In The News

[Bat Chain Puller]

The media, who's main objective is to make money, selects only the juiciest, dividing issues to cover. This case was selected and shoehorned into what would be the perfect money making storm for many parties.

Race baiting to the extreme on display here.

The week of the jury deliberations there were 12 black teenagers shot dead in the city of Chicago alone. No one batted an eye because it was black on black crime. Black on white crime never gets reported unless they can connect it to some sort of retaliation for a larger issue (Zimmerman/Martin.)

It's difficult to believe that this day and age so many people are being misdirected and misinformed. That the media gets away with editing statements and testimonies to enrage one side of the demographic and then sits back and watches the fall out all the way laughing to the bank.

[SpreadEagleBeagle]

DOOMRULZ

I'm just gonna chime with the race card being bullshit.

What "race card"? Please specify. Not getting you here.

If Zimmerman had been black, Trayvon white, and the verdict been the same, no one would've cared. Heck, you probably would have people cheering saying, "Yay, black man walks free!!"

That's not true. Of course there would be people who would cheer, but that is only because stuff like that usually never happen to black people, unless you are STINKING RICH, like O.J. Simpson, because if you're filthy rich in this country you can do pretty much what you want. Nothing is stopping you, not even the color of your skin.

Might sound nuts but it happened within the black community back in the 90s with the OJ Simpson trial. Anyone with half a brain knew he was guilty.

Yeah, read the above.

And for the record I never thought that O.J. Simpson wasn't guilty, but still, I did, and still do, understand why back then - and these days some - black people wanted to believe that he was innocent. Black people through history have been treated so badly and relatively speaking it is just recently things have gotten better, and that's why I believe that black people didn't want to believe that a successful black person in a sea of whites was guilty of murder.

But money talks in this country and O.J. bought himself free. Zimmerman on the other hand got free because the person he killed didn't matter, and Florida law made sure that Zimmerman, the lawful gun owner, got off scott free.



HUBBS

Exactly, and if a white person gets killed you don't see white people rioting and calling racism blah blah blah....Things may be different in the US but in the UK being black is probably a plus these days, you can't go wrong!.

And yes the OJ trial was a joke yet no black folk thought anything was wrong there 

Personally I think a lot of black folk in the US cry wolf and just like to play the race card whenever they can...just because they are black and they can.

...Still ignoring my last post? How convenient.





NOVAK

Race card aside, America is a country that funnily enough despises Liberalism in some states but at the same time is ridiculously liberal when it comes to firearms, Zimmerman got acquitted because of the U.S ridiculous attitude towards guns

I know. This country is bursting at the seems when it comes to contradictions. And I do agree that our attitude to guns pretty much made this case happen. Because I strongly doubt that Zimmerman would've stalked and confronted Martin if he (Zimmerman) wasn't armed, and even if he would've done that, no one would've been shot. Zimmerman would've ended up really badly beaten up and Martin would've been suffered from assault charges, but that's about it.



BAT CHAIN PULLER

The week of the jury deliberations there were 12 black teenagers shot dead in the city of Chicago alone. No one batted an eye because it was black on black crime. Black on white crime never gets reported unless they can connect it to some sort of retaliation for a larger issue (Zimmerman/Martin.)

It's difficult to believe that this day and age so many people are being misdirected and misinformed. That the media gets away with editing statements and testimonies to enrage one side of the demographic and then sits back and watches the fall out all the way laughing to the bank.

Just gonna repeat myself...

"What does that have to do with anything? Black on black crime is a part of the same embedded indirectly and directly racist structures and errors that a lot of, if not most, black people are victims to. "Our" society and culture don't perceive their lives as valuable as others, hence the authorities' and the communities' laxness and negligence of poor/underprivileged young black men killing each other over scraps - their lives don't matter - not even to other black people in the same situation since they are a part of "our" society and culture too, i.e. a culture where some people just don't matter. They've lost hope, because it's people on the bottom fighting each other sideways. They where doomed from the beginning, so who cares, right?

But when someone more or less privileged, someone above all of that, stalks and kills a black teenager in a rich, mostly white neighborhood just because the said black teenager "didn't belong there", and then gets away with it (killing the black teen), it unveils the much alive racism against black people, and especially against young black men. It reminds us all (not just black people) that things are still unfair, that we haven't successfully rooted our embarrassing past, which is painful to see, and for some of us it is impossible to admit.

