Initially, George Zimmerman was not even arrested. The Sanford, FL police at first deemed the altercation simply a tragic but unavoidable case of self-defense by the hapless loser (of the fight), Zimmerman.

Rich Lowry noted that no one would have cared if Trayvon Martin had been shot by another black teen. The case only attracted attention of the media and "race-baiters" he claims because they bought into the Sharpton narrative that framed the incident as an opportunity to indict America as a racist nation.

Never mind the fact that Zimmerman's mother is Hispanic, or that the evidence showed he fired his weapon only after Martin climbed on top of him, pounding his head into the pavement. The "Zimmerman-haters" didn't care about the facts or justice. "They wanted a racial morality play."

To create one, prosecutors and the media, led by racial publicist par excellence Al Sharpton, tried to turn Trayvon Martin into a saint, says Jeffrey Kuhner. They circulated a photo of him as "an angelic 12-year-old baby-faced boy." They constantly referred to him as that "poor child." But at the time of his death, Kuhner says Trayvon Martin was a "6-foot-3 man-child with a history of drug use, who had been suspended several times from school." If this "wannabe thug" had kept his cool and not tried to beat Zimmerman into a pulp, he'd still be alive today. (Thus, Jeffrey Kuhner.)

Mark O'Mara made the point that Zimmerman was prosecuted only because of political pressure. Did he mention Sharpton by name? (No need to. Sharpton relished his role in rallying the troops.) O'Mara asserted that had Zimmerman been black, he "never would have been charged with a crime."

Trayvon obviously seems to have been a better fighter, although the element of surprise surely helped him. Zimmerman was getting the worst of the altercation, No question. Amber Boyd pointed out that in the police report, it's on the 3rd page, second to last paragraph, it said that Zimmerman kept saying over and over "I kept screaming for help but no one would help." He said that BEFORE he even knew that there was a tape of the cries for help.

Boyd goes on, that it was determined many times, by witnesses, the medical examiner and the gunshot expert that Martin was on top of Zimmerman, and the only injuries he sustained was to his knuckles. No other injuries to Martin. But many injuries to Zimmerman. Why would Martin even be crying for help? His father Tracy Martin said it wasn't his voice --- then later recanted.

As to the "Zimmerman stalking Trayvon" charge, Amber Boyd says, Zimmerman did not "stalk" Trayvon. He was notified earlier that someone matching Trayvon Martin's description had been peeking into windows and he saw him doing the same thing-which is why he notified police right away. The neighborhood had had a string of recent burglaries. Sure enough, Detective Serino testified that there was a piece of awning used as a slimjim in the bushes where Zimmerman had spotted Trayvon.

When he had gotten out of his car to "follow" Martin, Martin had already ran off and left the scene.

George Zimmerman did not have his gun withdrawn when Trayvon apparently attacked from the shadows and tackled him. They said that Martin had hit him at least 25 times. The photographs taken immediately afterward certainly supported this.

Zimmerman screamed for help at least 10 times, Trayvon didn't stop pounding. The witness John Good said he was calling 911, Trayvon still didn't stop,

Jennifer Rubin in WashingtonPost.com said that the Zimmerman case was nothing but a "show trial" to satisfy the race-baiters. She had earlier noted how poorly the prosecution case was going, that in near-comic fashion, one prosecution witness after another confirmed Zimmerman’s version of events, namely that Martin surprised him, pinned Zimmerman to the ground and was delivering a beating when Zimmerman shot Martin in self-defense.

What these conservatives (incl. some of the above) don't admit is the simple fact that the little runt (Georgie) was getting his sorry ass kicked -- badly !!!

Alan Dershowitz

Alan Dershowitz offered an overview of Trayvon's death (and the incident leading up to it) which appeals to me. He said, "It's a horrible tragedy. It reflects the racial divide in our society. There is no reason this young man should have been killed. Mr. Zimmerman may have been morally at fault for racially profiling and following him, but under the law of self defense, if he was on bottom and he was having his head banged against the pavement and was in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily harm, he had the right to respond the way he did."

What about Angela Corey, the prosecutor?

Did she get carried away? Legal analysts have criticized Ms. Corey (and the prosecution) for over-charging Zimmerman, claiming that the probable cause affidavit does not support a charge of second-degree murder. Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz claims that the probable cause affidavit may be perjurious if Special Prosecutor Angela Corey knowingly omitted facts favorable to Zimmerman's self-defense claims.

Apparently, she falsified an arrest warrant. That is not only morally wrong but also illegal.

Alan Dershowitz said the acquittal of Zimmerman was totally justified from a legal standpoint. (Reasonable doubt.) Worse, the prosecutors themselves suppressed evidence that would have gotten the whole thing thrown out of court.

However, the death of Trayvon was absolutely tragic. Dershowitz was careful to add that the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin exposes a need to reform Florida laws.

He believes the Stand Your Ground law should be changed because it "elevates macho over the need to preserve life."

He also stated that racial profiling “has to be addressed.”

“I think these vigilante community groups have to be disarmed,” he said. “I don’t think Zimmerman should have been allowed to have a gun.

“He should have been walking around with a walkie-talkie and calling the police,” he said. “It’s the job of the police to investigate and apprehend suspects based on their professional training.”

