(ThyBlackMan.com) Often times, things are as they seem, not what others wish them to be. Often times, people suffer from paralysis from over-analysis.
The Trayvon Martin tragedy would be one of those times. As of late, George Zimmerman supporters and those supposedly on the side of “fairness” (chuckle chortle sniggle guffaw) suggest that we don’t have “all the facts” or should avoid a “rush to judgment.”
Stop the stupidity please.
Trayvon Martin died February 26 under a cloud a suspicion and a questionable story at best.
At best.
It’s been more than 40 days since Trayvon Martin died. Noah and his ark endured less time amid the rain sent down by God than the time in between Travyon’s death and you reading this editorial. Despite the still-sagging housing market, it is still possible to clear escrow in fewer days than the time between Martin’s death and this moment. The NCAA tournament has even come and gone in less time. You get my point.
Rush to judgment?
Or maybe you’ve heard “this” from those wishing America to be “fair-minded” (chuckle, chortle, sniggle, guffaw)…”Zimmerman is innocent until proven guilty.”
No, he isn’t.
George Zimmerman is innocent until proven guilty…in a court of law. If there is no arrest, there is no court of law and no chance to prove one’s guilt. The whole movement afoot to discredit the justifiable outrage regarding the shooting death of an unarmed youth is nothing short of laughable. It needs to be called out for what it is.
Where were the calls to not “rush to judgment” in regards to O.J. Simpson? Had America formed its opinion in fewer than 40 days with OJ? In fact, if I remember correctly, people immediately formed their opinions and because the verdict didn’t match, raised holy hell. Rush to judgment? Somebody please remind me. Casey Anthony? Robert Blake? Jon Benet Ramsey, Natalee Holloway?
Did you wait more than 40 days to form your opinion then? Did O.J. suffer in his trial despite the overwhelmingly negative opinion of the nation?
Bueller…Bueller?
Didn’t think so.
It is more than reasonable to form legitimate opinions around the information available…the facts available. Even in a trial, jurors will not hear the same evidence in the same manner that we will as outside observers.
I am well within my rights to assess and reassess as we go. There are genuine facts available to all of us to use as a foundation. The 911 calls really did happen and I really did hear them with my own ears. There is a dead body and we know who the shooter is, those facts are not in contention.
From that point, it only matters whether George Zimmerman and his story are credible; and whether he can substantiate his narrative of self-defense. My opinion is not bound by his timetable. It’s not for me to wait to form an opinion because he refuses to speak on the record publicly and instead uses surrogates such as his retired magistrate father and somewhat estranged brother.
Meaning, it is fair to surmise whether George Zimmerman is a credible party in this situation as we move along; despite what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity would have you believe. In fact, Sean Hannity is still apoplectic over O.J. and he was found “not guilty.” But we can’t be outraged about the man who for some strange reason can’t be arrested and brought to trial after killing an unarmed youth?
But I digress.
As more information comes out, it will either solidify my opinion or push me in the other direction. But it is nothing short of ridiculous to indict those with common sense over being outraged over the death of Trayvon Martin. It is nothing short of ridiculous to castigate those who doubt or disbelieve the underwhelming story of George Zimmerman. It’s flimsy on its best day. It’s not my job to wait until George Zimmerman comes up with a better, less flimsy alternative before stating the obvious.
George Zimmerman (through his father, brother and lawyers) would like me and the world to believe that although he witnessed no illegal behavior and instructed by police not to pursue Trayvon Martin, (as verified by the 911 call) he in no way provoked the confrontation.
George Zimmerman felt comfortable enough to pursue and engage Trayvon Martin but didn’t provoke a confrontation?
I choose not to believe such a sorry “testimony.”
After 40+ days, I’ve yet to see anything to suggest George Zimmerman’s story is anything less than ridiculous. I reserve the right to change my mind in the future, but until compelling information is offered to encourage such, I’m remaining on the side of common sense and reason. There was no “rush” to judgment, I never had to go anywhere, just remained where I was in the Land of Good Sense.
George Zimmerman (also through his father, brother and lawyers) attempted to weave the narrative that unarmed Trayvon Martin spontaneously attacked Zimmerman, unprovoked and did so having nothing to do Martin being followed by an unknown man at night…with a gun no less.
George Zimmerman wants us to believe that Trayvon Martin attacked George Zimmerman, when it has already been established (by Zimmerman’s own 911 call) that Martin first ran away from him.
I choose not to believe such a sorry “testimony” and will continue to do so until evidence is presented to suggest otherwise. It is not my responsibility to take George Zimmerman at his word, especially not when it conflicts with common sense and his own voice on 911 calls.
Knowing this, I will rest comfortably in the Land of Common Sense. I reserve the right to change my opinion in the future, but for now…common sense wins out and in no way did I rush to get here.
George Zimmerman (again…through his father, brother and lawyers) will have us believe that his nose was broken and he engaged in a death-struggle, necessitating the use of lethal force; although he has no EMS report, doctor’s note or any other form of corroborating evidence in support of his contention. Even if I “wanted” to believe Zimmerman, he has offered nothing to help me do so.