To a minority, and especially to African-Americans with their history as slaves, cases like these are unifying factors. And I am absolutely sure that this will raise awareness and attention to the lax way black-on-black crimes are dealt with, but also on how important it is to strengthen the community, to keep on struggling and start demanding the Government apparatus to truly govern - to invest in its people instead of cutting them off. In other words it is just as much a class issue as it has to do with hidden and embedded structural racism."

The media, who's main objective is to make money, selects only the juiciest, dividing issues to cover. This case was selected and shoehorned into what would be the perfect money making storm for many parties.


Race baiting to the extreme on display here.

I'm gonna take the liberty to quote Sgt.Apone's replies to DoomRulz and Hubbs from previous page:

"As I said in my post, race always plays a part. You could be one of the best people but others will already judge you, not by how you act, but by your skin color. And as I said, it's an issue of white privilege. If your white, you don't have to worry about being judged by your skin. You can go shopping alone and not have to worry about being harassed. You can count on your skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability. You don't have to educate your children to be aware of systematic racism for their protection.  I said it before and I'm going to say it again. Here is a young black man walking down the street. Zimmerman sees him while he is in a car. He calls the police, and tells them that there is suspicious man. They told him to stay in the car, he get's out anyway and pursues him with a gun. If he wouldn't have been black, would it have been different? Of course it would. When someone sees a black man walking a certain way or wearing a certain thing, they automatically think he's up to no good."

"That's because white people don't have to worry about systematic racism in this country. That's because white people don't have to be t treated less than someone else. You post proves you don't understand what it's like. And if white people went through the same shit we did, had to deal with the exact same things we did, if everything was reversed, you can bet that they'd be same thing."

[Cal427eb]

I'm just gonna chime with the race card being bullshit. If Zimmerman had been black, Trayvon white, and the verdict been the same, no one would've cared. Heck, you probably would have people cheering saying, "Yay, black man walks free!!"

Might sound nuts but it happened within the black community back in the 90s with the OJ Simpson trial. Anyone with half a brain knew he was guilty.

As I said in my post, race always plays a part. You could be one of the best people but others will already judge you, not by how you act, but by your skin color. And as I said, it's an issue of white privilege. If your white, you don't have to worry about being judged by your skin. You can go shopping alone and not have to worry about being harassed. You can count on your skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability. You don't have to educate your children to be aware of systematic racism for their protection.  I said it before and I'm going to say it again. Here is a young black man walking down the street. Zimmerman sees him while he is in a car. He calls the police, and tells them that there is suspicious man. They told him to stay in the car, he get's out anyway and pursues him with a gun. If he wouldn't have been black, would it have been different? Of course it would. When someone sees a black man walking a certain way or wearing a certain thing, they automatically think he's up to no good.

I'm just gonna chime with the race card being bullshit. If Zimmerman had been black, Trayvon white, and the verdict been the same, no one would've cared. Heck, you probably would have people cheering saying, "Yay, black man walks free!!"

Might sound nuts but it happened within the black community back in the 90s with the OJ Simpson trial. Anyone with half a brain knew he was guilty.

Exactly, and if a white person gets killed you don't see white people rioting and calling racism blah blah blah....Things may be different in the US but in the UK being black is probably a plus these days, you can't go wrong!.

And yes the OJ trial was a joke yet no black folk thought anything was wrong there 

Personally I think a lot of black folk in the US cry wolf and just like to play the race card whenever they can...just because they are black and they can.

That's because white people don't have to worry about systematic racism in this country. That's because white people don't have to be t treated less than someone else. You post proves you don't understand what it's like. And if white people went through the same shit we did, had to deal with the exact same things we did, if everything was reversed, you can bet that they'd be same thing.

Every race gets judged. Not just black people.

DOOMRULZ

I'm just gonna chime with the race card being bullshit.

What "race card"? Please specify. Not getting you here.

If Zimmerman had been black, Trayvon white, and the verdict been the same, no one would've cared. Heck, you probably would have people cheering saying, "Yay, black man walks free!!"

That's not true. Of course there would be people who would cheer, but that is only because stuff like that usually never happen to black people, unless you are STINKING RICH, like O.J. Simpson, because if you're filthy rich in this country you can do pretty much what you want. Nothing is stopping you, not even the color of your skin.

Might sound nuts but it happened within the black community back in the 90s with the OJ Simpson trial. Anyone with half a brain knew he was guilty.

Yeah, read the above.

