Trayvon the Troublemaker?

More information is coming out about Trayvon Martin – a lot of it unflattering. He was suspended, he might have been caught with weed, spray painted graffiti. Definitely not an angelic portrait.

But is that relevant? He was still the kid walking back to his father’s fiancee’s house from 7-11. He was still the kid a self-appointed neighborhood police man pursued (even when he was advised not to). He was still the kid who was killed.

He could have been a punk with a rap sheet longer than his arm and a gold grill uglier than Flava Flav’s. None of that changes the fact that he was profiled, followed, and killed. Even though he had every right to be there and had nothing on him other than a bag of Skittles and an iced tea.

Obama Empathizes, Gingrich and Santorum Diss It

Obama said something poignant about the Trayvon Martin case when asked about it:

“If I had a son he would look like Trayvon.”

Those were some very powerful words. He, as a black man, knows that he could be in the same position as Trayvon’s parents.

Of course, the GOP candidates weighed in:

Gingrich:

“Is the president suggesting if it had been a white who had been shot, that would be OK because it wouldn’t look like him? That’s just nonsense. I mean, dividing this country up, it is a tragedy this young man was shot.”

Huh?? How the hell did he come up with that?? No it would NOT be OK if it was a white kid. I don’t get it.

Santorum:

“What the president of the United States should do is try to bring people together, not use these types of horrible and tragic individual cases to try to drive a wedge in America.”

Again, huh?? How is empathizing with Trayvon’s parents driving a wedge in America?

I guess this is what it comes down to. When Obama says something, immediately disagree. Or question it. Or say he’s hurting America. Obama says the sky is blue. Respond, “Is it really? How do we know it’s blue? He’s only saying the sky is blue because it reflects all the blue states. Why is he leaving out the red states? We are all Americans.”

See how ridiculous this is?

It doesn’t matter. He did a good thing. Trayvon’ parents said:

“The president’s personal comments touched us deeply and made us wonder: If his son looked like Trayvon and wore a hoodie, would he be suspicious too?”

What he said comforted grieving parents.

And about that question. In that hypothetical situation, if President Obama had a son who didn’t have Secret Service with him, and George Zimmerman didn’t know who he was, you bet your ass he would be considered suspicious.

Trayvon

Jasiri X does his part in shining the light on George Zimmerman. Someone who should have been under an interrogation light by now. Self defense, my ass. Shooting stranger danger breaking into your house is self defense. Shooting someone attacking you is self defense. Following and shooting a kid you deemed suspicious because he’s

1). Black
2). Wearing a hoodie
3). Black
4). Walking in your gated community
5). Black

is NOT self defense.

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Trayvon – Jasiri X, posted with vodpod