Trayvon Martin Racism Thread

[Fpqxz]

I can sympathize with you completely. You don't sound racist to me at all. Personally I would love to know where the notion that only white people can be racist, or that being black somehow makes one exempt from being racist comes from, but I have seen monstrous racism on both sides. The worst I have seen is a black man making openly violent and racist comments about whites, and when he is called out on it, he blackly states that blacks cant be racist only whites can. I also sympathize with you feeling like your opinion on racism has no value. I live in South Africa, as I white woman, my opinion carries less weight than a puff of warm helium.

Yeah, I never got that whole "only whites can be racist" argument.  It's bullshit; everyone has their prejudices, be they conscious or subconscious.

With regards to the Trayvon racism, I feel it is fundamentally a race issue. If Trayvon had not been black and wearing a hoodie would the police have calmly let Zimmerman go? I honestly feel that black people in America have a right to get heated about this issue. Not towards Zimmerman though, but towards the police and the legal system. Zimmerman is a merely a fall-guy for a much larger issue. He happens to be the straw that broke the camels back.[/quote]

It's hard to say exactly to what extent this chain of events was fostered by racism.  The Sanford city police clearly mishandled the investigation by letting Zimmerman go right away.  As for Zimmerman himself, it's hard to say whether his motivations were based on racial prejudice, or whether he was just some overzealous wanna-be vigilante.  I lean toward the latter, just because I've seen that sort of behavior many times before.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Now a white male named Matthew Owens has been beaten by a mob. One of the mob members remarked that it was "justice for Trayvon." Or, ya know, an excuse to act on their bigotry. And now Glenn Beck is highlighting the story on GBTV for god knows what nefarious purposes.

[gyeonghwa]

Now a white male named Matthew Owens has been beaten by a mob. One of the mob members remarked that it was "justice for Trayvon." Or, ya know, an excuse to act on their bigotry. And now Glenn Beck is highlighting the story on GBTV for god knows what nefarious purposes.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/04/24/the-right-thinks-theyve-found-the-white-trayvon-the-right-is-wrong-video/

Relevant

What are the similarities between this case and the Trayvon Martin case? Very few. We knew that George Zimmerman was Martin’s assailant immediately after the shooting. Police have identified some of the attackers and are likely to start making arrests in the Owens’ case today. Zimmerman was investigated for no crime at all until the story hit the media, then, 44 days later, Zimmerman was charged. The police in the Owens assault are already treating it as a crime. Zimmerman has not been charged under hate crime statutes, so even if Owens’ assailants were, it would still not be equal treatment. The moment the story made national headlines, the right went on overdrive to blame the victim, Martin, by impugning his character. No such effort is coming from the left toward Owens.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Now a white male named Matthew Owens has been beaten by a mob. One of the mob members remarked that it was "justice for Trayvon." Or, ya know, an excuse to act on their bigotry. And now Glenn Beck is highlighting the story on GBTV for god knows what nefarious purposes.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/04/24/the-right-thinks-theyve-found-the-white-trayvon-the-right-is-wrong-video/

Relevant

What are the similarities between this case and the Trayvon Martin case? Very few. We knew that George Zimmerman was Martin’s assailant immediately after the shooting. Police have identified some of the attackers and are likely to start making arrests in the Owens’ case today. Zimmerman was investigated for no crime at all until the story hit the media, then, 44 days later, Zimmerman was charged. The police in the Owens assault are already treating it as a crime. Zimmerman has not been charged under hate crime statutes, so even if Owens’ assailants were, it would still not be equal treatment. The moment the story made national headlines, the right went on overdrive to blame the victim, Martin, by impugning his character. No such effort is coming from the left toward Owens.

Oh good link ^_^

[Fpqxz]

Apparently, this fellow who was beaten (Matthew Owens) wasn't exactly a model citizen either:

One Arrested In Matthew Owens Beating, from WKRG-5 (CBS)

Neighbors say Matthew Owens chased off a group of black kids with kitchen knives after the boys lost a basketball in his sister's yard. He was attacked by as many as 20 people with chairs, pipes and paint cans a short time later.

Based on the accusations forom angry neighbors, News 5 did some digging and learned Owens has a violent track record. The Mobile County Metro Jail log shows police have arrested Owens numerous times over the past 12 years for things like domestic violence, assault and sex abuse. His first arrest was November 4, 1990 for assault. The last time officers transported Owens to jail was last March on a domestic violence charge.

***

Tonight, an angry mother who lives on the street told News 5's Blake Brown that the kids who live on Delmar Drive are the real victims.

