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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy George Zimmerman Was Arrested Immediately When He Abused A White Woman
Since George Zimmermans recent arrest and arraignment on charges of aggravated assault, battery and criminal mischief all I have thought about is how different this outcome is than when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin.
Dont get me wrong I am glad he was arrested on these charges; domestic violence should never be ignored, but it makes you wonder. Why is it that it took six weeks for Zimmerman to be arrested when he shot and killed an unarmed black male, but is immediately arrested on far less serious charges when the crime is perpetrated against a white female?
The answer sadly is that even now, in 2013, the life of a white woman is still worth more than that of a black males.
Full disclosure; I am a white female, but I am also the wife of an African American man and the mother of a biracial child. When I first heard about Trayvon Martin being killed it made me worry about my son. He fit the general description of Martin; he was 17, large and tall, darker skinned, and often wore a hoodie. Apparently fitting this description makes you a threatening individual that one must use deadly force against. Then when Zimmerman was acquitted it felt like open season had been declared on African American males.
Read more:
http://politicalblindspot.com/why-george-zimmerman-was-arrested-immediately-when-he-abused-a-white-woman/
napkinz
(17,199 posts)brer cat
(24,402 posts)"the life of a white woman is still worth more than that of a black males."
Unfortunately, I believe that for some people, she is right. It is sad and infuriating that value of life could in any way be based on skin color.
louis-t
(23,199 posts)Zimmerman was arrested because his victim was still alive and called police. The police got to her house and found him barricaded inside. There was no 'stand your ground' defense to hide behind.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)Although I didn't write the opinion piece.
Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)That police are less likely to arrest someone with a dead body in front of them?
That doesn't make much sense. That the victim could speak in this second case could just as easily be construed that nothing wrong was done.
Incitatus
(5,317 posts)first. Shortly after that, the cops let themselves into her house.
JI7
(89,182 posts)or even a white male.
Heather MC
(8,084 posts)Number23
(24,544 posts)The "victim was still alive" group appear to have forgotten that.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)I think part of the reason he killed Trayvon was so that his story would not be challenged, and had a etter chance of getting away with it.
BlueToTheBone
(3,747 posts)and they couldn't ignore it again.
But it may be just blatant racism. There is no shortage of that in our country.
Lochloosa
(16,019 posts)If one person show any signs of injury, male or female, someone is going to jail.
There is no grey area here.
Boom Sound 416
(4,185 posts)Whatever the race in this situation and how the events unfolded. He was going to directly to jail.
And the cops are not interested in answering questions as to why they didn't arrest him.
Furthermore, isn't he out?
And lastly,
He's not white. Which is requisite to the entire premise, because no one would write a story like this about any race but a white perp. And the author frames it as such. But just because that's the narrative, he doesn't get some sort of free pass, not that really anyone does based solely on race.
Cha
(295,926 posts)from your link, Cali Dem..
"Perhaps the best place to view the difference of coverage is Fox News. When Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin, according to Fox News it was because he was a dangerous thug. Geraldo Rivera said that the hoodie was as much responsible for the death of Trayvon Martin as George Zimmerman was. But now that Zimmerman has been arrested for domestic violence against a white women he says Zimmerman is a borderline psychotic. Rivera goes on to list Zimmermans brushes with the law, conveniently leaving the killing of Martin off the list. So killing a young black male is understandable because Martin was dressed like a dangerous thug, but the assault on a white woman turns Zimmerman into a dangerous criminal."
Thank you for the OP~