And for the record I never thought that O.J. Simpson wasn't guilty, but still, I did, and still do, understand why back then - and these days some - black people wanted to believe that he was innocent. Black people through history have been treated so badly and relatively speaking it is just recently things have gotten better, and that's why I believe that black people didn't want to believe that a successful black person in a sea of whites was guilty of murder.

But money talks in this country and O.J. bought himself free. Zimmerman on the other hand got free because the person he killed didn't matter, and Florida law made sure that Zimmerman, the lawful gun owner, got off scott free.



HUBBS

Exactly, and if a white person gets killed you don't see white people rioting and calling racism blah blah blah....Things may be different in the US but in the UK being black is probably a plus these days, you can't go wrong!.

And yes the OJ trial was a joke yet no black folk thought anything was wrong there 

Personally I think a lot of black folk in the US cry wolf and just like to play the race card whenever they can...just because they are black and they can.

...Still ignoring my last post? How convenient.

You're ignoring everything he's saying as well.

[SpreadEagleBeagle]

You're ignoring everything he's saying as well.

In what way have I ignored what he said? I think you're just saying that because you more or less agree with him.

Seriously, I've argued with him on every point he has come up with. Reasoned with him and given him explanations, been very thorough etc., whereas he just ignores what I have to say completely or ignore parts of what I say to make it convenient for himself.

Every race gets judged. Not just black people.

That's such a high-horse lazy cop-out answer.

Of course there is prejudice against all ethnicities/races etc., but African-Americans (together with the Native Americans) have suffered more than most other people i this country when it comes to structural racism as well direct racism. It's a part of our history, and our history has shaped our society to what it is today, both the good and the bad. The reason why white people don't suffer from structural racism (other than the back-clash and side effects of racism) is because the white people were free, they were the masters, they directed and shaped things to come, not the slaves. That's why there there is white privilege because the rest of the population were unprivileged. People have it good today because of our history, because black people were slaves, the land was taken from the Native Americans, the Chinese Americans abused to death building the railroads (but also poor white immigrants - poor but white and free with full rights, which enabled them to live the American Dream without any hurdles)... and that's what our country and wealth is built upon, and from there things have progressed, things have gotten way better, but still, the old system is still there, embedded deep in our society and culture, hidden and more complex and confusing than ever, yet affecting us in various different ways daily, directly or indirectly.

Denying that just shows that people who never have had to face structural racism live in a privileged bubble, or are reactionary, or are in denial, or are uneducated, or are racist, or simply just don't have the time or interest to care about it (because they believe it doesn't affect them).

[Bat Chain Puller]

It's the medias selective reporting that bothers me. Highly offensive and demeaning. As if those 12 black teens that were shot dead do not matter in the wake of a Hispanic (shoehorned to be white) killing an African American in self defense (shoehorned to be in cold blood.)

The issue of race is largely perpetuated by those who benefit from there being a race issue. The media and those politicians who would use a largely misinformed and ignorant demographic to get themselves elected into office being the prime offenders.

To say Zimmerman stalked Martin because he was black is to not ignore key pieces of evidence and logic that would say otherwise. And betrays certain personal allegiances to the same system that perpetuates and fosters the hand out machine and the victim mentality that drives it.

[Aspie]

Next piece of sensationalism, please.

[Bat Chain Puller]

Next piece of sensationalism, please.

Don't worry. They're cooking up something for you right now to fan the flames of the disenfranchised to fuel their political/money machine.

[SpreadEagleBeagle]

It's the medias selective reporting that bothers me. Highly offensive and demeaning. As if those 12 black teens that were shot dead do not matter in the wake of a Hispanic (shoehorned to be white) killing an African American in self defense (shoehorned to be in cold blood.)

The issue of race is largely perpetuated by those who benefit from there being a race issue. The media and those politicians who would use a largely misinformed and ignorant demographic to get themselves elected into office being the prime offenders.

To say Zimmerman stalked Martin because he was black is to not ignore key pieces of evidence and logic that would say otherwise. And betrays certain personal allegiances to the same system that perpetuates and fosters the hand out machine and the victim mentality that drives it.

You know what, I agree with you that the media is not dealing with this the right way. The reason I say that is because you, and a lot of other people, seem to think that black people and other people protesting are protesting against Zimmerman for being a racist. That is not the case. THE PROTESTS ARE ABOUT THE SYSTEM. And it's thanks to bad media reporting that some people think that this is some silly race card debate. IT IS NOT.

