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Re: From my local news, re: Trayvon Martin
Mer, I tried to avoid the tapes, I really did. This morning I was listening to the local radio station and they played it. It was so horrible.
Something I read this morning that makes me happy the FBI and other sources have gotten involved:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-crime-floridabre82i019-20120318,0,2759308.story
to the bolded: I am so disgusted by this. They threw this boy in the morgue with no identification, they didn't care, and it shows.
a$$holes. Worthless a$$holes.
That is another piece of this story that makes me so angry. The police had a cell phone but didn't bother to notify anyone, they just threw the boy in the morgue as a John Doe. WTF?????????
This is a fabulous idea. He is well liked at our school and has no trouble there, but once you get out of our little burg you all have me worried that we aren't doing all we can for him...KWIM
mexicali and choco you know they threw him away as john doe because he is just some young punk gang banger. i mean arent all black male teens thugs?
sandosik zimmerman hunted this kid down. gave him chase because surely his little black behind had no buisness just walking in a gated community. as a pp points out, would he have gave chase to a white kid with a skateboard? odds are probably not. that is the racial component here. he was stereotyped and killed because all black male teens are up to no good.
What is allowable for self-defense is going to vary by state and I read in one of the initial articles about this that Florida has a relatively "generous" self-defense statute. But that still doesn't explain the lack of arrest, etc.
The information about the lack of attempt to identify him, the way the police reportedly prompted the witnesses etc - all just makes me sick.
THIS..strikes a nerve. I am vaguely remembering another story about Floridas self defense laws. Anyone?
That is exactly how I feel.
I keep going back to the fact that should I have a son, I will have this worry. I will worry that some guy with a racist power trip will harm him. Not because it's justified, but because my son will be obviously black.
I honestly can't really imagine how black people felt in the Antebellum South when this was just a regular ol' day and song.
I can't take hearing that gunshot, knowing he was gone after that moment. His actual life in the hands of that heartless coward.
People shed negative light and stereotype 'angry black women'. What the hell are we supposed to be?
I'm just ranting and writing thoughts, but damn.
Zuma Zoom
Most stories are referencing Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. Apparently it's designed to protect people from civil suits if they shoot in self defense:
Immunity from civil lawsuit
In addition to providing a valid defense in criminal law, many laws implementing the Castle Doctrine, particularly those with a "Stand-Your-Ground clause", also have a clause which provides immunity from any lawsuit filed on behalf of the assailant for damages or injury resulting from the lawful use of not excessive force. Without this clause an assailant can sue for medical bills, property damage, disability, and pain and suffering as a result of the injuries inflicted by the defender, or their next-of-kin may sue for wrongful death in the case of a fatality. Even if successfully rebutted, the defendant (the homeowner defender) may have to pay high legal costs as a result of such lawsuits; without immunity, such civil action could be used for revenge against a defender acting lawfully.
Use of force in self-defense which causes damage or injuries to other parties who were not acting criminally may give rise to prosecution and damages.
Here is the page link, it's Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_doctrine
"This ribbon has been reported." - lovesnina
This is an article that a friend of mine posted on her facebook that talks about Florida's self defense laws.
I just saw this on twitter:
ABC: Zimmerman violated the Neighborhood Watch manual: "Members do not possess police powers & shall not carry weapons or have pursue cars."
An article about how self defense claims have risen since the "Stand your ground" law was enacted:
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-17/news/os-qanda-trayvon-martin-shooting-20120317_1_law-enforcement-castle-doctrine-deadly-force
The thing is Zimmermans claim of self defense is so weak. He claimed he got out of the car to check a street sign. A street sign in a neighborhood he knows every person and every angle of.
Nitaw - I didn't grow up in the pretty parts of LA, I know what "walking while black" means.
. I know they discarded his body like a local gang banger and it just angers me even more. Z is on the lighter side, but it still scares me that people will judge him.
Copz............I laughed so hard at your post that my editor came over to make sure I was OK. And he was in his office with the door closed. I am wrong for that, but your sister and her husband are *really* dead azz wrong.
correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that is Mos Def.
I love him, hard.
Call me Kat =^..^=
Is that Wenworth Miller from Prison Break? I had no idea he was mixed. Gosh I loved him in Prison Break. I also loved that he did special appearances on both Law and order SVU and House.
Yes, that is mos def.
He makes me swoon, but I also didn't know he was mixed. Looking at that picture I can kind of tell.
Oh dear. I had no idea copz. Truth always comes out sooner or later....and I'm thinking when it does it will be worse that they kept it from him.
You know, an unwritten agreement between the police department and Zimmerman to do the "dirty work" that they can't do because then they'll be labelled racist: find "suspicious" black men and report back. ::wink wink::
You know how some of you get really upset about certain cases and look forward to the horrible treatments the perps will get in prison? I have that for this case. Like I hope this racist motherfuucker gets curbed and raped and killed in prison.
It makes me feel bad that I feel that, but that sweet boy's face just haunts me. I teach mostly minority kids, and I know they get a bad rap, especially the boys. And they are all sweet marshmallows inside. And it sickens me that someone would see them as criminals because they aren't white.
And most of all, it sickens me that no one seems to be moving to punish him for this murder.