Trayvon, We Hardly Knew Ye

It's been a long time that the airwaves have committed to showing a trial, but for the past few weeks MSNBC (and others) have been showing and commenting on the George Zimmerman trial in Florida.  The Prosecution had their closing arguments yesterday and today the Defense team get their chance.  The Prosecution gets the final word in the closing rebuttal statements. 

For those of you who may know nothing of this case, a 17 year old black teen was walking through a perfectly manicured neighborhood in Sanford, Florida. George Zimmerman had taken it upon himself after recent crimes to create a neighborhood watch.  He was on "duty" as a citizen, armed with a loaded gun in his back holster, and found a black youth in a hoodie walking in his neighborhood.  George found Trayvon suspicious and followed him.  He called the cops and the dispatcher told him not to follow Trayvon, but he didn't listen.  What ensued exactly we will never know but what resulted...Trayvon shot in the chest and killed at the young age of 17. George Zimmerman has said that he acted in self-defense.  George Zimmerman packing a loaded gun proves again, no good can come of it.  This is a bare bones summary of the events.

Before the jury gets the case and comes back with a verdict, I want to say that under no uncertain terms do I think George Zimmerman is not guilty.  Whether or not it's manslaughter or Murder 2 makes no difference to me.  Granted, as a non-jury member and watching it on TV, I am privy to far more information and discussion than a juror will have while deliberating.  BUT there is no way that George Zimmerman isn't guilty.  If you carry a gun, disobey the police's instructions, follow a person that looks "suspicious" because he is black, and the end result is death...you went looking for trouble.  No chance if Trayvon looked like Justin Bieber would this whole incident have occurred.  You cannot take the importance of skin color out of this case.  

It pains me that the possibility of a Not Guilty verdict could even be mentioned, but after the OJ Simpson trial in 1994...anything is possible.  That the Supreme Court can for one second think that racism is dead in this country is proven over and over, day in and day out, year after year.  You can watch Big Brother on CBS and hear the heinous statements of the contestants on that show.  You can go see the film Fruitvale Station opening today. And if you are a person of color, you can experience it everyday for yourself.  It's us, the white folk, that are so misinformed, delusional, or in denial that anything has changed.  Since the election of President Obama, the inexplicable and palpable racist fears have overtaken this country.  It's having a Supreme Court Justice like Clarence Thomas that has not helped anyone and especially people of color.  He has consistently voted against any ruling that would help minorities.  But I digress....

God help the people of Sanford, Florida, if the jury doesn't convict George Zimmerman.  It would be a huge miscarriage of justice and another serious blight to the justice system and the people of the United States of America.