Post by elalacran on Mar 26, 2012 12:48:15 GMT -5
Two young men with chips on their shoulder each employed racial stereotypes that resulted in a fatal shooting.
Zimmerman was a crime victim whose masculinity, we can guess, was severely challenged. He responded by becomng pro-law enforcement and by carrying a gun on neighborhood patrols.
Martin was a black teenager. When he was challenged in the course of going about his business, he could have swallowed his pride and defused the situation. Instead, it appears he went the route of black pride and rap song and was defiant if not the aggressor.
Both men were responsible. There was no wholly innocent victim. Both were the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Zimmerman was older. He set the wheels in motion for the confrontation. Realizing his feelings of inadequacy, he should never have carried a gun. If he did approach Martin, it should have been with a smile and a laugh and a light touch; it probably wasn't.
So I blame Zimmerman more. But Martin had it in his power to control the course of the encounter. It didn't have to happen.
Zimmerman was a crime victim whose masculinity, we can guess, was severely challenged. He responded by becomng pro-law enforcement and by carrying a gun on neighborhood patrols.
Martin was a black teenager. When he was challenged in the course of going about his business, he could have swallowed his pride and defused the situation. Instead, it appears he went the route of black pride and rap song and was defiant if not the aggressor.
Both men were responsible. There was no wholly innocent victim. Both were the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Zimmerman was older. He set the wheels in motion for the confrontation. Realizing his feelings of inadequacy, he should never have carried a gun. If he did approach Martin, it should have been with a smile and a laugh and a light touch; it probably wasn't.
So I blame Zimmerman more. But Martin had it in his power to control the course of the encounter. It didn't have to happen.