Spike Lee Adds Unnecessary Negativity to the Travyon Martin Case

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Everyone seems to have an opinion on the Trayvon Martin tragedy, and most of those opinions are against George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman who fatally shot Martin (for more on the story, check our previous post).  Some are taking these sentiments a step further, though – and I do not just mean setting up and/or attending memorials for the slain teenager.

At some point, an individual named Marcus Davonne Higgins tweeted what he believed to be the home address of George Zimmerman.  He tweeted the address at a number of celebrities ranging from Lebron James to Will Smith, and the only one who responded with a retweet was outspoken director Spike Lee – who boasts about a quarter of a million followers.  Reaching the masses through Spike’s tweet, the address went viral.

With actions such as this, there is no real “best-case scenario.”  If you want my personal opinion, I believe Zimmerman is absolutely guilty and needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, and that the Martin family deserves justice.  But this is not seeking justice, this is inciting an angry mob, which could only lead to more violence, and with that more arrests.

And here’s the kicker: the address was not even correct!  It was once the address of a different George Zimmerman, one who once lived there with his parents who still reside in the Florida residence.  Since going viral, Elaine (70 years old) and David McClain (72 years old) have been living in fear as they have received numerous threats of violence against them.  Elaine, who has a heart condition, and her husband are now living in a hotel to avoid potential harm.

Stories like these are a firm reminder that Twitter has become a powerful tool of mass communication, especially for the higher-ups in the world.  When a person in a position of power (i.e. a celebrity) makes such a bold tweet, they must have more foresight about what they are actually doing.  Not only has an innocent, elderly couple been falsely targeted with violence and death threats, but even if the address was correct, much more harm could have been done than good.

-The Cranky PaNda

Travyon Martin Shooting – Taking A “Closure” Look

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As I am sure many of you have heard, Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old (black male) was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, in Florida.  Numerous protests were held last week including one in Union Square, New York calling for the arrest of George Zimmerman.   Minutes before the shooting, Zimmerman was heard mumbling racial slurs while on the phone with a 9-1-1 dispatcher who authoritatively told Zimmerman to stop pursuing the “suspect.”   However, it has been noted that Zimmerman continued his pursuit, which led to an altercation and then ultimately to the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

The first issue with this case: Zimmerman is a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH VOLUNTEER, so does that give him the authority to follow and shot unarmed civilians?!?  I would like to emphasize the word “WATCH,” meaning you simply watch and call 9-1-1 if you see suspicious activity.  Next, I would also like to place emphasis on the word “VOLUNTEER,” meaning that this is not his regular job.  As far as the public knows, Zimmerman may or may not have even been coached ahead of time on how to react to certain situations, which led to him ultimately following and harassing Travyon Martin without any right or authority.

Many questions have arisen out of this case:

1. Was this a hate crime?

2. Has America really changed or is race still a major factor in this country?

As sad as this may sound, many Americans are still very ignorant and uneducated.  Just google Neo-nazis and/or KKK and you will see that these groups still have a strong presence in America.  Hate is taught and as a result, uneducated people carry this hate around, which has been passed down from the earlier generations and take it out on the world.  This kind of hate results in hate crimes – act first, then think later!

Zimmerman’s attorney has stated that his client acted in self defense.  Well I must say, after following this case, the facts do not lie.  Zimmerman acted out of his own prejudices, but now wishes that he could take it back and not face the responsibilities of his own actions.  But, will the facts be enough to convict Zimmerman, or will the facts be hidden and ignored to cover up the ugly, inconvenient truth – that issues of race in America still exist!

-Cranky 007