In a Last Word web exclusive, Mark Thompson from Sirius/XM radio's Make it Plain explains both the similarities and differences between the Trayvon Martin case and the recent shooting of 16 Afghanistan civilians by a U.S. soldier.
At this hour, George Zimmerman is not charged with any crime. Meanwhile, Afghanistan shooting suspect, Robert Bales was swiftly brought into custody. Mark said the difference in action shows institutional racism is not only still practiced in the U.S., but accepted.
"By not arresting Zimmerman, and every day that goes by that they don’t do that, really lends credence to the belief, and really to the fact in many ways, that not only do we still have institutional racism here, but they are somehow thinking this is okay and no big deal,” said Thompson.
Thompson went on to explain how this has a detrimental effect on the African American community. "Many African Americans are still very, very concerned about the value of their lives and if this is not addressed swiftly and directly then that concern will remain."
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It's damn well about time that this murder is fully investigated, and it's way past the time to lock up Zimmerman for this racially motivated killing. If the deceased had been white and his killer had been black, brown, yellow, or red, and with a history of violence in his past, he would have been jailed ten minutes after the incident. When will the racism, especially in the good old South, and more especially in the biased state of Florida end???
I'm a white grandmother who was a college student in the 60's. Some would judge that I was a hippie. Not all of us smoked weed and listened to "whatever" music. Some of us acted the part of the patriot in bringing about positive change in America. When I saw the face of Treyvon, I saw the face of my sons when they were young. I saw the face of my sixteen-year-old grandson, and it causes me to grieve bitterly and thoroughly from my toes. I causes me to want to go screaming into the face of the NRA, the Tea Party, and all those who want to destroy civility and equality.
It was civil disobedience motivated by a need for justice and equality that is guaranteed by our US Constitution and our Creator that brought about civil rights and equality for all in the modern era. I helped, in a very small way, for our generation to bring that about. But, today's civil disobedience motivated by hatred and racism is not going to push back the clock. This year I've watched a tea party father -- with his son in his arms, kick a crippled man to the ground, heard "them" applaud when it was suggested that the sick should die rather than have medical care -- all while carrying the American flag and screaming the word "patriot" in our faces. I was forwarded an email that "showed" a gold curtain in the White House and declared that Obama had removed all the American flags! I'm certain Mr. Zimmerman considered, in his convoluted rationale, that he was acting the patriot in "protecting" his neighborhood -- against whom? A child?
This is an extension of the hatred that suggests President Obama is less than an American, not a patriot. I've heard people accentuate his middle name, not realizing that there are probably thousands of kindergarten boys in America's public schools with that same name, learning that they are not "worthy" Americans because what they proudly thought was a strong and good name in the family is not good enough for the Christian bigots who do not love or understand them, and worse yet, DO NOT CARE!
Heavenly Father, please tell Treyvon that there are white people in America who loved him, who wanted him to thrive and find his place at the American table of opportunity, spiritual fulfillment, and family bliss. I want the Treyvons to be free to walk down the street eating Skittles while talking to girls on their phones -- without being stalked.
I can't be the only white grandmother and retired teacher who is devastated by this murder. and It seems to happen over and over. This is not the first, and probably not the last. It is NOT AMERICAN to shoot children who, we think, don't look like us. HELLO. They do look like us! We people are all one and the same. We do not separate the goldfish from one another; they are all goldfish. We don't ask some goldfish not to eat as much as the others we judge to be more "deserving". TO DO SO IS NOT AMERICAN. IT IS NOT WHO WE ARE. God save us from ourselves!
Justice Department, please do your job. Turn this thing around.