a federal investigation into the matter and we urge an exhaustive look into what actually happened and who needs to be held accountable–including George Zimmerman, as well as law enforcement–for that tragic night.
___________________________________________________________________________
AND FROM THE LATINO ORGANIZATION “PRESENTE” AT THEIR WEBSITE:
GERALDO: HOODIES DON’T KILL
Geraldo Rivera made a reckless statement on national television about the killing of Trayvon Martin. As one of the leading Latino journalists in the country, Geraldo should immediately apologize and set the record straight.
While Trayvon’s parents and the entire country are clamoring for justice, demanding the immediate arrest of Zimmerman, who is still free, Mr. Rivera have decided to divert our attention away form the sad truth at core of this national tragedy: an innocent young man was killed in cold blood – not for wearing a hoodie – but for being a Black young man.
Blaming this tragedy on an article of clothing that is widely worn in this country (even by Geraldo himself) is irresponsible and works against those of us who are trying to teach our children that society needs to treat them with respect.
This moment offers us an opportunity to stand up for young men of color and to demand that their humanity be valued. Rather than perpetuate the stereotypes against young men of color, Geraldo can use his privilege as a public person and journalist to talk less about hoodies and more about how racism endangers our children.
Racism is at the center of this tragic incident. When Zimmerman described Trayvon to the police he referred first and foremost to his race, not to his hoodie: “he has his hand in his waistband. He’s a black male.” Martin was on a cell phone call with his girlfriend moments before his death, and she reported him saying that he put his hoodie up because Zimmerman had been following him. 3
Geraldo should have put the blame where it belongs – on Zimmerman and the gun-crazed and racist culture that creates and enables this violence. Instead, his comments divert from real tragedy in the name of sensationalist journalism.
Tell Geraldo Rivera to apologize to Trayvon’s family and focus instead on reporting accurately about why Trayvon Martin was killed.
This, below, from Eric (of course a clueless whitey who thinks this country is “pretty okay”), is the ole, ‘it’s [racism] worse *over there* [in Europe] than *over here*’, argument.
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Eric B (@eric_bowen)
March 22, 2012 at 6:45 pm
“Compared to many other places in the world (including parts of Europe as I said earlier), we do pretty okay.”
—————————————————————————————————————————-
When I was in England, I heard the same thing from white Britons about the United States: ‘It’s [racism] worse over in the *United States* than over *here*.’
Even when I’m on the East Coast I sometimes here this from some whites: ‘It’s [racism] worse over *there* on the *West* coast than over *here* on the *East* coast.’
IT’S SO EASY TO SAY WHEN YOU’RE NOT THE REPEATED VICTIM.
BUT, WOULD ERIC EVER SAY THAT ABOUT WOMEN AND RAPE?: ‘Compared to Europe, we’re *pretty okay* over here.’
Btw, the article link about Germany refers to right-wing *extremists* and their violence at soccer stadiums (*not* mainstream Germans who find the right-wing extremists a total embarrassment) — from those undereducated, underclass, neo-Nazi-styled younger people in their teens and 20’s, known as “soccer hooligans”, on the margins of German society, from the formerly economically underdeveloped East Germany, who can’t find meaningful/steady/full-time work in a techonogically advanced society. Soccer hooliganism has been a problem in numerous European countries — and the often, mentally provincial, undereducated, xenophobic white lumpen that soccer attracts is often an element of soccer fans in numerous European countries, and those kinds of white people are so xenophobic that they often hate *other* white people too, from the next town over the hill or the next country over the border!
But, I’ve been to Germany and have had many German friends (the more mainstream and educated kinds): and I dearly wish that the *majority* of white Americans were as generally conscious about racism as the majority of Germans (especially, but not only, most university graduates). Actually, the biggest problem with racism and discrimination in Germany is against Turkish Germans — Germany’s ‘Mexican immigrants’, so to speak (to make the sociological comparison), especially in Berlin, concentrated in the East Kreutzberg district. (Turkish Germans used to be in West Kruezberg too, both W.K. & E.K. were/are the more interesting, more multicultural, ‘bohemian’ districts; but, like the San Francisco Mission or Haight district, West Kruezberg has steadily been gentrified, as ‘bohemian’ districts often are anywhere in the West when the real estate developers finally discover them, and pushed/priced most of the Turkish immigrant Germans out of West Kruezberg.)
