Why do you care about Martin or Zimmerman?

I was just talking to my husband about this. Like I said in other threads, we are a house divided. He asked me this same thing. I came to the conclusion that I am emotionally invested because I have been travelling alone as a woman (yes I know he wasn't a woman) since my teens. If a car was following me (and I will end that there) I would freak out and go in to fight or flight mode. I have been in situations similar I can't believe I got out of. Husband and I have broken it down to the fact that I am a woman. Not only do I have the upbringing to always be on my guard and aware of my surroundings but I am a mother and I have a maternal instinct to protect anyone significantly younger than me. No matter my stance, no matter the final outcome, it is indeed over as far as the trial goes. I feel for him on an emotional level because I instinctively say to myself, what if that were my child?

I shall leave it at that.

reply to post by ValentineWiggin


You are correct. EVERYBODY should always be aware of their surroundings, all entrances and exits, the people down the street, the attitude people show as they come up to you. However, sometimes there are just no good decisions to make and tragedy happens. I have seen the 'somebody must pay" crowd placated to often though. That is an intentionally BAD decision, not a accident or tragedy, and our government should not be allowed to do that. This is not Rome where we throw someone to the wolves to placate the mob. At least I hope it isn't.

I don't care about the trial, or the altercation that brought it to a trial. I don't know either one of them, nor their families, they're not friends, not co-workers, not neighbors, not acquaintances. To me, this is not any of my business at all because I am not involved in any way, shape or form with the Martins or Zimmermans.

What this trial is is media crack. Something for people mindlessly latch on to and maul. Think about it. Millions of struggling people who feel they have no tangible impact on the country at present found a situation (or rather, were given one) to sink their teeth in to debate, argue, and ultimately, feel something over, whether that be for Zimmerman, or for Martin. They feel that whatever their side is is the right one, and they feel it makes a difference. It really does not. It's a social distraction, something for the downtrodden to feel connected to even though they are not, something to keep them emotionally busy with. Never mind worrying about X law Washington is trying to slip through, watch this trial & feel significant instead!
All show trials do is keep their air time filled with something that is ultimately useless to the rest of us, and blocks out air time other situations and events could have used. What you don't know is going on is what matters.

Sit back and think about the tension this trial created. What kind of real, meaningful accomplishments could be had if that kind of anger/rage was directed towards fixing our political & federal fouls? Mmmhmm. Sure would go a long way toward fixing the broken country we call home, wouldn't it? Well, we can't have that at all, that would mean the people are growing a spine.

Ok I am awake again, and my brain is functioning better. Someone, I am not sure if it was the media, or someone that fed the biased story to the media, thought this case was special. I still can't figure out why though. Maybe in the beginning it was the false story, and they really did think it was a white guy just making stuff up. And by the time pictures were released showing he actually was attacked, it was too late to back down from the rhetoric? Or maybe they were also just sucked into it themselves, and too emotionally invested.

If it was a ploy to stir up the racial tensioned, it worked a bit, but not nearly as much as some thought though. I haven't heard of any huge riots or even huge protests really thus far. Have there been any? If they couldn't even get any good protests out of it, then I think they failed, if that was indeed the plot.

Gun rights, if that was the reason, boy did they pick the wrong case.... A gun was used for what it was made for, for what people carry for.

Now to dive into the comments, thanks for all the responses

reply to post by generik


That is another great point. The court system, charging a case that should have never been charged in the first place. Seems like a common thing these days, overcharging and praying they just take a plea, if you have a free liar, they will encourage you to take it.

reply to post by TKDRL


To be truthful, I don't think anybody really cares in this case other than the emotionally involved. And all they care about is that their feelings were wrong when it came to the juries decision. Emotional people don't like being wrong.

I bet we see this again when or if the Civil Rights charges are brought forth.

Let's try him again, and again, and again until we get what we want.

Facts have no place in a emotional debate.

reply to post by 727Sky


For me, I do feel bad when someone loses their life, it is always sad really. Even a total scumbag has people that will be affected by it. Should every shooter be punished is the question for me, and for me the answer is obviously no. I think it was Omara that said it, not every tragedy is a crime.

Gun violence is a bit of a problem in those gun free zones, it is ironic. Then the people that live there call for more gun bans, why? Did the last gun bans help any? Obviously not, why would another few bans help?

