Trayvon's murder was a modern-day lynching.

[Behind the Aegis]

26. I don't believe it was. I think this was plain ol' fashioned racism.

When I think of lynchings, modern day or prior, I think more of a "seeking out" a "undesierable" to punish. James Byrd, Jr. would, IMO, be an example of a modern day lynching. Both are examples of hate crimes to the extreme, but for very different reasons. Some people look at a black face (or Latino/Hispanic, sometimes Asian) and they see an "intruder," therefore they are out of place and up to no good. That's hardcore racism. However, said may or may not act on the situation. Modern Lynchings, the bigots seek out a victim or sometime stumble upon one, and it's pretty much written how it will end for the minority person. The lynchers, no matter their methods, are spilling out their hate onto one (sometimes a small group), but it is intended to carry a larger message: your kind will never be safe!

Whenever things like this happen, of course the community affected will be terrorized. Why wouldn't they be? We already have "driving while black," "shopping while black" and now, "walking down the street while black." It is really pathetic and gut-wrenching.