Just In Case George Zimmerman Walks Free... by Russell Simmons

[cali]

Like so many people across the country, I have followed the murder trial of George Zimmerman very closely. As we enter what is probably the last week of the trial, I am sure that everyone is anxious about the outcome. For the past sixteen months, I have proudly supported the courageous parents of Trayvon Martin as they have fought for justice for their son. I have greatly admired the grace and humility that they have exuded throughout this entire tragic ordeal. For them, the day of judgement in the courtroom will be a very difficult day and I certainly will say a prayer for them when that day comes.

Even with this important day coming soon, I remind myself that we have already accomplished a tremendous amount in the memory of Trayvon. All we ever asked for was for equal justice for the young man who was killed that drizzling night in Sanford, Florida. If George Zimmerman had rights, so did Trayvon Martin. And that is why Mr. Zimmerman was properly arrested and charged with murder in the second degree. He will soon be judged by a jury of his peers, and that is the best we can do. Whatever decision they make, is a decision that we must live with, whether we like it or not. Whether George Zimmerman is found innocent or guilty by the jury, I am firm believer that all of us live by karmic law, and he will ultimately be punished for the death of Trayvon, no matter what. However, if he walks free out of that courtroom, I understand that some people will be very sad, but we must remember the mission we are on. As I have heard Trayvon's parents say time and time again, they are not only fighting for justice for their son, they are fighting for all of us, especially those parents who have to live through the misery of burying their child and the sadness that comes after.

Their inspiring leadership has already led to action. In 2012, for the first time in 8 years, not ONE state in our nation passed a new "Stand Your Ground" law. The power of the NRA and their gun-toting cronies in business were stopped in their tracks by the Justice For Trayvon Martin movement. That is an incredible accomplishment. That is the mission we must continue after this trial is over. Led by the heroism of Trayvon's parents, we will support their efforts to not only block new laws from being enacted, but also repeal the laws in the twenty five states who already passed "Stand Your Ground" type legislation. And we will certainly support their healing process, as they have become great protectors of our nation's compassion. It is the future that needs to be protected and everyone who stood up for Trayvon plays a part in that protection. If we failed to protect Trayvon on February 26, 2012, we will pledge to never make that mistake again.

Read more: http://globalgrind.com/news/just-in-case-george-zimmerman-walks-free-russell-simmons-blog#ixzz2Ya326oKv

[NoOneMan]

1. "all of us live by karmic law, and he will ultimately be punished"

Has Bush been struck by lightening yet?

[Politicalboi]

3. OJ still lives

Granted he fucked up again and is in jail, but otherwise he would be free. Casey Anthony another murderer who walked free. I don't think karma is enough in these cases. Any mother who would leave a 2 year old at the top of the stairs to wait for the "nanny" speaks volumes to me. But to each his own I guess. She lied more than OJ or GZ and she still walked.

[NoOneMan]

4. People have to believe this because they are afraid of the alternative

But that alternative is the reality I deal with daily.

[Scootaloo]

5. That one stuck in my craw too

He believes in karmic law?

Okay, what did Trayvon do to piss off karma so much that a deranged hillbilly decided to use his chest as a bullet repository?

This article is pabulum, a writer patting themselves on the back about how fair-minded they are and trying to convince themselves and others that no matter the outcome, it'll be A Good Thing™

[russspeakeasy]

9. 100 %

[Demo_Chris]

22. this. nt

[JaneyVee]

39. Trayvon had a 3.7 gpa and was headed to college. Think again.

[Scootaloo]

41. That hidden post is despicable and didn't deserve even this much of a response

"It's his fault for not running away" are you fucking kidding me?!

[NoGOPZone]

42. and there's a couple more from that one in this thread that aren't hidden as of yet

if ever a PPR was deserved for one post that was it.

[naaman fletcher]

57. This was alerted

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Tue Jul 9, 2013, 08:45 PM, and the Jury voted 1-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Just because this is the OP's first post does not mean he/she is a troll.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: How is asking for proof of a claim being a troll? Alerter should be banned for a month for wasting our time.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT and said: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Another useless alert.

[hrmjustin]

58. I alerted on his third post which is below.

[hrmjustin]

59. He is gone!

[naaman fletcher]

60. yeah

looks like he was just a troll

[uppityperson]

67. Thank you MIRT.

[Cirque du So-What]

62. Juror #2 is a real prize, isn't he?

Nobody is forcing you to 'waste your time' serving on a jury, yunno. (S)he would ban the alerter for a month, yet give a just-banned troll a pass. All except #4 are doing it wrong.

[madashelltoo]

6. Nope. But I wouldn't volunteer to be near him.

[Ilsa]

61. Yeah, I know. That old fucker Dick Cheney

even got a new heart.

Still waiting. Tick-Tock.

[SomethingFishy]

2. Glad to see this as I am worried about the outcome...

and the aftermath...

