Hot Topic: Racism

With the recent Media Explosion and exploitation of the Martin - Zimmerman trial, there have been so many threads about the different aspects of this case. The majority - race. It is so aggravating to read comments being made about race. Most irritating are the ignorant abbreviations. Maybe it is just the writer in me, but typing "C" instead of "see" or "U" instead of "you" is a disgrace to the English written word.  Ok, now that I have that out of my system - back to the topic.

Ignorance Within Our Own Society Awareness

You would think that this day and age that society, as a whole, would have a better grip on race. So my skin is white, so yours is brown, and your is a honey color, and theirs is a caramel color - so what. The problem lies in our history. Yes, there have been slaves from the beginning of time, people have been mistreated. Through our perseverance we have survived, learned from it, and built our society to grow from it and move on. However, I am having a hard time seeing this in our society, in our day and age. 

When we broke the chains of slavery, as a nation to rectify the wrong, it became socially acceptable for different nationalities (excluding Caucasians) to have their own ethnicity promoted proudly. In the form of schools, specific months in celebratory, and different organizations. How is it not racist to have an all (one ethnicity) college? How is it not racist to have an entire organization that will whore your issue out to the media, crying out racism, and demanding ramifications because of the ill fated race cards being thrown around?

Should the media have highlighted race as a contributing factor when reporting the case?

What I don't understand are the blind-leading-the-blind. For instance, without knowing anything about the case, for individuals that hear the whisper of racism (particularly an African American as the victim) people jump on the bandwagon without knowing anything else about the case and start "hoodie-marches" and such. Yet, what is being done for the thousands of other victims out there (of any race)?

With That Being Said...

I do feel for the Martin family. I can't imagine loosing a young family member, and in such a way. I grew up with strong family morals, I couldn't imagine the pain and suffrage. I pray that they find peace and understanding. I'm sure the acquittal left Treyvon's family without the closure and justice that they feel they need. Of course, I do not want to speak for them, I do not know them and will not pretend to know what they are going through. Merely, that I feel for them and keep them in my prayers.  

We build our opinions off of what we hear, what we are told, and what we read. Unless we were there, we really do not know what happened. From what I have read, Zimmerman was performing a neighborhood watch for a gated community. Martin (a guest of a resident in the community) was walking around during a rainy night. Zimmerman reportedly called 911 and informed officers of Martin's appearance and his concern of the apparent trespasser.   

Many believe that this should have been the end of Zimmerman's actions. Zimmerman was to only 'watch' what was going on. People have question why Zimmerman was armed as well as the Florida laws that permitted Zimmerman taking actions into his own hands. However, when I read that Martin had head wounds prior to the (point-blank) shooting, and seeing the pictures of Zimmerman, you can obviously draw a conclusion that there was a struggle. Do I know this for a fact? No, but you can put two and two together, could be ignorant of the truth, but by definition would also constitute as evidence.

What was the conversation between Zimmerman and Martin that provoked the altercation?

As much as it is painful to think of a young man killed at such an age, we shouldn't be fooled either. Was Martin so innocent? As much as parents, family members, and friends want a good memory of the victim, who exactly was Treyvon Martin? We all want to believe our children are innocent.  Something that I discuss with my family and friends all the time is the differences in generations. How blatantly disrespectful they are becoming. We usually chuck it up to our increased age and consider how our elders thought us to be disrespectful when we were younger. But, something needs to change. Young men wearing their pants down below their butt cheeks, exposing their underwear should not be tolerated; don't they know that was originated in prisons and the reason behind it? In the same token, young ladies should dress appropriately too. They need to know that they have to respect themselves, then others will respect them too. Am I wrong?

Media Manipulation 1: painting a troubled youth

Media Manipulation 2: Good vs. Bad

How the media should have reported the facts:
two individuals that experienced tragedy
Martin, a young man that lost his life way too young
Zimmerman, the defendant who thought he was doing the right thing

What Now?

Does this mean that we will be put on trial if our self-defense ends in a fatal blow? 

Will this give more ammunition for authoritative figures to fire upon the innocent?

Please take into account that I have written this, not to provoke altercations or arguments. This is my opinion, if you do not agree with it, my apologies. I am only interested in adult-civil conversations. But, ignorant comments or blatant disrespect will be deleted. Keep it clean, keep it respectful.