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Zimmerman Trial Shows Trayvon Martin May Not Be Only Black Fatality

George Zimmerman is guilty.

George Zimmerman is guilty of profiling Trayvon Martin while acting as a neighborhood watchman.

George Zimmerman is guilty of saying Trayvon Martin “looks black”, when asked about Martin’s ethnicity.

George Zimmerman is guilty of following Trayvon Martin, leading to a confrontation.

George Zimmerman is guilty of shooting an unarmed Trayvon Martin to death…..

And none of these things are crimes in the State of Florida, unless prosecutors can refute Zimmerman’s self-defense assertion. That appears unlikely after the trial’s first five days.

The prosecution put on: a star witness who struggles with the truth; an eyewitness who said Martin did an MMA-style “ground-and-pound” on Zimmerman, and that Zimmerman screamed for help; and a witness who photographed Zimmerman’s injuries, and heard Zimmerman claim self-defense. At some point, the prosecution might wish to start eliminating reasonable doubt, instead of creating absolute doubt that Zimmerman is guilty of anything apart from weight gain.

However, the real story of the trial is the black reaction to it, for that may signal the decline of blacks as an American political demographic. Simply put, blacks are losing political and social respect – not because of what comes upon them, but for what emerges from them, which is clearly demonstrated by the Trayvon Martin ordeal.

Blacks, who owe their political standing to overcoming race-based injustice, are showing themselves racist. From the outset, blacks called the shooting a white-on-black crime, and, apparently, many still do, though Zimmerman’s parents are Jewish (father) and Cuban (mother).

(According to Jewish tradition dating to the 2nd century, and US Census bureau policy, maternity determines a child’s race. George Zimmerman is Cuban, not white. The same tradition and policy makes Barack Obama just another white man in the White House.)

The New Black Panther Party wanted whites killed in response to Martin’s death and placed a bounty on Zimmerman. The Martin family said they did not “condone those people”…which differs from the condemnation that should have (but did not) come from them and all people of good faith.

Spike Lee tweeted what he thought was Zimmerman’s address, telling followers, “feel free to reach out and touch him”. Lee later apologized and paid the couple he put at risk. Again, blacks were silent.

Had the Ku Klux Klan advocated killing blacks or placed a bounty on anyone, or had a minor white celebrity threatened an elderly black couple, black outrage, and that of most other Americans, would have come swiftly…because such things are wrong.

The black non-reaction to these things, including ignoring and excusing racist comments from Trayvon Martin the night he died, shows that blacks, who once rose in opposition to slurs and injustices cast upon them, now sit in acceptance of their own casting slurs and committing injustices…and the nation notices this.

Trayvon Martin died during an election year, which likely prompted the incumbent president to seek connection with blacks during the re-elect campaign:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt_g5JPdP8Y[/youtube]

Now, blacks supporting Obama at 96% in 2008 is understandable. But, since then, world economists recognize America’s decline under Obama, and the American middle class, for which Obama claims to fight, lead the downward spiral. Yet hardest hit are America’s blacks. High unemployment, diminished net worth, a worsening racial climate, etc. make being black in America tougher under Obama.

However, instead of punishing Obama in 2012, blacks gave him 93% of their votes. Obama also got a pass for showing greater concern for issues affecting hispanic and homosexual communities than for those impacting blacks. Indeed, blacks scarcely criticize Obama, and quickly label anyone who does.

So, blacks look like an abused woman who, despite her split lip and blackened eyes, defends the guy who beats her as “good”. Thoughtful people will conclude there is no reasoning with the woman, leaving her to the insanity. They are reaching a similar conclusion about black political and social reasoning.

Non-blacks see Detroit and other cities under long-term Democrat Party rule, so financially corrupt as to have emergency managers or be in receivership. They see Chicago, where Democrat rule contributes to “open season” on blacks, despite the nation’s toughest gun laws. They see Los Angeles, where long-term Democrat control brought that city near bankruptcy with schools that graduate only 2/3 of students. They see a welfare state, begun in 1965, that has lowered black marriage rates, sent illegitimacy rates soaring, and helped blacks, though under 13% of the US population, account for 30% of US abortions.

Despite this and more, they see the self-destructive thoughtlessness of blacks continuing to vote for liberals and their policies. When they seek to engage blacks on this, they are labeled racists or sell-outs, which ends meaningful dialogue.

Blacks once boasted the “moral leader” of the nation. But now: they support a president who fails them, is disrespected abroad and is a scandal factory at home; they elect blacks to Congress who are impotent; they elect a disproportionate number of corrupt black officeholders. And blacks, who once excoriated all racists everywhere, now excuse blacks offering racist testimony in court.

If the nation sees blacks as unable or unwilling to look after black interests, then why should they seek to work with blacks on national interests?

When blacks fought injustices by being on the side of right, countless others, of all races, creeds, and colors joined them. Not because they were race issues, but because they were issues of right and wrong. For example, trafficking in men is not racist; it is wrong. Jim Crow segregation is not racist; it is wrong. Arbitrarily denying the vote is not racist; it is wrong. When blacks led such fights, pursuing what is right, they prevailed and gained political and social respect.

However, now, no black leadership pursues what is right, but rather what is “black”. It focuses on what is wanted, on laying guilt, on what others have that can be taken. Fortunately, that is not the view of all, or even most, blacks.