[ieoeja]

11. I'm not worried about the aftermath. Even if he is jailed, I doubt gunners and racists will go ...

... on a murderous rampage this time. This is a different era and with too many people looking on. They can't just massacre the whole African-American population in Sanford with nobody paying attention as has happened far too many times in the past.

[Maximumnegro]

17. LOL you could say the same about women and rape and

abortion. But Todd Akin and the wing nuts make it clear that it isn't a 'different era'. If they believe 'women have ways of shutting these things down' you best believe they think the only good n*gga is a dead n*gga. THEY DON'T CARE who's looking. Look at Texas. THEY DON'T CARE. Look at Zimmerman with his pathological stares and sociopathic behavior that gets neo-nazis driving to Sanford to defend against the coming 'race war'. THEY DON'T CARE. If anything they have made it clear that they WANT a confrontation, they want conflict.

'different era'. that's hilarious.

[SomethingFishy]

25. No they'll just feel free to shoot any African-American walking down the street

wearing a fucking hoodie. In whatever fucking city they want.

I mean really, there is nothing at all to be concerned about, it's not like letting this asshole walk would set a precedent or anything.

[friendlyFRIEND]

40. nonsense

this is no precedent, self defense cases are heard every week throughout America.

You don't like the possible verdict? Then work to change the laws. Where I live in SoCal there is very little if any legal carry of firearms so there is little chance of something like this happening.

Most everyone here feels that Z did something REALLy fucking wrong. But the question will remain, was it LEGAL?

[KamaAina]

7. I love Russell Simmons, but this is pretty weak

However, if he walks free out of that courtroom, I understand that some people will be very sad

"Very sad"? Like the people in L.A. were "very sad" that the cops who beat Rodney King walked?

[bunnies]

31. Yeah. That line struck me too.

"very sad". What a joke.

[cigsandcoffee]

8. Def Jam Records promotes a gun/gangster culture that's even more reckless than the NRA. n/t

[ieoeja]

10. We have achieved the point where DUers don't even try to conceal their racism, I see. n/t

[Maximumnegro]

18. Yep!

[etherealtruth]

29. They don't feel the need to

There is no point alerting on racist posts, either ...apparently only the use of racial epithets rise to the level of hideworthy

[lbrtbell]

33. What's racist about stating facts?

Record labels are part of the problem, promoting misogynist and thug culture to youth. Robin Thicke is as misogynist and objectifying as anything, and he's about as white as the background of this page.

And if you honestly think a lot of African-Americans aren't seriously considering rioting and looting if Zimmerman is acquitted, you need to read Twitter more. A lot more.

[Hugabear]

37. Yup, here's another one

African Americans are just itching to riot and loot, aren't they.

[Number23]

65. Wow.

[NoGOPZone]

34. Never been more obvious than during this trial nt

[Starry Messenger]

36. No one is stopping them, unfortunately.

I hope there is a blizzard of bannings after this trial.

[Scootaloo]

44. Actually on some levels I would agree

"Gangsta rap" promotes a black culture of guns, violence, misogyny, and greed. It portrays one kind of woman - the bitch - and two kinds of men - thugs (good!) and bitches (bad!) It's a paean to bring a crook, and sells the notion that "fat stacks" are the sole key to success.

Interestingly the primary consumers of gangsta rap? White men between the ages of 16 and 30.

Gangsta rap is simply an audio minstrel show, entertainers inflating black stereotypes for the consumption of a white audience, that then takes these portrayals as fact, presuming the minstrel show depicts realities of black life. No different in 2013 than it was in 1913.

of course the primarily-white audience of this genre has made it "mainstream" (in music, that's what 'mainstream' means, popular among white middle-class audiences) and so gangsta rap and it's increasingly-shitty derivatives dominate the hip-hip charts, fill the popular culture, and end up seducing some in the black audience into believing that this is what it's all about; they internalize the same racist bullshit tropes - the savage brute, the black-as-criminal, the hypersexualized black woman - and imagine it to be reality, creating a messy-ass feedback loop.

However, while I think that gangsta rap is a culturally-damaging phenomenon for all races involved, I don't think it can be classed up there with the fucking National Rifle Association. The record labels are putting our socially-dulling garbage, but they're not lobbying government for increased access to firearms and decreased regulations on using them.

Nor does Def Jams Records have a single fucking thing to do with Trayvon Martin or the trial of the cretin who killed him.

[galileoreloaded]

47. quite the stretch. in fact thats what I shall call you from now on, "stretch". nt

[Maximumnegro]

13. That's a load of shit

especially as the 'gun/gangster' culture is most devastating within the black/minority communities - something which the media and entertainment industry has been ALL too willing to promote. The NRA is national (international actually) in its reach and political clout. Can DefJam get Congress to buckle? Can Russell Simmons threaten a politician's chances of re-election?

Ninja please...

[bunnies]

30. Thank you.

Well said.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. It will be messed up beyond comprehension if Zimmerman walks,

How do you make the incomprehensible comprehensible?