Not only is the media doing a bad report on that front, they're also doing a bad report when it comes to the protests. There have been, and still are, several dozens of protests against the verdict out there every day, yet the media chooses to only cover the few cases where there has been trouble, sabotage and violence. how come?

And also, during a lot of these protests the speakers have been bringing up how law the authorities and the system is when it comes to black violence against other blacks, and how the communities have to work harder together and how the Government has to start taking this seriously and listen to the communities and work with them as well. Has that been reported by the media? No. How come?

Next piece of sensationalism, please.

Don't worry. They're cooking up something for you right now to fan the flames of the disenfranchised to fuel their political/money machine.

The Zimmerman/Martin case's verdict is bigger than you people may think, because you don't feel affected by it and don't care. But I agree that it is a tragedy that the media have turned this case into sensationalism to the point where people don't care.

[Bat Chain Puller]

The media spins any situation into whatever model will benefit them and who ever else is in some political pocket. I'm glad we can agree on the media's handling of it. But it goes deeper in my eyes. It's not lazy reporting. It's deliberate. It's race baiting. It's exploitative and unfair. The antithesis of good journalism. 

The system IS screwed up. But it's screwed up because it's been set up that way by the very people that feign support of blacks, illegal immigrants, and other non-white demographics. It's so utterly, transparently DIVIDE and CONQUER it's ridiculous. 

Large groups of repressed, uneducated, black people are not the problem. But some people will have White America think they are. The reverse is true as well. It's these race mongering facets that run our society that is the problem. Which isn't to say that people in general don't harbor personal issues fueled by racial stereotypes. It's the media that exploits them.

The term "You people" is a divisive term. I'd steer away from it in the future.

I do care about the outcome of such cases since, win or lose, it effects the social rhythms I have to deal with in the present every time I leave my house, and the future my children will have to face. I don't want to endure living in a world were someone who is guilty of a crime will go free because he or she has a legion of uninformed, biased, rioters in their corner. That's thug mentality. And it's also primarily a self fulfilling myth perpetuated and sensationalized by the media to spread fear and uncertainty instead of logic and decisive positive thought.

[SpreadEagleBeagle]

The media spins any situation into whatever model will benefit them and who ever else is in some political pocket. I'm glad we can agree on the media's handling of it. But it goes deeper in my eyes. It's not lazy reporting. It's deliberate. It's race baiting. It's exploitative and unfair. The antithesis of good journalism.

I agree with you. To me it just sounded like you were trivializing the verdict and the whole case. But now it sounds more to me like you're actually disappointed with the media. which I am as well. They fired up the race part but in the wrong way and for the wrong reasons, and now in the aftermath they only cover the few incidents of violence and sabotage during the protests instead of reporting back what the speakers during those protests are talking about.

The system IS screwed up. But it's screwed up because it's been set up that way by the very people that feign support of blacks, illegal immigrants, and other non-white demographics. It's so utterly, transparently DIVIDE and CONQUER it's ridiculous.

Agreed.

Large groups of repressed, uneducated, black people are not the problem. But some people will have White America think they are. The reverse is true as well. It's these race mongering facets that run our society that is the problem. Which isn't to say that people in general don't harbor personal issues fueled by racial stereotypes. It's the media that exploits them.

Agreed. I've said it before and I'll say it again - media is not taking the huge responsibility they have.

The term "You people" is a divisive term. I'd steer away from it in the future.

I was just fired up from responding to some of the other members here  Sorry about that.

I do care about the outcome of such cases since, win or lose, it effects the social rhythms I have to deal with in the present every time I leave my house, and the future my children will have to face. I don't want to endure living in a world were someone who is guilty of a crime will go free because he or she has a legion of uninformed, biased, rioters in their corner. That's thug mentality. And it's also primarily a self fulfilling myth perpetuated and sensationalized by the media to spread fear and uncertainty instead of logic and decisive positive thought.

Like I said, the riots are exaggerated. I know - I live in West Oakland now. But if media continues only reporting the few riot incidents in a sea of peaceful protests there is a chance that the riot elements might grow and get worse...

[Bat Chain Puller]

I wish everyone could come to an agreement and iron out their misconceptions/miscommunications as easily that it appears we have Spread Eagle. But no money would be made from agreeing all the time so there is no continued 'market' for our conversation at this point. 

There will come a day when people of all colors and cultures come together and overthrow the self perpetuating strife machine that is the media and replace it with a truly unbiased, fair, soft hearted, firm handed, sound moral compass, and we will be that much closer to a more civilized civilization. 

