27 replies to this topic

[olivia]

http://econfaculty.g...2/Profiling.htm

http://econfaculty.g...2/Profiling.htm
econfaculty.gmu.edu
Right now, there isn’t enough known about the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, a black, by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old part-Hispanic, during his neighborhood watch tour in an Orlando, Fla., suburb. If evidence emerges that Zimmerman’s ac...

[caligirlz]

I'm not sure why this was put in the sports forum, except perhaps the article source. This is really a national & political story, so I'm putting it over there....I was wondering why no one had commented on it yet, except that it's pretty hot. Not that hot ever stopped anyone here.

[The Average Joe]

What I find despicable about this story is the way the national media has hyped the racism aspect, and blindly moved forward with that meme despite the evidence to the contrary. I also find the rhetoric from Congressmen, "civil rights leaders", and hoodie supporters both ironic and moronic.

For example, calling Zimmerman a white-hispanic (WTF is that?).

Or showing the assumed victim as a 13 year old (instead of current age) and using a mug shot for the shooter...despite the fact that the Martin was actually 5 inches taller that the shooter.

Or most horrific of all (and certainly deserving of its own thread), the way NBC edited the audio on the 911 call by Zimmerman.
The way NBC edited it: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”
Full transcript:
Zimmerman: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.”
911 operator: “Okay. And this guy, is he white, black or Hispanic?”
Zimmerman: “He looks black.”

I also notice that Obama said nothing about the New Black Panther Party putting a bounty on Zimmerman's head. Um...vigilantism is supposed to be frowned upon by the President.

The way the idiot congresspeople wore hoodies and called for his arrest was pathetic. This is America. You want "justice?" Then you cannot call for the arrest of someone because YOU think they are guilty. Our system has a process. You are presumed innocent. The state gathers EVIDENCE. It then determines if you will be charged. If you are, a jury of your peers will determine your guilt within the confines of THE LAW.

As for the actual shooting and the incidents surrounding it, I'll withhold judgement until ALL the information is available.

[asbestoshills]

There's also a story out of Palmdale, CA that 7 black kids severely beat an hispanic boy and it didn't get any national news coverage that I've seen. Hate crimes are only covered if they are between white and insert race here it seems. Racism comes from every race and ethnicity, and it seems in America we just can't overcome it even with laws.

[caligirlz]

Don't ya all know that it's not racism when the violence is directly towards caucasians? Apparently, even a 50% caucasian. I really don't understand why it's not a two-way street.

[Carl G]

I've been following this story with interest for a while now. I too am blown away by the complete hypocrisy of many on the left. I'm very confident that the police will do a good job investigating the situation. They just need time to do their job.

There are some things I don't quite get. The area where Trayvon was shot is called a gated community. When I think of a gated community I think of something walled where the only access is through a coded gate. The pictures I saw looked like an apartment complex that apparently anybody can walk through.

I'm also very suspicious of the analysis of the screams heard on the 911 tape. How accurate can that type of analysis be if they don't have sample voices from the two parties involved? Isn't is just guess work at that point?

George Zimmerman is being crucified for vigilante justice, but Spike Lee and Rossie O'Donnell can tweet an address of someone and that is OK? The New Black Panther party can put a bounty on Zimmerman, and that is OK?

I don't put too much stock in the leaks coming out now since much of that type of stuff turns out to be inaccurate. But I'm intrigued by the rumor that the detective wanted to arrest Zimmerman for manslaughter on the night of the shooting, but the county(?) prosecutor said there just wasn't enough evidence to convict.

[old soldier]

yu got a bad situation here and the law enforcement and the old prosecutors have got to be tearing their hair out to get all the facts and make the right decision. all the newsmaker folks have their own agendas which to me is not getting the right answerl

this all sharpton guy just wants to get his face on tv

the media just wants to milk the story and get better ratings

spike jones and that gal that got the wrong zimmerman address, just prove entertainers are stupid when they venture away from entertainment

the politicians have got to be worrying about how big the riots are going to be if it turns sout that old zimmerman, dumb as he seems to be for packing a gun and not obeying the police dispatcher. things are ramped up for some good riots, and lots of folks like to riot cause they can loot.

the new black panthers are scary and to me seem as stupid as the old black panthers

finally old obama is out there trying to capture some of the black vote that has slipped away because of his ineptness. I was blown away about that comment about "this kid could have been my son" he got that wrong, the ears are too small.

[4thgenFolsomite]

There's also a story out of Palmdale, CA that 7 black kids severely beat an hispanic boy and it didn't get any national news coverage that I've seen. Hate crimes are only covered if they are between white and insert race here it seems. Racism comes from every race and ethnicity, and it seems in America we just can't overcome it even with laws.

can you tell me which country has overcome racism?

[tsukiji]

It's a very sad commentary on our society that so many parties are trying to gain visibility and the limelight by an event like this. Lots of opinions, editorial liberty, assumptions, idealizations.

Are we really interested in the truth anymore? Or have we been relegated to a society of sensationalism and reality TV.

My opinion taking what's been revealed at face value -- this isn't about race but both parties involved probably took some wrong actions. One can only hope that this is generally not how one would act in either case.

[tsukiji]

can you tell me which country has overcome racism?

Papua New Guinea?

Kidding aside, forever will racism be present as long as our citizens and residents are not just simply considered American.

[4thgenFolsomite]

Papua New Guinea?

Kidding aside, forever will racism be present as long as our citizens and residents are not just simply considered American.

I disagree. I think discrimination is a human trait. Some people rise above it, some don't. Has nothing to do with citizenship. No people on earth are color-blind. We instinctually see who is and isn't like us. It doesn't mean that results in disliking though.

[Robert Giacometti]

can you tell me which country has overcome racism?

How can any country overcome racisim when they create categories of people and then give out preferential treatment based upon what category one is in?

In addition, we have too many racism ambulance chasers out there, peddling divisiveness while preying on emotions, all the while lining their pockects with cash and limelight! I caught the tail end of some commentary from a pastor ( I thought was from Chicago) talking about how Sharpton & Jackson are misleading the black community with their rhetoric. This Pastor was claiming the biggest threat to a Black Man, was another Black Man with a gun and NOT the Zimmermans of the world.

Maybe this Pastor is right based upon statistics? Look at all the Government resources that are being used in this one case and compare that to the amount of resources that are used in any shooting of a Black Man by another Black Man?

Maybe its best we wait until the investigation is completed and the results are released before we all express our opinions? Its too bad society doesn't require this of these self appointed so called leaders as well, instead of giving them a forum to further divide all of us!

[tsukiji]

I disagree. I think discrimination is a human trait. Some people rise above it, some don't. Has nothing to do with citizenship. No people on earth are color-blind. We instinctually see who is and isn't like us. It doesn't mean that results in disliking though.

Actually, I think we're of the same general opinion. If you read my post carefully, I wasn't suggesting anything about citizenship per se; it was an example of a generalization. When we no longer feel a need to identify groups as xxx-American. When we're all just Americans (non-global context, just America), then race can be irrelevant. But even then, there will be Blacks and Whites and Asians -- there will always be a need for clinical descriptions.

To generalize -- when people view each other as simply just other people (regardless of race, creed, religion, etc). Until then, we'll always have sub-groups and we'll always have stereotypes (after all, sub-groups are meaningless w/out some sort of characterization / categorization) and we'll always have racism. As long as we continue to point out differences....