OK, so because you don't see it. It doesn't exist? The assumption being that people only see racism because they are looking for it? So when whites see racism it is only the kind directed towards them? And when blacks see racism it is only because it is directed towards black people? Perhaps it is because genetically I don't fall into neat catagories, but I reject that notion. I have seen racism and stereotyping directed towards people that are not black, and I have called others on it. However, I will not argue that racism does not exist or that if someone experiences something I have not they are engaged in a "victimhood mentality". Unfortunately, historically in the US Black males have ALWAYS been perceived as a threat. That is assumption number one, and all others are secondary. So when you see my brother walking down the street the assumption is "possible burglar in hoodie" not " decorated soldier getting back from a workout, designed to make sure he can save your ass". I as a Black biracial person, a minority could not function if I perceived every "other" person as a threat. I'd be scared, tracking people down my street all day long. However if you are a member of a majority group, you do not have to do this, you can make quick assumptions based on the "otherness" of the person. I think this is the base of much panic in the far right, because bottom line, demographically speaking you won't have that ability much longer. No one group will hold majority status and assumptions like "hoodie equals criminal" will become increasingly problematic as opposed to reasonable justifications in the mind of the majority.
You are just wrong on what the law is (outside of mere following, which I had said before). Someone upthread posted the conditions under which a person can use force in self-defense. Basically the generic, simplified version is: if the person reasonably believes they are facing an imminent threat of force against themselves, they can. So depending on the circumstances, posturing definitely can. If Zimmerman balls up his fists and squares up as if to fight, Martin definitely does not have to wait for Zimmerman to swing to claim the right of self defense. If Zimmerman pulls out his gun, shows it to Martin, Martin does not have to wait for Zimmerman to take any further action. In terms of "foolish," you're telling me that if someone pulled a gun on you, you wouldn't try to do something about it?
OK, so as long as I follow the guy and do the opposite of what the cops tell me do, (now I'm a small woman so I can't be very threatening but let's say I followd him with a baseball bat to even things out), that person also feels threatened I am now justified in ending suspicious white guys life? This is why we cannot act on fear alone. Fear clouds judgement.
As opposed to people who see racism everywhere, in every form of human intercourse? I wonder who might be like that . . .
I don't get angry over this because for one, it doesn't directly affect me. The whole situation has become a fight over color and racism. I do see plenty of retarded stuff "cough-cough Villiage Idiot cough-cough". I am annoyed that the media decided to put their own spin on the whole thing before all the current evidence was brought to light. But that's what sells.
Is that suppose to be me? Believe it or not I don't spend my days seeing it everywhere. I live a very fun life in Nashville, most days nothing racist happens, some days something does. Also, you haven't acknowledged my premise about the board and what it does and doesn't acknowledge.
The one in my home state of TN. I'll be in the "ignorant twat" section, I'm sure our mutual friend will love that name you decided to call me from the safety of the internet.
Given that I've expressed the same opinion on facebook under my real name, she's probably aware of exactly how I feel about this railroad job.
Explain to me then how the incident took place here. As opposed to here. Which is where Martin should have been if his girlfriend is telling the truth.
Well, I'm a few credits shy of my Internet Lawyer degree, so I'm not going to. But my statement stands. As far as I know, it hasn't been firmly established that Zimmerman did stop following Martin. To say you KNOW for certain otherwise is simply Internet Lawyering.
As I understand it, Zimmerman's account is not that he deliberately said, "I'm done trying to track Martin down" or acted as though he were. Rather, he says he lost track of where Martin was and/or where he was. He then either stopped to get out of his truck to see a street sign or was out of his truck for another reason. He was returning to it when Martin either jumped him out of the blue and/or approached him and asked if he had a problem, then said "You do now" and punched him. By contrast, Martin's girlfriend's account is that Zimmerman was pursuing Martin and caught up with him just before the confrontation. There is no telling inherently which one is true. But even taking Zimmerman's account as true, it's not clear that he had given up on trying to find Martin, either to question Martin himself or to direct the police to him.
Oh come on, it's not that difficult. If Martin had been heading south as his girlfriend claims. And Zimmerman was following they would have had to have been in this area. They weren't. Actually he got out of his truck and attempted to follow Martin on foot. The 911 Operator asked if he was following. Zimmerman indicated in the affirmative. The operator said "we don't need you to do that". At which point you can hear Zimmerman stop and say that he lost him. All that occurred roughly within the redbox in this image. Which should have put them somewhere in here.
One or both of them could be mistaken. One or both of them could be lying. You have no idea who is telling the truth. You know who you want to be telling the truth, but you don't know who IS telling the truth. To pretend otherwise is simply Internet Lawyering.
I'm not sure where you're getting the part where a) Martin's girlfriend claims that he was heading south, b) why that necessitates that they would have been in the vertical rectangle rather than the horizontal one and c) why Martin and Zimmerman could not have started in the vertical rectangle but in the course of running away/struggling ended up in the horizontal one.
One of them definitely appears to be lying. I have fairly good idea. Based on which account is backed by a fact not in dispute. That fact being where the incident occurred.
Uncle Albert I really don't want your ass to die. But quite simply you are wrong. I've been reading it since it began, but was genuinely interested to see how it would go. Without my comment, the reaction of which is typically "oh you are a drama queen" I made a comment a few days ago, but believe it or not, I am busy and have other things to do most days.
Conjecture Conjecture. You have no idea what happened between the 911 call and when the police arrived.
Well that's a relief. Even if I accept that as true, you reading the entire thread and then passing judgement based on your "assume victim of racism by default" standard doesn't exactly reflect well on you.
Exactly. Sandy has no idea what happened, only what he thinks happened and what he wanted to have happened.
To those of you who have been calling out my claim that racism towards minorities has rarely been confirmed and denounced on this board, can someone provide me with a thread where this has occurred on Wordforge. We've got 8 years worth of material. Was there a thread on Linnsanity and the Asian slur from ESPN, perhaps?
From her statement. Trayvon was "walking fast" towards home. Home is located south. The Horizontal is where Trayvon ran and outpaced and lost Zimmerman. The vertical indicates the distance Martin should have covered if he were indeed walking home. I suppose it's possible Zimmerman was driving between buildings. Seriously listen to the 911 call he states the area where the pursuit began and ended with Martin disappearing.
That's not how it works. If you're gonna claim someone is guilty of something, it's on you to prove it. You don't get to assume everyone is racist by default until they satisfy you with some kind of demonstration to the contrary. It is not an "enlightened" position to reflexively view every incident with your "find the racism" beer goggles.
Informed opinion. No Zimmerman states quite clearly that he has lost contact with the running Martin. He by that time has also stopped running. If Martin's girlfriend is to be believed we do. Which is doubtful.
Actually I am looking for one thread to disprove my theory about this board. Not about people. About the wordforge board. And it's views on racism. I don't think all people are racists, certainly my entire life is a reflection of that fact. Nope, I am just talking about this board. The theory being that racism towards minorities in modern America let's say past 1980 is never acknowledged or confirmed by the majority members of this board. Not every single thread, or even many threads. All I need is one thread. I'm looking for the thread and I cannot find it. Where the percentage breakdown is greater than 85% agree it is acknowledged racism towards a minority.