[Avalux]

15. By convincing a jury that a 'scream' came from the guy with the gun.

Thereby, making him the victim.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

19. I made a thread about two weeks ago that I wasn't going to allow myself

I made a thread about two weeks ago that I wasn't going to allow myself to get too emotionally invested in this case but if Zimmerman walks I'm still going to feel bad for the Martins.

[Avalux]

20. As a mother, it's hard for me to not get emotional about it.

It's just heartbreaking how the defense has put Trayvon on trial, made him the bad guy, and the prosecution has allowed it to happen.

[yardwork]

21. As a mother I feel the same way.

[southernyankeebelle]

14. Sadly the young man on trial has been Trayvon. As a mother my heart goes out

to the Martin family. I don't think they will get the justice they are seeking. Bottom line for me was Zimmerman was the aggressor who should of never gotten out of the car. Nothing would have happened if he had listen to the 911 operator. Zimmerman judged him because of his color. I have a terrible feeling he will walk. He will get away with murder but he will have to meet his maker some day and live with what he did.

[lunatica]

23. Actually I heard lawyers on the Rachel Maddow show say he will get Manslaughter no matter what

The prosecution is going for Murder 2 trying to prove he had a depraved mind but he will get Manslaughter because he did kill Trayvon He's admitted to it already.

[southernyankeebelle]

24. Do you think he will go to jail? Or maybe time served will get him off.

[JimDandy]

49. I've read many posts that point out

manslaughter has a mandatory sentence of 25 years when the victim is a minor like Trayvon.

[southernyankeebelle]

66. Istill have a feeling this murder will walk. I hope am wrong. I can't help the feeling.

[Blue Bike]

16. Even if he walks, he will go to hell

If he is guilty.

[HipChick]

26. Whether in jail or not

He will spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder

[bunnies]

28. yep.

He'll never be a free man. Exactly what I was going to say.

[virgogal]

53. What exactly are you saying here? OJ seems to be still alive and also Casey Anthony.

If every time some one is acquitted is someone else going to get even,or even go so far as killing them?

[kwassa]

63. OJ is in jail. Has been, and will be, for awhile.

[HockeyMom]

27. Besides justice for Trayon Martin,

my wish is that George Zimmerman will never be able to do this again to any other mother's son. I believe the only way for that is for his being in prison, or at the very least, that he is never allowed to own a gun ever again in his life.

[JimDandy]

43. Hope you feel a shit load

of contempt for George Zimmerman, then, who, as an adult, was arrested and charged with 2 felonies, (one of those felonies was for assaulting a police officer!), had a restraining order filed (and granted) against him by his ex-fiance, sexually molested his cousin, and was fired from his job as a bouncer for being overly aggressive and injuring a woman on the job. So Trayvon's murder was already his second arrest and third felony!

And get ready for almost certain jail time for him, for lying by omission to this same court about his finances in his bond hearing, in an effort to defraud the county (and bail company?) out of sufficient security to ensure his return to court, and for possessing a second valid passport that he instructed his wife to hide from the court.

ETA 2: Good , that sick post got hidden, so fixing mine and going to go calm down and get happy hugs from my grandson.

[Avalux]

45. Holy shit what the hell is wrong with you?

A mother has lost her son, yet all you can do is have contempt for her? You have a hollow soul.

[uppityperson]

46. What the fuck. You feel nothing but contempt for a mother whose son was shot dead. SHAME on you.

[dionysus]

51. wow, you're on a (t)roll here! keep digging!

[Hugabear]

56. WTF, two jury members voted to allow the troll's post

That was a truly hideous post, basically saying Trayvon was going to get it sooner or later, yet 2 jury members thought it was just fine.

[dionysus]

64. thank the new DU huh... mods would have hid that shit in 2 seconds.

[friendlyFRIEND]

38. much respect to RS...

but why the focus on SYG? SYG wasn't used as a defense in this case.

Maybe tighter restrictions on legal carry or a change in self defense law??

[HockeyMom]

48. Legal Carry?

1. Restraining Order for Domestic Violence - Dropped
2. Assault on Female Bar Patron - Dropped
3. Assault on Police Officer - Dropped

Begs the question why all these charges dropped? Who did he know? Oh, never mind, I think we know that one. If any of these charges had held, he would not have been able to carry, or own, a gun.

[DirkGently]

52. Good stuff. But he should note this isn't "Stand Your Ground."

It'd be great to get some traction on repealing Stand Your Ground laws -- it's a terrible, ALEC / NRA monstrosity.

But Zimmerman is going to get whatever he gets without Stand Your Ground -- he's arguing plain self-defense. With a legally carried gun. Which is the real problem.

What I think gets missed there is this is an example of the NRA notion of "armed citizenry" under very ordinary laws.

The offensive thing to me about the situation is that this is EXACTLY what I think the very worst people who want to be armed all the time anticipate. *Some* people would like nothing more than to roam the streets, accosting anyone they deem undesirable or "suspicious," confident if anything goes sideways, they can kill in an instant.