But, whether in Germany or Spain, so far, I’ve never heard of an ongoing, chronic, seemingly never-ending string of legalized murders by police and other white racists against Black people there. In fact, in numerous European countries, the regular street police (often not even riot police) don’t carry guns.
Since he is half white, it means nothing that he also half Latino. So it’s automatically his whit side that mad him racist? Honestly, you seem to hate white males. Do have “FEAR” of us? He wasn’t racist. He had many black friends. He mentored two black children-for free! He didn’t want money. He did it from the love from his heart. Racism is just stupid. I hate it. Why can’t we all get along? I never owned a slave, nor did my ancestors. You are not a slave. Therefore, what happened a long time ago has means nothing to us today, It’s in the past. A horrible past that it may be. Zimmerman should not have went after Martin. Let’s not assume. Let the evidence speak for itself. Here’s the evidence so far: It was dark, many break-ins have occurred prior to this one incident. Trayvon was running through yards wearing a hoody. If I knew breakins were taking place in my community and I saw a kid running through yards hiding his face at night, I would be suspicious too. Since it was dark and he was wearing a hoody, it would be very hard to tell what his race was. All Zimmerman saw was a 6’3″ person running at night through yards. Even after all of that, Zimmerman had no right going after him. He had all legal rights alerting authorities.Can we please have someone writ an unbiased article about this using evidence and not one’s person feelings towards this? I was in Sanford that day. It was treated like any other news report. The media has made this into something that it is not! I never heard about any of these details that the media is reporting until 1 week later when CNN first reported it. We all are humans. We all look the same on the inside. We are all the same on the inside. Let’s not make everything about race. It is an unfortunate event that took place and it could have all been avoided if Zimmerman did not try to take the law into his own hands. If this ever goes to court, we will watch and judge with the evidence given to us for ourselves. After he is sentenced, or not, we will know for a fact if it was a murder or self-defense. You weren’t there. I wasn’t there. No one but Zimmerman, Martin, and any witness knows what happened.
.
First “George” (ref., Joseph from Berkeley, March 23 at 11:19am), and now “Michael” (see, March 30 at 1:58am) — if they are not one and the same (their writing styles and argumentation are suspiciously similar!):
ANOTHER *EMBARRASSMENT* TO THE WHITE “RACE”.
Here we go againnn…:
“Michael”: “Honestly, you seem to hate white males. … I never owned a slave, nor did my ancestors. [Yada, yada, yada…] …what happened a long time ago has means nothing to us today…”
Although, I know there are still plenty of cool, conscious white people that just want to slap “Michael/George” right in the face, and shout to him, “Stop f*ckin’ *EMBARRASSING* us, you *IDIOT* [face palm]!!”
———————–
“Michael”: ” Since it was dark and he was wearing a hoody, it would be very hard to tell what his race was.”
1) Everybody in America — even the white *racists* like you, “Michael”, who constantly make such *racist* excuses — just *different* white *racist* excuses, whether some Black person was wearing a hoodie or *not* — *knows* that if George Zimmerman had hunted down and shot & killed a totally innocent *white*-American kid like that, then ole Trigger-Happy George would have been in jail, *indicted*, *convicted* and on his way to *prison*, if not there already: In fact, *white* people would have *demanded* it!
We *know*, “Michael”, that you’re a goddam white *racist*, because:
(a) You’re _a *goddam* liar_!! — and you’re goddam lying on purpose — to suit your white *racist* excuses! We KNOW that Trayvon wasn’t “running at night through yards”, because his girlfriend on the phone tried to *get* him to run and he *wouldn’t*! Because that’s what a woman would do if some strange man were following her at night, especially if she were only more or less a hundred or so feet before she could make it to her door! Maybe if Trayvon had run, he wouldn’t have been killed only 70 ft from his father’s door and he would have made it inside!