[DoomRulz]

I'm just gonna chime with the race card being bullshit. If Zimmerman had been black, Trayvon white, and the verdict been the same, no one would've cared. Heck, you probably would have people cheering saying, "Yay, black man walks free!!"

Might sound nuts but it happened within the black community back in the 90s with the OJ Simpson trial. Anyone with half a brain knew he was guilty.

As I said in my post, race always plays a part. You could be one of the best people but others will already judge you, not by how you act, but by your skin color. And as I said, it's an issue of white privilege. If your white, you don't have to worry about being judged by your skin. You can go shopping alone and not have to worry about being harassed. You can count on your skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability. You don't have to educate your children to be aware of systematic racism for their protection.  I said it before and I'm going to say it again. Here is a young black man walking down the street. Zimmerman sees him while he is in a car. He calls the police, and tells them that there is suspicious man. They told him to stay in the car, he get's out anyway and pursues him with a gun. If he wouldn't have been black, would it have been different? Of course it would. When someone sees a black man walking a certain way or wearing a certain thing, they automatically think he's up to no good.

Hm, I think the racism in that case would work differently. Some people can and will still judge you by your skin colour. They could look at you and say, "Privileged white person" (or something much nastier). Your children may have to be educated on what not to say around minorities for fear of not being politically correct.

SPREADEAGLEBEAGLE

DOOMRULZ

I'm just gonna chime with the race card being bullshit.

What "race card"? Please specify. Not getting you here.

Race card meaning the media and the public turning this into a race issue when I personally see it from Hubbs' perspective. I have been reading what you've said thus far but at least for the sake of optimism, I'm looking at it from the perspective of the case was botched thanks to the prosecution. That's part of the reason Simpson walked back in the 90s. The prosecuting team was comprised of morons.

[SpreadEagleBeagle]

I wish everyone could come to an agreement and iron out their misconceptions/miscommunications as easily that it appears we have Spread Eagle. But no money would be made from agreeing all the time so there is no continued 'market' for our conversation at this point. 

True. It's much more lucrative to confuse and pit people against each other and only report back cherry-picked snippets that will further the confusion to milk as much money as possible. Turning the coat whenever it fits.

There will come a day when people of all colors and cultures come together and overthrow the self perpetuating strife machine that is the media and replace it with a truly unbiased, fair, soft hearted, firm handed, sound moral compass, and we will be that much closer to a more civilized civilization.

Doubt that day will come anytime soon (and with "soon" I'm talking about 100+ years). People are making too much money on the way things are right now in order for things to change for the better. Civilized civilization just isn't that lucrative.

Race card meaning the media and the public turning this into a race issue when I personally see it from Hubbs' perspective.

I.e. that what Zimmerman did was a-ok and that the trial and verdict was completely fair? That there is nothing wrong about that Zimmerman wasn't arrested until 44 days after the shooting? That Zimmerman is getting his gun back? That the verdict would've been the same if Trayvon Martin had been white?

I have been reading what you've said thus far but at least for the sake of optimism, I'm looking at it from the perspective of the case was botched thanks to the prosecution. That's part of the reason Simpson walked back in the 90s. The prosecuting team was comprised of morons.

What sake of optimism?

O.J. Simpson was a star, and he was rich. He bought all the law he needed. Sure, the prosecution team's 'performance' helped, but in the end he had the money on his side. He was backed up.

Take the O.J. Simpson case and exchange him for some random young black guy on the street (like Trayvon Martin) and I can assure you that the verdict would've been quite different. The boy would've been charged with first-degree murder for sure, and no one would've cared (i.e. no media coverage).

[whiterabbit]

The media is a sensationalism machine, more concerned with stirring the pot for profit but lets not forget that it was the Prosecution that f**ked the case up. No grand jury? Murder 2? How the hell could they have proven that? How about that jury? I think they should have either tried to prove manslaughter, which would have been an up hill battle or better went with negligent homicide.

It's not just that either. The defense was allowed by the prosecution to make it about what Trayvon should have done instead of what Zimmerman did.

[SpreadEagleBeagle]

The media is a sensationalism machine, more concerned with stirring the pot for profit but lets not forget that it was the Prosecution that f**ked the case up. No grand jury? Murder 2? How the hell could they have proven that? How about that jury? I think they should have either tried to prove manslaughter, which would have been an up hill battle or better went with negligent homicide.

It's not just that either. The defense was allowed by the prosecution to make it about what Trayvon should have done instead of what Zimmerman did.

Exactly.