In all the fire and smoke, claims and counter-claims, hue and cry
around the Trayvon Martin - George Zimmerman controversy and
trial, the thing that upsets me the most is President Obama's insistence
in entering the fray.
Why would the President of the United States inject himself into a
local trial and identify himself with one of the participants?
Why would he imply that he agrees with those who demonstrate
against the verdict (as long as they are not violent), and that there must
implicitly be something wrong with a justice system that found
George Zimmerman not guilty?
Once, before the trial began, President Obama identified Trayvon
Martin as "someone who could be my son". After the trial, he
doubled-down and identified Mr. Martin as someone who could
have been the President himself thirty five years ago.
He quoted the black man's experience of being followed in stores,
of car doors being locked when crossing streets, and of old ladies
guarding their purses and not breathing when on an elevator with
a black man, I guess as somewhat of a justification of Mr. Martin's
anger.
Somehow, I doubt if the reaction would be as strong if the black
man was dressed in the President's business suit or dressed like
Cliff Huxtable, as opposed to being dressed like a gang-banger.
And, somehow, I think the reaction would be just as strong if a
white man, dressed as a biker, walked into a store, up to a car,
or into an elevator with an old lady...or perhaps a white teenager
Goth, with their piercings, tats, and great-coats might create a pretty
strong reaction, also.
And, even if this reaction happens to blacks more often than to
other races, does this justify punching Mr. Zimmerman in the face,
smashing his nose, and pounding his head into the cement?
You say this could have been you, thirty five years ago. I don't
think so. Thirty five years ago, I don't think you, or even I, would
have lost control and punched Mr. Zimmerman out.
You might have confronted him and asked him why he was following
you, and he would have told you he was Neighborhood Watch and
asked you to explain what you were doing there, or, since you were
close to your house, you might have gone into the house and asked
your father who that creepy guy was, instead of going back and
punching him out.
We will never know what actually happened that night. Perhaps
Mr. Martin was angry over historic injustices against blacks,
perhaps he had family problems, or school problems, or girl
problems. Maybe his teenage hormones were just running wild.
I was a teenager. I had two teenage sons. I know the drill. They
can think they know everything. They can think they're indestruc-
table. They can do the dumbest things. They can think they're
Mr. Macho. You can love them and still wonder how they can act
so stupidly sometimes.
If the police had arrived a few minutes earlier and broke up the
fight before the shot was fired, I believe you, and I, and Mr. Martin's
parents would all handle Trayvon the same way. "What were you
thinking?!!!" "Are you crazy, son?" "You could have got yourself
killed!"
Unfortunately, the police didn't arrive in time, and we know the tragic
ending. Which brings me to the part that bothers me about your
response to this case, Mr. President.
Why couldn't you identify with Mr. Zimmerman? You're a product
of a mixed-race marriage. So is George Zimmerman.
George Zimmerman felt strongly enough about his community that
he signed up for Neighborhood Watch in a effort to protect his
community. You were a Community Organizer in an effort to
help your local community in Chicago.
Mr. Zimmerman was brave enough to go out at night to patrol
his crime-ridden neighborhood, but smart enough to know he
might need a gun to protect himself. I think you would probably
feel the same in his position, if you didn't have the Secret Service
around to handle that problem for you.
Again, we will never know for sure, exactly what happened that
night. It's possible that Mr. Zimmerman was brow beating Mr.
Martin, but there was no evidence of that at the trial.
It's possible that Mr. Zimmerman threw the first punch, but if
he did, there was no evidence it ever landed on Mr. Martin.
The evidence does show that Mr. Martin was on top of Mr.
Zimmerman, pretty much beating the stuffing out of him. Mr.
Zimmerman had every reason to think he was going to end
up pulverized or killed.
And, Mr. President, I think if you were in Mr. Zimmerman's
position, and you had a gun available to you, you would use
it, too...regardless of the race, gender, or nationality of the
person pounding you. I know I would.
So why, Mr. President, can't you identify with Mr. Zimmerman?
Was it Mr. Zimmerman's role to pay the price for Mr. Martin's
anger and frustration? His role was to lay there and be
beaten to a pulp or killed, or be portrayed as a racist for doing
what he had to do?
I can't see how you can't see. If you're using this situation as
an opportunity for political gain, then you must be the most
crass, opportunistic President I've ever seen, and that's saying
a lot.
If you're identifying with Mr. Martin because of skin color over
evidence, rule of law, and the jurors verdict, then I don't want
to even state where that road leads.
You are supposed to be the President of all the people of the
United States. George Zimmerman could be your son, just
as Trayvon Martin could be your son. If you can't see that,
you don't deserve to be the leader of this great country.
We all grieve for Trayvon Martin. We all grieve for Mr. Martin's
parents. We all feel that, but for the Grace of God, our sons
could have been in Trayvon's position. It's not the first, nor
will it be the last time, that a teenager makes a tragic mistake.
But, Mr. President, you owe George Zimmerman an apology.
He is not an evil man. He is not a racist man. He's just a
good man caught in an impossible situation, and he should
not be persecuted by the Federal Government.
The jury decided correctly. Let's hope you make the correct
decision as well.
