Last weekend was supposed to be the climatic point for the Trayvon Martin protest. US Rep. Frederica Wilson organized an event at Miami’s Bayfront Park and she assured that they were expecting 70,000+ people to attend. Apparently the number fell woefully short. One source claims that 3,000 showed up while the Miami Herald only counted over a 1,000.
You can tell that the political furor is slowly dissipating.
Lessons to be learned are several.
1) Don’t rush to have your case tried in the Media. Contrary to conventional wisdom, journalists and other media types are barely above congresspeople and used car salesmen in people’s trust. By default, most people think they are being lied partially or even totally and you become untrustworthy by default.
2) If your case is righteous, do not lie, suppress or obfuscate. The first mistake was the constant use of the picture of a younger Trayvon instead of a more recent & accurate. Also painting him as a perfect angel with nothing in his past. People hate to be deceived and will turn on or away from your cause if you lie to them. A simple statement in the lines of “Trayvon was not a perfect child and did have some issues but did not deserve to be killed like that” would have voided or lessened any of the stories that came out eventually.
3) Certain “leaders” are past their expiration and credibility dates. Both Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton should pack and retire for good. The New Black panthers are a joke and with the same human qualities of the KKK.
4) The Race Card is losing its power. And if you stamp it left and right on everything,you end up looking like a fool. Save it for real racism cases.
5) It is time you figure out the Internet is more powerful than the old media. Even in a 24 hour News Cycle, the power of the Net and Social media is amazing. You imagine that after the Dan Rather debacle people would wise up and try not to “massage the message” but some people just do not get it and they get hired by idiots.
The sad part in this whole affair is that whichever way this case goes, we will always have the lingering doubt that the decision was tainted by by the truckloads of BS thrown on top of it. I have my doubts that justice will ever be served.
I’ve been trying to think of a decent way to phrase this on my blog or Facebook without the overly-sensitive types getting butthurt and bringing drama, but here’s what I have so far:
Racism is not seeing a young man of [DIFFERENT RACE] at night, in a hoodie, and thinking “He might be up to no good/ He might hurt me.”
Racism is having that same thought when you’re looking at them in church or the bank.
If you can help me make that a bit clearer, I’d appreciate it.
Dear, you expressed it succinctly. Go with it.
Translation: That rocks on itself. Screw fancy wording.
Indeed, she nailed is, perfectly and concisely. Well enough that I’ve saved it away for future use if need be.
I see any stranger of any sex or color at night in a hoodie, and the thought does occur that the person could be dangerous. That’s being aware of life and surroundings. Probably, nothing will happen. But bad things are possible, so I keep that in mind.
At the same time, looking with concern at someone who chooses to dress and act according to the rules of a particular culture isn’t racist. It’s accepting that some choices are deliberate. Yes, too many in our society choose to dress the part of a thug and thankfully, that’s as far as it goes, but some carry the decision all the way. Realism isn’t racism.
Racism is the belief that the genetically determined characteristic of skin color is paired with a particular level of skill and intellect and that some skin colors always get better deals than others. This has no basis in biology, of course.
Ever notice how those over inflated, self righteous colostmy bags spewing forth hatred against Zimmerman are the also the first ones to throw a spade every trick? Since I am married to a ethnic Jew, Hispanic, and know my history, I am curious if the Surname Zimmerman is, in this case, Hebrew. How ironic would it be for Zimmerman’s father the be a Hispanic Jew, his mother a Latina, and poor George painted as the racist white devil?
Although the origin is German Jewish, in the US Zimmerman is a common name with the Pennsylvania Dutch. Zimmerman means “Carpenter.”
the Dems dancing in the blood of this young thug to try to challenge the Florida “stand your ground law” is pretty disgusting, but entirely predictable. they saw an opening and they took it, but still can’t wrap their heads around the new media and how it has eclipsed the old. but, if you teach a dog to bark it’s whole life for certain stimulae, don’t be surprised when it does so again and again.
my work place has a lot of Dems and the day after the shooting they were up in arms, shouting, condemning and calling for lynching Zimmerman. all reason had left them and i, and my fellow conservatives, knew better than to try to discuss it with them as it would only lead to ourselves being branded as “rasicts”, whatever that means now. now…well, there’s nary a peep from them. no matter how this case combs out we’ll remember this rush to judgment.
As I’ve said before and on facebook. I’ll let 12 men and women judge Mr. Zimmerman. I’ve already judged this whole media circus.
Pressed reply too early, but Miguel, I think this quote is applicable to the whole deal with people here in the US.
“The people have democratic principles on their lips, but cannot spare the effort to safeguard them! The collapse of a government is the sin of its rulers and leaders. The collapse of democratic rule is the sin of every citizen.”
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