The Murder of Trayvon Martin

[badgeguy]

I was watching a little Hannity last night when I got home, and was just curious about something he kept trying to point out.....he kept asking his guests about the list of 61 murders that took place over the weekend in Chicago, and kept asking where were the protests over these?

I am kinda wondering the same....even though the nation right now is so hung up in the Trayvon case, what about all the other murders that are happening? Shouldn't there be some protesting to try and stop the violence in the cities??

[DrPhil]

Badgeguy, then you are just as under-researched, misinformed, and unable to multitask as Hannity.

Wait, wait...don't tell me...despite the "I am kinda wondering the same," this isn't your own opinion. You are just expressing the opinions of others and gaining information to embark on discussions encouraged by leaders of our country.

Blah.

*****

People need to separate their own outrage from how they represent this topic to students:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/you-wont-believe-what-teachers-plan-to-tell-kids-about-trayvon-martin.html

I'm just learning about this. I'm going to dinner this evening. But, more power to those who protested in this manner:
http://wordondastreet.com/spread-the-word-do-not-spend-any-money-on-july-23rd-2013-in-honor-of-trayvon-martin/

Polls Show Wide Racial Gap On Trayvon Martin Case

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by badgeguy

I was watching a little Hannity last night when I got home, and was just curious about something he kept trying to point out.....he kept asking his guests about the list of 61 murders that took place over the weekend in Chicago, and kept asking where were the protests over these?

In other words, he kept trying to change the subject.

What I suspect Hannity understands but would prefer not to address is that people aren't protesting about a murder per se, so questions about protesting other murders are just redirection to give him the upper hand. People are protesting a killing, a jury verdict and a stand-your-ground law that they see as symptomatic and symbolic of inherent problems of inequality and injustice in our legal system.

[badgeguy]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

In other words, he kept trying to change the subject.

What I suspect Hannity understands but would prefer not to address is that people aren't protesting about a murder per se, so questions about protesting other murders are just redirection to give him the upper hand. People are protesting a killing, a jury verdict and a stand-your-ground law that they see as symptomatic and symbolic of inherent problems of inequality and injustice in our legal system.

Ok. Then why are we only seeing protests about FL laws when there are at least 21 other states with the same law? I know that the media seems to be driving alot of this debate because its good for their business...I would think that people who are upset about this law (which according to many was never even used as a defense in this case....) then wouldn't they want all states to change it? An why the call for boycotts to FL....they are not the only state to have had such an issue...just the most recent and upfront....

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by badgeguy

Ok. Then why are we only seeing protests about FL laws when there are at least 21 other states with the same law? I know that the media seems to be driving alot of this debate because its good for their business...I would think that people who are upset about this law (which according to many was never even used as a defense in this case....) then wouldn't they want all states to change it? An why the call for boycotts to FL....they are not the only state to have had such an issue...just the most recent and upfront....

The Florida one is actually far more extreme than the other ones. For example, Pennsylvania requires that the other person is armed, and a hearing is required. Not all laws are made equally; furthermore, were any 16 year olds killed in other states as a result of their "stand your ground" laws?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by badgeguy

Ok. Then why are we only seeing protests about FL laws when there are at least 21 other states with the same law? I know that the media seems to be driving alot of this debate because its good for their business...I would think that people who are upset about this law (which according to many was never even used as a defense in this case....) then wouldn't they want all states to change it?

Aside from what Munchkin said, we're not seeing protests just about Florida. As I said, this case has become a symbol. That's the way these things often go -- out of lots of people or events, one strikes just the right chord at jut the right time and becomes the symbol for all of them. People can debate whether this is the best case to be the symbol or not, but regardless it has taken on that role.