Zimmerman Acquitted Of Murder And Manslaughter Charges – No Justice For Trayvon Martin
George Zimmerman, who fatally shot Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, has been acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges. I wish I was in shock. I’m not in shock. I’m just disgusted.
From The New York Times:
The jury, which has been sequestered since June 24, deliberated 16 hours and 20 minutes over two days. The six female jurors entered the quiet, tense courtroom, several looking exhausted, their faces drawn and grim. After the verdict was read, each assented, one by one, and quietly, their agreement with the verdict.
How does a 17-year-old boy leave his house for Skittles and Iced Tea and never return? How does a self-appointed “neighborhood watchmen” stalk a boy who is going on a snack run? What the fuck is a “neighborhood watchman,” and why were they speaking about George Zimmerman like this was his actual title? Like it was his job to patrol his neighborhood with a gun. Trayvon had every bit as much of a right to be on that street as George Zimmerman did. This is shameful.
“You had a 17-year-old kid, who was minding his own business, who was wearing a hoodie, and gets accosted by a guy who wants to be a cop,” summed up Bernie de la Rionda, assistant state attorney.
Maybe you live in a happy bubble where you can actually believe that people aren’t racially profiled. That must be a nice place to be. We don’t have that luxury because we live in Florida. My husband was practicing guitar in the park and had a cop draw his gun because a neighbor called and said he “looked suspicious.” He went for a walk on Thanksgiving and returned with a police escort because another resident of our fine town once again thought he was “up to no good.” Simply being black makes you suspicious down here.
I’m certain we heard the last sounds that Trayvon would ever make on those recordings played in that court room. Those screams stopped when that shot was fired. That was a terrified young man we heard. We heard the last sounds his young body produced – and we didn’t care enough to make his killer pay.
From Cord Jefferson of Gawker:
If you’re a black man and you don’t remain vigilant of and obsequious to white people’s panic in your presence… then you must be prepared to be arrested, be beaten, be shot through the heart and lung and die on the way home to watch a basketball game with your family. And after you are dead, other blacks should be prepared for people to say you are a vicious thug who deserved it. You smoked weed, for instance, and got in some fights at school (like I did)””obviously you had it coming. You were a ticking time bomb, and sooner or later someone was going to have to put you down.
A child is dead. His killer is free. I’m sick, but I’m not shocked. Ultimately, I’m just really scared to be raising a black son in Florida – because Florida has made it really clear what they think his life is worth.
(photo: Twitter)
