“My heart is broken, my faith is not.”
~attributed to Tracy Martin, Trayvon’s Dad
On Saturday 13 July 2013, George Zimmerman was found not guilty here and here of the murder charges against him for ultimately terrorizing and shooting Trayvon Benjamin Martin in the heart, an innocent, unarmed teenager simply trying to get home from the local store. Reasonable Americans everywhere were shocked and rightly troubled by the blatant miscarriage of justice in the State of Florida that evening, while some wept openly in despair.
Reminiscent of the 60s Civil Rights era, with peaceful resolve thousands marched in New York City along with marchers in other major cities across our nation. Some marched way into the night. More of a tribute to the fallen teenager and the dignity of his grieving parents during their very public ordeal, such honor spoke volumes. And “the people say guilty” stated a pointed sign held by San Francisco activists.
So, What of the Elephant in the Room?
Having watched many of the trial proceedings and closing arguments for my own edification, I have come to one conclusion about the elephant in the room, a metaphor for the obvious, which, of course, was the ever looming specter of American Racism during the trial.
Sadly, America’s Legacy of Racism continues to haunt our daily lives and will unless and until it is truly seen for what it really is, an illusion created by greedy opportunists at the inception of our country to further their own self-interest, not ours.
Thus, American Racism has never been about us (“we the people”) but more about them, the corrupt power brokers who seek to exploit the rest of us for their own financial gain: first by manipulating our laws in plain view, and then by usurping our democracy in general.
Of course, there are good and noble Americans who are diligently striving towards a better quality of life for all Americans, and always have been, which has kept our country strong and prosperous. Yet, how long can this good fortune continue before exploited Americans (of all races) reach a boiling point and self-implode, thus taking America back to its foundation?
Has this happened before in advanced societies such as ours? Of course it has. Yet, some civilizations have managed to survive while others completely vanished into the abyss, leaving only remnants of a once powerful people behind. What made the difference? Do we dare inquire before reaching the proverbial precipice?
The Ongoing Denial of American Racism
Sadly, the trial and acquittal of George Zimmerman is but another glaring example of the denial of American Racism. Had the truth about racial profiling been allowed into this trial, things might have taken a better turn for us all.
Many legal analysts believe that the prosecution did not prove its case. That it did not present its own theory of the crime as did the defense, that it missed opportunities to object to the defense’s cross-examination tactics, that it should have better prepared its star-witness, that Florida’s law was much too convoluted, and so on. And, they are probably right!
Yet, given the ethnicity of the victim who was African American, the defendant passing for white, the largely all-white jury, law-enforcement’s strong resistance to arrest and charge the defendant, and nearly four centuries of racial profiling in this country, did the prosecution really stand a chance even if they had done everything right? I think not and here is why:
Binding the Elephant in the Room
First, the truth about “racial profiling” is virtually barred from trial discussion, which does not make sense and therefore seems that it should be against somebody’s rule of law.
Central to the prosecution’s case, the judge bars the use of the term “racial profiling”. Such occurs just days before opening remarks are to begin, which avows that Zimmerman targeted Trayvon Martin precisely because of his race and ultimately shot and killed him.
Defense attorney Mark O’Mara had moved to bar certain words stating that the term racial profiling would “infect” the jury, which is exactly what he would attempt to do during his closing arguments, and likely succeeded.
Rachel Jeantel, Witness for the Prosecution
A proud young woman, barely out of her teens, ultimately becomes a reluctant witness to her friend, Trayvon Martin’s last thoughts and feelings. For those of us who looked past her nervousness and saw her integrity and strength of character, she is our victor. For those blinded by their unbridled fears and bigotry, she would be their excuse to deny Trayvon’s story.
Detective Chris Serino
Hobbling along nonetheless, by affirming that he believed the defendant when asked by the defense attorney during his cross-examination, the state’s former lead detective on the case would ultimately blow another hole in the prosecution’s case, later verified by Juror B37 in an exclusive interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Monday July15.
Of course, Det. Serino had initially recommended that Zimmerman be arrested and charged with manslaughter but politics (or something like that) intervened. Thus, no charges were filed until public outrage demanded a trial and got it some forty-four days later. By then, heads had rolled. The chief of Police was fired and a black top-cop replaced him. Sadly Det. Serino, a veteran detective on the force who had diligently worked this case, was mysteriously demoted to street patrol in the process. How strange is that?
Zimmerman Never Reveals His True Identify to Trayvon
Until reading the transcript of Serino’s interview, Zimmerman’s failure to tell Trayvon who he was and why he was following him always troubled me. As secrecy was not his job!
During his initial arrest interview, both Det. Serino and Officer Singleton repeatedly asked Zimmerman why he never told Trayvon that he was the Neighborhood Watch Captain, thus there to help him. That he had two opportunities to identify himself as somebody who was actually not meaning to do him harm. But he didn’t.
Claiming it was not his job to reveal his identity, Zimmerman eventually admits to the inquiring officers that he was afraid, which, of course, always lies at the heart of terrorism. And likely why George Zimmerman terrorized Trayvon Martin, by mysteriously following him on a dark and rainy night, and ultimately shoots him in his heart, and kills him.
Did Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara Play the Fear Card?
Knowing that self-preservation is usually our strongest emotion, did Mark O’Mara attempt to “infect” the jury with fear in the form of a black intruder and thus make his half-white defendant their hero by default? I hope not.
Nonetheless, during his closing argument, whether intentional or unintentional, a women’s worst fear is likely revived in the minds of the all-female jury.
Two of Mark’s illustrations come to mind: A picture of Trayvon Martin bare to the waist, suggesting male sexuality. And a picture of Olivia Bertalan, whose compelling testimony of being burglarized by two black males while home is chilling despite their race; glad the police came in time, though her story is unrelated as Trayvon had nothing to do with it!
Given the history of racism in our country with all of its sneaky innuendos, together in the minds of the largely white all-female jury O’Mara’s illustrations could well have become reminiscent of DW Griffith’s 1915 racist-based film, Birth of a Nation, where the stereotypical black man is after the stereotypical damsel in distress. Farfetched? I doubt it.
Fear is a powerful force and seems O’Mara used it to his advantage, much like many fear-mongers today who seek to gain political control through subliminal fear which is gradually destroying the civility of our society. How scary is that!
Faith Trumps Fear Every Time
Fear knocked, faith answered…a Christian proverb.
Sadly, I held out hope for justice in this case until Saturday morning when it occurred to me that without faith, self-preservation usually trumps empathy for another. As the evidence pointed toward Zimmerman’s guilt, I had felt that it would be very difficult for any juror to deny Trayvon justice particularly after looking daily into the faces of his grieving parents all that time. But, it did not happen.
Sadly, with all the behind-the-scenes nepotism and such, and I believe there was plenty of that, George Zimmerman was also denied justice.
Had he stood his ground and told the truth, George Zimmerman likely would have gotten a year or so on manslaughter charges and nearly be out by now. Free to find respectful employment, free to walk his old neighborhood, free to make recompense to Trayvon’s family and free to move forward. But he didn’t.
Now poor Georgie is in hiding and his spiritual life is likely in a mess. How sad is that? Yet redemption is always near, but it can only be found in the Truth.
Meanwhile, Justice is still waiting in the wings. Peace to all.
Keep the Faith!
© 2012-2013 by Delores L Adams and The Aunt Jemimah Post. All rights reserved.
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