And, gee, why *wouldn’t* someone run if they are being followed — ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT — by some strange *white*, or Black, or racially any other guy? Or, why wouldn’t someone even fight back, if they thought they were being attacked, or was going to be killed, by some nutcase? Was Zimmerman a cop clearly in uniform?; was Zimmerman a security guard clearly in uniform?; did Zimmerman have a a bright flourescent green, orange, or red vest or jacket with “Neighborhood Watch” (or something to that effect) clearly printed on it in large letters, like most genuine/official neighborhood watch people? And most neighborhood watch people go out in *pairs/groups*, not as ‘lone rangers’; they certainly aren’t armed with guns; and if they see trouble or suspicious activity, they don’t approach someone who *could* be armed and dangerous; they call the *cops*, and let the *cops* handle the actual suspect apprehension.
Did George Zimmerman shout, “PLEASE EXCUSE ME! I don’t mean to frighten you at night here. I’m the neighborhood watch. There’s been some break-ins [if that was even true] or suspicious activity around here: may I kindly ask if you *live* here, or are *staying* here, or if you’re *visiting* someone here?” *Who* wouldn’t appreciate a *polite* inquiry like that? And, if Zimmerman was such a diligent neighborhood watchman, then he should have been familiar with the fact that a Black man (and apparently not too many of them living there) had *sons* who might regularly stay with or visit their father there.
(b) “Black Guy Running” doesn’t automatically equal “Criminal”! Maybe a Black guy running, even if it were so, in street clothes, might be the same reason for a white guy, or white female, running in street clothes: maybe they were literally running late for something: maybe home to miss as little of the game, or coverage about it, as possible; or maybe to catch, or miss as little as possible of, some favorite TV show; or maybe they’re running from their car to their apartment because they left something cooking that could burn; for a bus at the nearest major intersection; or maybe they’re running through their aparment complex to get something from a waiting UPS driver; or, maybe from their apartment complex to their car because they’re late for work or going to the airport; I see white people doing these last three things all the time where I live. I’ve seen white people in street clothes running before in my neighborhood for whatever reason: I might have wondered why, and I might have turned my head to look, or, if I was home, looked out the window, just in case it seemed like an emergency, but I didn’t automatically assume they were up to no good!
Meanwhile, I was once detained and arrested for running in *jogging* clothes, for _JWB_, *Jogging* While Black)!; I’ve been detained by the cops for _RWB_, *Riding* (my bicycle) While Black; I’ve been detained by the cops for _WWB_, *Walking* While Black too; I’ve been detained by the cops for _LWB_, Looking over a white friend’s apartment balcony While Blackp; in addition to, of course, for _DWB_ — AND *I* WASN’T WEARING A *HOODIE* — I *DON’T* EVEN *OWN* ONE — AND THERE WAS NO CRIME GOING ON ANYWHERE NEAR THE TIME — OFTEN CLOSE TO MY HOME TOO (WITHIN A BLOCK OR FEW) — AND *I* CERTAINLY WASN’T COMMITTING ANY CRIME.
So, what would be your white goddam racist excuses for all that, “Michael/George”?
As one person said, MAKING EXCUSES FOR ZIMMERMAN, A MURDERER, “BECAUSE TRAYVON WAS WEARING A HOODIE”, IS LIKE MAKING EXCUSES FOR A RAPIST, “BECAUSE A WOMAN WAS DRESSED SEXY.”
2) So, “Michael”, since you say that Trigger George couldn’t see Trayvon’s race or face, then tell us when some white self-appointed vigilante — or cop — has *EVER* shot & killed a totally innocent *white* blonde girl named “Heather”, or innocent white kid named “Kip”, in a *hoodie* or anything else over her head, “because it was dark and the cops couldn’t see her race or face”? All things being neutral, _the law of averages_ says that this should happen to totally innocent, unarmed *white* people all the time too!
ALL THESE LEGALIZED OR LEGALLY SLAP-ON-THE-WRIST MURDERS OF BLACK PEOPLE, WHETHER BY WHITE VIGILANTES, WHITE WANNA-BE COPS, OR BY REAL COPS, KEEP HAPPENING IN PART BECAUSE WHITE RACISTS LIKE YOU, “MICHAEL/GEORGE”, KEEP MAKING *RACIST* EXCUSES FOR IT.
ONE DAY THERE’S GOING TO BE ANOTHER MAJOR BLACK BACKLASH / UPRISING — ANOTHER STRAW THAT *FINALLY* BREAKS THE CAMEL’S BACK AGAIN — AGAINST THESE KINDS OF ACTIONS.