"Every single day it's a problem with Mr. Owens concerning our kids," Lemica Whisenhunt. "All these kids do is shoot basketball. We keep 'em in the yard. They don't bother anybody.  We'd rather them play basketball than to be around here vandalizing, breaking into people's homes. We try to bring our kids up the right way and show people that all black kids are not bad."

[e13]

Apparently, this fellow who was beaten (Matthew Owens) wasn't exactly a model citizen either:

One Arrested In Matthew Owens Beating, from WKRG-5 (CBS)

Neighbors say Matthew Owens chased off a group of black kids with kitchen knives after the boys lost a basketball in his sister's yard. He was attacked by as many as 20 people with chairs, pipes and paint cans a short time later.

Based on the accusations forom angry neighbors, News 5 did some digging and learned Owens has a violent track record. The Mobile County Metro Jail log shows police have arrested Owens numerous times over the past 12 years for things like domestic violence, assault and sex abuse. His first arrest was November 4, 1990 for assault. The last time officers transported Owens to jail was last March on a domestic violence charge.

***

Tonight, an angry mother who lives on the street told News 5's Blake Brown that the kids who live on Delmar Drive are the real victims.

"Every single day it's a problem with Mr. Owens concerning our kids," Lemica Whisenhunt. "All these kids do is shoot basketball. We keep 'em in the yard. They don't bother anybody.  We'd rather them play basketball than to be around here vandalizing, breaking into people's homes. We try to bring our kids up the right way and show people that all black kids are not bad."

As I've stated in regards to the Martin case: It shouldn't matter what the "character" of the victim is. They are a victim, and once we start playing the "worthy of justice" angle, we're all fucked.

[Distind]

As I've stated in regards to the Martin case: It shouldn't matter what the "character" of the victim is. They are a victim, and once we start playing the "worthy of justice" angle, we're all fucked.

But here's the thing, there's a difference between character, and pulling a knife on a bunch of kids and getting your ass beat for it.

The person claiming it's justice for Trayvon is still full of shit, but there's an actual reason people were pissed at him, at that specific time. Doesn't excuse an attempt at lynching, but I can't say my reaction would be any nicer if he'd pulled a knife on my kids.

[Fpqxz]

As I've stated in regards to the Martin case: It shouldn't matter what the "character" of the victim is. They are a victim, and once we start playing the "worthy of justice" angle, we're all fucked.

I'm not suggesting that Trayvon Martin or Matthew Owens are not "worthy of justice".  What I'm trying to suggest is that context is important.  Martin probably had little to no prior contact with Zimmerman, and the allegations about his conduct prior to that night (his alleged sale and use of drugs) are largely irrelevant because they have no connection to the events which led to his death.  There was no pre-existing conflict between the two.

The Owens case, on the other hand, seems to be the product of simmering tensions between neighborhood residents which finally came to a head.  It's unfortunate when things turn out that way, but it's clear to me that one or more of the people involved in the Owens case were real hotheads (including Owens himself).

With regards to both cases, I think it is inflammatory to frame this as "racial conflict" when there are probably more fundamental interpersonal issues which led up to these events.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

As I've stated in regards to the Martin case: It shouldn't matter what the "character" of the victim is. They are a victim, and once we start playing the "worthy of justice" angle, we're all fucked.

I'm not suggesting that Trayvon Martin or Matthew Owens are not "worthy of justice".  What I'm trying to suggest is that context is important.  Martin probably had little to no prior contact with Zimmerman, and the allegations about his conduct prior to that night (his alleged sale and use of drugs) are largely irrelevant because they have no connection to the events which led to his death.  There was no pre-existing conflict between the two.

The Owens case, on the other hand, seems to be the product of simmering tensions between neighborhood residents which finally came to a head.  It's unfortunate when things turn out that way, but it's clear to me that one or more of the people involved in the Owens case were real hotheads (including Owens himself).

With regards to both cases, I think it is inflammatory to frame this as "racial conflict" when there are probably more fundamental interpersonal issues which led up to these events.

The reason I initially framed this tragedy in the way I did was because, based on what was initially reported, all we had was a white male being beaten with one of the assailants invoking Trayvon Martin. I did not know when I posted it that there was any tensions between Owens and his assailants prior to the attack. Of course, that is not to say race played no role in either the actions of Owens or the actions of his assailants. It could still be one of several factors involved.

[e13]

I'm not making any statements intending to say that situational triggers have anything to do with an assault. I'm mostly referencing the Martin-related arguments, as if seeing Martin supposedly throwing up a gang sign, and seeing Zimmerman smiling and clean cut change the facts about the incident.

I know little about the Owens case and responding solely based on the statement that he wasn't a nice guy. Unless that lack of niceness has bearing on the incident - in this case, it apparently did - it doesn't matter. I think we're all in agreement on this, so I'm just wasting space.