If anyone has a reason to lie, it’s George Zimmerman, so unlike the Sanford police, a healthy skepticism is reasonable to me when someone turns up dead and the killer is the only one available to give an account of what happened.
In the absence of any coroner’s report which substantiates Zimmerman’s narrative, I rightfully and reasonably choose not to take George Zimmerman at his word. In addition to his highly questionable “injuries,” he alleged to having been the person heard screaming for his life on the 911 calls…which was easily debunked by multiple experts.
It is both reasonable and well within my right to not believe such a shaky story.
The truth of the matter is that when you kill someone alleging self-defense, it’s not a good look when experts easily pick apart a key component to your story. It is not my job to figure out where George Zimmerman’s lying begins and ends. I just know that if he’s lying about who’s screaming, he’s likely lying in regards to other key details.
My opinion will remain ensconced in the realm of common sense. Again, there was no rush to get here and it’s foolish for those of you out there to suggest otherwise.
This case is not about Al, Jesse, Skittles, iced tea, hoodies or some sordid combination. At the heart of the matter is a dead boy who can’t speak for himself and his killer who seems to be at best, not wholly truthful when speaking for himself. You don’t get to kill someone and “mostly” tell the truth. You don’t get to kill someone and get to lie about key aspects of your “testimony.”
That’s not how it works.
This, having nothing to do with a police department which did not verify sobriety of George Zimmerman on the night in question. Sanford PD didn’t (publicly) offer an M.E.’s report to corroborate Zimmerman’s account. Such information (or its absence in this case) is inextricably linked to “why” people have rightfully and reasonably demonstrated their outrage.
And notice, I’ve mentioned race not once.
The reasonable individuals, you know, the ones who are my neighbors in the Land of Good Sense and those in the Land of Common Sense haven’t rushed to any sort of judgment. We’ve been more than patient, waiting more than 40 days for George Zimmerman to provide a scintilla of evidence to support his seemingly unbelievable storyline.
The onus is not on us to then wait indefinitely for Zimmerman to stop using surrogates or start making sense.
People didn’t give O.J or Casey Anthony 40+ days and they were both found “not guilty.” So I’m only guessing that George Zimmerman will not suffer from having the nation of people with good sense…actually using it. If you were mad about O.J. before he was arrested and after his acquittal, then I know I’m well within my right to be angry about the murder of an unarmed boy with no arrest…at all.
Staff Writer; Morris O’Kelly
To read more of this brother stuff, head over to; The Mo’Kelly Report.
1. Zimmerman, a young Hispanic male, mid-twenties, did not identify himself to Martin in his capacity as a neighborhood watcher.
2. Martin, an older teen from a Miami suburban community, was possibly unfamiliar with the city of Sanford and the Twin Lakes gated community. On the phone (blue tooth ear?) with someone (g/f) and Martin’s caller tells him to run. Martin apparently runs.
3. Zimmerman called 911 simultaneously, but again, did not ID himself to 911 operator, but operator advised Zimmerman NOT to follow/run after Martin; who was unknown at the time.
4. Martin circles back around the buildings to surprise Zimmerman. Martin commits assault and battery.
5. Zimmerman pulls weapon and shoots and kills Martin.
Who is at fault:
1. The city of Sanford or whoever the city council chooses to scapegoat for not ensuring police availability within an allegedly high-crime area. It obvious that 8 minutes is not enough time to be pro-active.
2. The city of Sanford and its Police department for not keeping an active presence among neighborhood and watchers. (it is apparent that no one even knew that there was a neighborhood watcher)
3. The 911 operator for not asking the right questions and assuming that Zimmerman was not a neighborhood watcher.
In conclusion,
It is the city of Sanford and its leaders that are to blame and NOT Zimmerman or Martin; they were simply two people caught up in Sanford’s poorly designed protection scheme.
Why did the City of Sanford not make an active effort in implementing the neighborhood watching activity. It is more than something police do, it is an “all-hands” effort that the city and it’s residents are responsible for. Why did they not make sure that any resident could identify a watcher from any distance? A ball cap of a certain color and/or Sanford seal. It is entirely probable that Martin’s father would have informed his son about the man wearing the ball cap.
Apparently, Sanford is the city that “passes the buck”; starting from the top down. George Zimmerman’s future will be determined by the court systems fear of national public outcry that is based on the misinformation and meddling of ABC/CNN news, misinformed public leaders and a misinformed public with a racial bias. There was no racial bias here, only misinformation.
End of story.
Either way, in a state with a history of politicizing legal precedent (stand your ground being one of them) and the presidency in 2000 being brought to trial in the state of Florida may not necessarily turn out the best situation that Mr Zimmerman could have hoped for, but then again, had he shot Trayvon Martin in another state, his preface that he was only enacting the stand your ground precedent could just as quickly have been thrown out the front door the very first day….
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2012/04/george-zimmerman-will-he-get-a-fair-trial/