The Smear Campaign Against Trayvon Martin

First I'm going to say that I will make no effort here to be unbiased. I'm flat out disgusted and saddened that human beings can act this way. Regardless of anything about Martin's past, he was profiled as a criminal walking home in his own neighborhood (the neighborhood his father lives in) and killed for it.

I have seen images of a young black teenager with tattoos, gold teeth, flashing the middle finger as if it's some kind of proof that he was a drug dealing, gang-banger. Those pictures represent nothing "thug" and most if not all are not even him...plastered all over this forum. If that is what you guys think a thug is we're in way worse trouble that I ever imagined.

I don't care if this sways opinions, I don't care what you think of me for being so outspoken, I don't care if you believe it or not...but you who are guilty of posting this crap and you who allowed it (even though it was reported as false information or others posted showing they were crap and not factual), should ask yourselves a big why.

Why does this boy need to be a thug in your minds?

Trayvon Martin as he appeared on his actual Facebook page

Over the last 48 hours, there has been a sustained effort to smear Trayvon Martin, the 17-year old African-American who was shot dead by George Zimmerman a month ago. Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, said, “They killed my son, now they’re trying to kill his reputation.” Thus far these attacks have fallen into two categories: false and irrelevant. Much of this leaked information seems intended to play into stereotypes about young African-American males. Here’s what everyone should know:

1. Prominent conservative websites published fake photos of Martin. Twitchy, a new website run by prominent conservative blogger Michelle Malkin, promoted a photo — purportedly from Martin’s Facebook page — that shows Martin in saggy pants and flipping the bird. The photo, which spread quickly on conservative websites and Twitter, is intended to paint Martin as a thug. As Twitchy later acknowledged, it is not a photo of Trayvon Martin. [Examiner]

2. The Sanford Police selectively leaked irrelevant, negative information about Martin. The authorities told the Orlando Sentinel this morning that Trayvon was suspended from school for ten days “after being found with an empty marijuana baggie.” There is no evidence that Martin was under the influence of drugs at the time of his death, nor would prior possession of marijuana be a reason for killing him. It’s unclear what the relevance of the leak was, other than to smear Martin. [Orlando Sentinel]

3. On Fox News, Geraldo said that Martin was dressed “like a wannabe gangster.” Bill O’Reilly agreed with him. The sole evidence is that Martin was wearing a hoodie. Geraldo added that “everyone that ever stuck up a convenience store” was wearing a hoodie. [ThinkProgress; The Blaze]

4. Without any evidence, prominent right-wing bloggers suggested that Martin was a drug dealer. Right-wing blogger Dan Riehl advances the theory, also advanced in a widely linked peice on a site called Wagist. There does not appear to be any evidence to support this claim whatsoever. [Riehl World View]

5. Without any evidence, a right-wing columnist alleged that Martin assaulted a bus driver. Unlike Zimmerman, Trayvon has no documented history of violence. This allegation continues to be advanced by a blogger on the Examiner even after the real reason was leaked to the police and confirmed by the family. [Miami Herald; Examiner]

6. Zimmerman’s friend says Martin was to blame because he was disrespectful to Zimmerman. Zimmerman’s friend Joe Oliver said that Martin would not have been shot to death if Trayvon had just said “I’m staying with my parents.” Of course, Zimmerman was not a police officer, and Trayvon had no duty to tell him who he was or where he was going. [NBC News]

thinkpr ogress

Why don't you add this to the 100+ threads already on this site about this kid? Is it really necessary to start ANOTHER thread about this??

reply to post by redbarron626


Because it's my choice to.

from what ive seen its just people calling a spade a spade.
if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck etc.

Divided we fall.

Election year, otherwise this would not be a story.

reply to post by zroth


Actually it wouldn't be a story if his family and their friends and his friends didn't start asking questions and demanding justice...it didn't go beyond local media until it was all over social media and people started marching and holding rallies.

People see black kids in hoodies as bad, or shirtless, or with tattoos.

If a white kid did it, it wouldn't be seen as negative

I don't get it.

Originally posted by lacrimosa
from what ive seen its just people calling a spade a spade.
if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck etc.

So you are saying Trayvon is a thug and deserved to die?


And exactly what proof do you have of that?

reply to post by Kali74


Actually it wouldn't be a story in a non-election year.