However, unless and until the desire for right returns as the premier aim of black political and social discussion, those who sang “We Shall Overcome” will be overcome by the perception that they are too self-centered and bigoted to be taken seriously in national debates. Political and social respect for America’s blacks is dying; all one need do is watch the Zimmerman trial, and how blacks react to it, to understand why it ebbs away.

Time for a Romney Rant on Taxes

This started back in February, when Republicans were still winnowing their field of potential presidential nominees:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=totRt7wks5I[/youtube]

And it continues to the present time, now fueled by the Obama campaign:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMo5pykT4uw[/youtube]

I’m speaking of the obsession over seeing Mitt Romney’s tax returns. That discussion continues, to the exclusion of other matters in this campaign. To be fair, Romney’s naming a running mate shifted the discussion momentarily. Yet we still here the same three questions about the presumptive GOP presidential nominee’s tax returns:

    • Why won’t he release them?
    • What’s in them?
    • Why is his tax rate so low?

Of course, the president wants this focus on perceived Romney weaknesses – his wealth (therefore, he cannot understand the struggles of the middle class), and his ability to avoid high tax rates (therefore he’s 1%-er and doesn’t play fairly, by the same set of rules as everyone else).

I will not make Romney’s case regarding his tax returns. However, I will note that this discussion is reminiscent of the revelatory scene from the Wizard of Oz:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWyCCJ6B2WE[/youtube]

So, I will do my Toto impression and pull back the curtain. To quote Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the issue of Romney’s tax returns, like the fake wizard, is a matter:

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Those who will oppose Romney because of his taxes are likely Obama voters from the outset. Yet the Romney tax discussion works to divert attention from things the Obama campaign would rather keep behind the curtain. Consider how some issues have played out since February, when calls for Romney’s Forms 1040 became loud:

US Jobless Rate Feb - Aug 2012

The unemployment rate, which the administration declared would not top 8% once the “stimulus” bill became law is back at 8.3%, where it was in February, now with an upward trajectory. I doubt that many unemployed have Romney’s tax returns as a top concern. How about this:

Black Unemployment 2012

This disturbs me deeply as a black man. A year ago in Detroit, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) called black unemployment “unconscionable”. It is back over 14%, as it was in February. It appears that the administration’s plan remains a mystery to the Congressional Black Caucus…and to everyone else. I wonder if there are enough black people who now feel it is “time to let go”? Then there is this:

US GDP 2012

As the volume went up on the call for Romney’s tax returns, the volume on GDP growth went down. The trend would suggest another recession, and even more pain for those without employment. And what about this:

Deficits 08-12

The president promised to halve the deficit in his first term. Instead, Obama’s deficits, each year, are more than double George W. Bush’s 2008 deficit, the last and largest of the Bush administration. This last one is key:

US Retail Gas Price Chart

US Retail Gas Price data by YCharts

A gallon of gasoline cost less than $1.80 when Obama took office. The above chart is a bit old; gasoline has already topped $4/gallon in many places across the country. The 120% rise in gasoline under this administration puts a stranglehold on economic recovery and growth and a huge hole in family budgets.

Despite these issues plaguing the nation since February and even before, somehow the nexus of at least some discussions is Mitt Romney’s tax returns. Though it does not appear to be Romney’s style, I think a rant is in order. Some may remember this classic by former NBA star Allen Iverson:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI[/youtube]

If candidate Romney could pull it off, it might go something like:

“If a Democrat (i.e., Harry Reid) says that I’ve not filed taxes, and y’all (doubt that Romney would say “y’all”) hear it, then that’s that – you guys believe it! I mean, I might have not gotten one tax return together, and that’s because we’ve requested an extension and we’re working to get it done. If they’re not done, then I can’t release them. But it’s not about that…it’s not about that…at all. It’s easy to sum it up and try to say it’s all about taxes…

“We in here (another non-Romneyism), I’m supposed to be the GOP nominee for president and we in here talkin’ bout taxes. We’re talkin’ about TAXES, man. Not the economy, not the economy…we’re talking about…taxes. Not high unemployment, not low job creation…we in here talkin’ about…TAXES.

“Not GDP growth, not talkin’ about the US falling back into a recession…we’re talkin’ about TAXES, man. We’re talkin about TAXES!

“Not the deficits, which are higher than ever in history, we’re not talkin’ about that…we’re in here talkin’…about…TAXES.

“We’re not talkin’ about the price of gasoline, and how it’s more than doubled since 2009….”

You get the picture. The country faces serious issues, and we’re in here talking about Mitt Romney’s taxes. This is majoring in the minors. I have no idea how seeing Romney’s tax return would worsen those problems, any more than I can see how Obama’s release of his tax returns has made them better the last four years.

When looking at those problems, it is easy to understand why the president would rather focus on his opponents’ tax returns. However, this is no different from the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz, who had something he wished to hide. All that’s missing is for someone to confront Obama, as Dorothy confronted the fake wizard and say that they don’t believe him, and that he’s a very bad man. That may come in November, and it will likely be more than one person trying to get back to Auntie Em.

In the meantime, I would just like to hear the rant.

Copyright 2012. blackmanthinkin.com

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