I think the real problem is lack of respect for other's lives and well being. People seem to think it's fine and dandy to knock someone out for offending them, or for making them feel uncomfortable. Even worse in gun free zones. In rural places, where guns are just another everyday tool in life, well, gun violence is almost non-existant. We are taught great respect for the gun, and when and how it is appropriate to use it.

reply to post by AlphaHawk


Honestly, I think you are in the majority. There were only a very few number of posters in the court thread, and in the verdict thread. And since the initial verdict of a whopping three people moaning about it, I have heard nothing about it at all on my facebook. No huge protests, no riots. If it was such a hot issue for most people, why haven't there been any good protests. Minor league hockey games up here pull more people than the protests I have seen.

reply to post by MountainLaurel


Yeah, it was used as a good distraction, like every other news piece that dominates the airwaves, while seemingly more important news goes unmentioned. This case must have at least brought good ratings though, or it would not have gotten the spotlight it did. It's interesting to hear from others why they got into it, why they noticed it, or why they didn't even.

this is pathetic what we all should be concerned with is this, it effects all of us. wake up people.

reply to post by tnhiker


In the beginning, a whole lot of people were riled up, and not only black people. By the end, it wasn't that many paying attention anymore. I wonder if it is because a lot of people realized it wasn't what they thought it was and just said MEH, whatever.

reply to post by MDDoxs


Not off topic at all. It might help bring some conclusions as well, especially since it wasn't just a one liner. At this point, I believe it was also a conveniant distraction, question is why it was so compelling to work. Was it more of the "kid" angle? If he was 18 and a day old, would it have captured attention as much? Especially the stupid way the media portrayed it, showing the picture of him when he was 12 years old.

reply to post by Stormdancer777


Media is very manipulative, I know they are, and have known for years. Even with that knowledge, I sometimes get sucked right in. That is scary to me. If I can get sucked in, knowing a lot of their tricks like NLP etc, imagine how ignorant people are affected......

I can't help but feel like this was no more than a sporting event and each person was cheering for their side no matter what was said. But personally, I had no dog in the fight and got involved in the trial to see what the fuss was all about. Once involved I had to see it all the way through to see if if the prosecution had such a good case as they had stated.

Peace

reply to post by marg6043


Yeah, and I don't even watch TV! I got sucked right in, here, at a place that used to be about denying ignorance, and in depth stuff. It has turned into nothing more than a MSM cesspool now. The MSM seems to own this place as well.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Seems we have a bit of the same reasoning for having gotten into it in the first place, which is reasonable. But we got stuck in it, we fell for the same thing we are trying to help others see. That was what was really keeping me up thinking. We were duped along with the rest, just for very different reason. Or were they really different reasons?

reply to post by FlyersFan


Distraction and education. Seems like some pretty decent reasons to me.

reply to post by TKDRL


me too, i don't even turn on the TV unless its to use my xbox.

If this trial happened in 07/08 the reactions here would be a hell of a lot different.

reply to post by MountainLaurel


Being native north american, I understand all too much the whole divide and conquer BS going on. In a simplistic view, there are people in power, who a lot are white, that have been committing straight up genocide on my people, and no, not 200 years ago either.

It wasn't until the mid 90's that the last death school was shut down. The people in power, keep stoking the flames, and pointing that fire at white people, to keep the heat off the real problem. Scumbags in power. Yeah they may be white, but they are not doing it because they are white. That doesn't give me a reasonable fear that whitey is out to get me and that I need to hate them all. It is sheer ignorance really, most of the white people I have talked to do not even know, and once they find out are horrified that they didnt't.

They bought into the narrative, bought into stereotypes of the drunk and druggie losers living off the government. They never looked into why that would be, not that it is really an excuse, but damn, a lot of people turn to alcohol and drugs when they can no longer take the abuse, and that is the only escape at their fingertips.

My people's struggles, have left a lot of them with nothing and rage and hatred, which I totally understand. It is just aimed at the wrong group of people. I think that was more what this case was about, keeping the hatred, and the anger aimed at the wrong spot. Keep it aimed locally.

reply to post by Logarock


It just might have had something to do with it. We are taught, no, it is pounded into our head that we are supposed to cower in the corner, and call the police. We cannot do anything for ourselves, we have to let daddy authority handle it all. It's sick, and not a world I buy into. If I am in trouble, I will defend myself. If a neighbor is in trouble, I will be there to defend him or her.