Gay marriage

Economics

Abortion

Terror

Race

reply to post by zroth


Sure, it's being used now...tossed around like a football. But politics is not why it made the national MSM.

You people need to seriously go hang out with some black people.

Saggy jeans and a hoodie does not make one a thug,

reply to post by Kali74


Excellent thread and here is one area I believe we can say we agree on 110%. The facts here seem rather simple and basic when all the emotion and activist candy is pulled away and a boy is dead because someone thought himself a cop.

You boil it right down and with a couple other core factors..but I couldn't possibly agree more. Who the boy turns out to have been, or whatever he may have done.....he didn't deserve the Death Penalty, but that is what he got. Now it's time the man who chose to enter the situation that ended this way face the system he fancied himself as being an extension of.

reply to post by OutKast Searcher

So you are saying Trayvon is a thug and deserved to die?

i didnt say anything like that. but thats quite a leap you made there.

reply to post by lacrimosa


continuing the thought.....

If it talks like a bigot, and posts like a bigot, etc.

Originally posted by RealSpoke
You people need to seriously go hang out with some black people.

Saggy jeans and a hoodie does not make one a thug,

THAT is the best thing I have heard on any of these threads. SO SO TRUE!

I think much of the 'smear' campaign against Trayvon is to shed light on the obvious media manipulation of the kids character, which has been used to make people believe the kid was a perfect angel, and incapable of violence. I think Zimmerman was an idiot, but he didn't break any laws unless he assaulted Trayvon initially. I think Trayvon was the one who went physical without just cause, but I don't really know and neither does anyone else apparently.

Remember it is not illegal to follow someone or ask who they are. It is not illegal to ignore (very good) advice from a police dispatcher. It is not illegal to shoot someone if they are smashing your head on the concrete. I can't prove Zimmerman was innocent, and am not sure he was. What I take issue with are the people that made this into a race issue, and those that automatically assume guilt because Zimmerman was a bit overzealous patrolling his neighborhood.

If it turns out Zimmerman assaulted Trayvon, then by all means lock him up. If it turns out Trayvon attacked Zimmerman (being irritated or scared of someone following you does not justify assault) and was indeed smashing his head against the concrete, I would call it a justifiable homicide. Now if Trayvon just punched him in the nose and Zimmerman shot him I would call I manslaughter.

I'm amazed how many people automatically thought that Zimmerman was a racist. White kids wear hoodies too, he seemed more concerned about that and that he didn't recognize someone in a gated community with recent break ins. I think most anyone would be suspicious to see a stranger if the community was having issues with theft and they didn't recognize someone walking at night in the rain.

reply to post by Kali74


Hello Kali, how are you?

Anyway, people have been trying to use Martins clothes and his facebook page to justify Zimmermans actions and prove Martin was a no good "thug". It is quite shameful and i feel it is disrespectful to the deceased.

I hope Martin does rest in peace and, if there is a Heaven, I hope it is far away from here so that their smear campaign never reaches him.

Originally posted by Kali74
reply to post by zroth

 

Sure, it's being used now...tossed around like a football. But politics is not why it made the national MSM.

Really? After Obama said 'my son would look like...' the 4th arm of the government made this a national phenom.

I feel for the loved ones of the victim; however I am also totally aware of how this incident is being used to push forward an agenda.

Nothing takes away the sad truth that a kid is dead.

Originally posted by RealSpoke
People see black kids in hoodies as bad, or shirtless, or with tattoos.

If a white kid did it, it wouldn't be seen as negative

I don't get it.

What a bunch of crap. Any kid white or black dressed like that unknown to locals would be seen as suspicious. Zimmerman committed no crime. It may not have been smart of him to follow and Martin probably did not deserve to die however he made the choice to assault Zimmerman and that is a crime and he paid for it unfortunately. Zimmerman has not been arrested because he has not broke any law.

The media has made this worse by showing 7th grade pictures of Martin and referring to him as a young child etc...

Bottom line is Martin chose to assault Zimmerman who defended himself. Martin should have called the police like Zimmerman did instead of assaulting him.

reply to post by Domo1

I think much of the 'smear' campaign against Trayvon is to shed light on the obvious media manipulation of the kids character, which has been used to make people believe the kid was a perfect angel, and incapable of violence.

That is the poorest excuse I have ever heard in my life. The kid is dead and cannot defend himself.