“It’s the job of the police to investigate and apprehend suspects based on their professional training.”

Although I am liberal myself, it seems strange, a state (Florida) that helped give Obama his landslide. Now is this how we blame all Florida? TEACH WHITEY A LESSON.

President Obama calls for Calm Reflection

When some Trayvon supporters called for burning Florida to the ground, President Obama seemed to say just the reverse, calling for "calm reflection." We are a nation of laws, he said. We respect due process, we respect the jury verdict. After all, "beyond reasonable doubt" is very difficult to prove.

Sharpton, the race baiter?

Sharpton gets branded all sorts of names, and most of them may have some element or grain of truth. But there's the rub. His critics call him a race-baiter, a race-hustler, they say his rhetoric is incendiary, or inflammatory, or that he preaches reverse racism. They say he is a demagogue. I saw one comment that he preaches hate in the name of love.

The problem is, in politics, sometimes somebody has to be BLUNT. Is that incendiary? Or "hardball" -- brass knuckles? Hey, occasionally the truth hurts. I am not excusing it. But haven't we all done it some time? I sure have. Sometimes you get a bit "in your face" (I sure have). I prefer tactfulness. Even President Obama has asked us to be more civil in our rhetoric, and less name-calling.

Reverend Al Sharpton has rallied the black community (and liberal allies) both now and in the past. They have in fact looked to the Reverend to highlight an injustice but the greater issue, to me, is the overall picture of white against non-white discrimination, and yes, prejudice. Like Obama, I realize we must not exaggerate it. Still, it is also wrong to cavalierly ignore it, or pooh pooh the pain felt by those who are victims of it. It is wrong to dismiss it.

if you haven't played a you.tube of Mr. Obama's unexpected IMPROMPTU remarks (without notes) the Friday following the Zimmerman acquital, They are very much worth the listen. His tone was subdued, heartfelt, and he spoke very personally, very sincerely.

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America's Tragic Racial Past Continues to Haunt Us Today

The annual income of African Americans who are employed in full-time jobs amounts to about 60 percent of that of whites. The black unemployment rate is nearly double that of the whole nation. One third of blacks are poor, compared with just over 10 percent of whites. One half of all black children live in poverty. The infant mortality rate for blacks is more than double that of whites. The proportion of black male high school graduates who go on to college is lower today than in 1975. More young black males are in prison than in college. Homicide is the leading cause of death for black males between the ages of fifteen and thirty-four. Black communities are 20% to 35% LESS likely to trust the police than the rest of us, and this gap is not diminishing, nor is it going away. Although African Americans make up 12 percent of the population, they, account for more than 35 percent of all AIDS cases. The life expectancy of black men is sixty-five years, a rate lower than any other group in America and comparable to that of some Third World countries. Nearly 50 percent of all African American families are headed by single women. More than 65 percent of black children born each year are illegitimate. Where have all the Black Men gone? Shahrazad Ali urges strong familes

#BlackLivesMatter

America's Racial History Continues to Haunt Us Still

The larger societal questions

Behind the Trayvon Martin & George Zimmerman altercation

By Robert Shepherd. I am convinced that race has everything to do with the tragic altercation that happened in Sanford that rainy night. Race has everything to do with the disparity between white and black in dozens of ways, ranging from education to opportunity to chances for getting ahead. If Trayvon reacted with rage at the flippin cracker dogging him and assuming he was up to no good, the reason has everything to do with race.

If Trayvon was indeed the prowler who had been breaking into the apartments whose former tenants had vacated them, leaving unwanted belongings for the taking, what real harm was there in burgling a few such vacated residences as long as no one cared. Technically it may have been illegal (breaking and entering), but contrast this harmless larceny with the deadliness of George Zimmerman, the wannabe cop with no training, a little runt of a fellow with no fighting ability.

If there were better schools and an abundance of employment opportunity for blacks as well as whites, would there be such crime in the urban areas? Of course not. Mayor Michael Nutter, an African American, asks, "Why is it that African-American males are so disproportionately both the victims and perpetrators of gun violence?"

Again, race has everything to do with it.

A generation ago, Rev. Jesse Jackson exhorted the black community to teach our young people solid values and personal responsibility. He told how when walking down an urban sidewalk at night, and sensing a male following him, how relieved he would be to turn and realize the male was a white kid, rather than a black one.

Now, time and again, President Obama has used his "bully pulpit" to preach a similar message. We are sometimes our own worst enemy. We had better look in the mirror. Boys need their dads, and communities need their role models.

As I see it, the problem is both attitudes of black youth toward themselves (confidence versus despair) as well as the corresponding WHITE attitudes toward black males in particular (reinforcing the black self-image). In a nation where historically the attitudes concerning blacks have been perverted by false stereotypes, for example, the "bete noir" image of the black male -- how could we expect otherwise than an image of "bad boyz" or "dangerous animals" in the public consciousness.

The roots of the white paranoia (of the black male) run deep. Donald G. Mathews refers to the days of slavery, and white fears of superlative black powers in the sexual realm. "The whites' belief that blacks' sexuality was far greater than their own and that the license of such libidinous creatures had to be controlled." See More