An unarmed young man was shot in the back by a killer cop on January 29, 2010 – his name was Aaron Campbell. Officer Ronald Frashour, the murderer, is now going to get his job back – WITH BACK PAY.
Here’s the local story:
http://www.kgw.com/news/Groups-speaks-out-against-Frashour-decision-145702455.html
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keep hearing so much about race, one man from ENGLAND said that despite race, ethnicity of both Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman, people said that, well what nationality was George Zimmerman? well I have news for you all, George Zimmerman’s nationality : AMERICAN,
Treyvon Martin: Nationality: AMERICAN, THAT ALL THAT MATTERS. BOTH MEN WERE AMERICANS, BECAUSE THEY WERE BORN IN THE USA, TO DISCUSS RACE OR ETHNICTY, LATINOS HAVE SUFFERED THAT SAME AMOUNT OF BIGOTRY AS BLACKS DID IN THE SOUTH DURING THE 1800S TO THE 1960s so to say that well Latinos such as George Zimmerman, dont know about racism, well crack open a history book about the southwest during the 1860s and even into the early 1900s, California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Nevada were segregated among Mexicans and Mexican Americans, school children, adults, ext . READ PEOPLE READ FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND INSTEAD OF ASSUMING, BLAMING AND OPENING YOUR TRAPS JUST TO CONTAMINATE AND SLANDER PEOPLE AND VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS.
Yo Marcos, why is it always the most arrogant posters who are the most *IGNORANT*?
First of all, to slightly modify the historical saying about race in this country, “Some Americans are more American than others and more equal than others”. And there is no multicultural/multiethnic country in the world where *only* nationality matters. To say/believe that is to be in some kind of *pseudo-liberal* lala land *denial* that I don’t believe *you* even ‘buy’.
Also — speaking of *ASSUMING* — what do you know about Zimmerman’s parentage? Are you asserting that he is “Latino” or “Hispanic” — and, most of all, do you know how *he* identified? Zimmerman is hardly the typical Latino/Hispanic/Spanish name. George Zimmerman could have parents of pure European descent who immigrated to Latin America (for example, Argentina, which is essentially a European country in Latin America) and then later (his parents, before or after they had George) immigrated to the U.S..
The term “Latino” — and especially the term “Hispanic” — can be as much a *geographic* label of origin (almost anyone who was born in and is from Latin America) as it is a generalized ethnic term in the U.S.. So, in terminological theory, it is certainly possible to be “Hispanic” and of *ANY* “race”, including “white” (there are even Latin American Asians!) — and if you don’t believe that there are differences between being “white” and brown or black in Latin America, well then, actually *go* there sometime and see or ask — and see who lives where, economically. You generally find “whites” on the top (and in the nicer neighborhoods) and browns and blacks on the bottom (and, all to often, in the slums), and light-skin (but not quite “white”) in the middle, and purely indigenous people (Native Peoples) on the *very* bottom (and in the rural countryside), as they are (too often at the *very* bottom) all over North & South America and in the Pacific Islands where there are European inhabitants. But, historically most Latinos in the U.S. are people who’s parents/grandparents/ancestors came primarily from Mexico (Chicanos, including from the part that the U.S, ‘quite naturally, *stole*, along with damn near everything else that was already here, or kidnapped to here, or as such Chicanos say, “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed *us*!”) and secondarily, in more comparatively recent times, from Central America (usually driven up here by U.S., pro-ultra-right-wing, proxy wars and/or U.S. support of horrible, genocidal dictators).
So, it certainly sounds like, from “Zimmerman”, that George Zimmerman’s father was from Europe, and it could be that his mother was from Europe too. And, as I recall his George Zimmerman came from a *privileged* background.
Jeeesh!!: So, what the hell are you, Marcos, READing that you don’t know and better?
To say that Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman were equal in this society is the *height* of ignorance. We know that if Trayvon had shot and killed *George Zimmerman*, that Trayvon would not have just been lightly questioned, immediately believed, and released. Look at all those WHITE-American RACISTS who greatly *suppor/ed* George Zimmerman and have even been sending Zimmerman lots of psychological support and tens of thousands of dollars (you know, the money that Zimmerman and his wife *LIED* in court about?): THOSE WHITE RACISTS RECOGNIZE ONE OF THEIR *OWN*.