Keep The Pressure On!

No matter how you look at it, the killing of Trayvon Martin is an ugly, ugly story that touches on any number of touchy subjects; vigilantism, gun control, possible police misconduct, issues with the controversial “Stand Your Ground” law, and the touchiest of all, race. Ahhhh, that word!

The killing has become a huge national story thanks in part to the contributions of black media figures bringing it to people’s attention, but also due to the 911 calls that local Sanford police released to the public late last week. Most of the recordings are from local residents who heard the altercations and called the police (in one you can actually hear a male voice screaming for help and then the fatal gunshot). One though, was from Zimmerman himself. In it, he speaks to the police and explains that he sees a young black man whom he finds “suspicious.”

Most of the attention that tape has garnered has been over the portion where the officer specifically tells Zimmerman he’s not to follow Martin. Had Zimmerman followed these instructions (which are also part of the national guidelines for any Neighborhood Watch, which Zimmerman was a part of), Martin would still be alive.

However, now the attention has moved to the seconds before that back and forth. In those moments, Zimmerman can be heard moving after Martin (the sounds of his movements are what caused the officer to ask if he was pursuing Martin). In the midst of these sounds, there seems to be a quick comment made under Zimmerman’s breath and some now say is “fucking coons,” coon obviously being a racial slur against black people.

Some White people like to say that African-Americans are always playing the race card.  It's not a card I'd like to play...Really hate to mention race at all on most days. Some of you may find that hard to believe, but it's true. I don't judge people by the color of their skin or their religion or their sexual orientation...and have more white friends and associates than the average reader of this blog might imagine. I know that sounds so cliche', but it's the truth never the less.

Seems like ever since Barack Obama was elected President..The nastiness and mean spirtedness in this country towards him and African-Americans in general has been raised a notch. Some of it , unhidden...

Your Politicians, Your Tea Party movemant, Chants of lets "Take OUR country back!" (Back from who?, Back from where??)has been heard more and more.I don't find it at all co-incidental.  My grandmother used to say that there was very few co-incidences in this world.  She was right.

If you want us to stop playing the so called "race card" then stop with the racial code words, stop with the stereotypes...stop with the more than obvious double standards, such as the facts in this case.

A 17 year old boy is dead!  He commited no crime and was minding his business. He was killed basically because he looked suspicious.  This kid was doomed the minute his path crossed with George Zimmerman....He would have been killed regardless of what he did, because Zimmerman supposedly "felt threatened"...I feel threatened too.. Everytime I walk out of my door...I feel threatened..That I or my grandson or my cousin might cross the path of another George Zimmerman who feels threatened and who has an itchy trigger finger.

NO!  No more of this crap... Zimmerman and people that think like him must be held accountable for that type of thinking...especially when it results in the loss of innocent life.

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!   "We aint forgot about ya Georgie!"