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Shot for being a black boy in a white area - please read

163 replies

TheRhubarb · 20/03/2012 13:08

Apologies if this has been posted - I couldn't find it.

Trayvon Martin was a 17yo boy who lived in a largely white, gated area. He left his home to pop to the shops and was spotted by a white neighbourhood watch member. George Zimmerman called the police to let them know about this boy who was "like he's up to no good or he's on drugs or something" before then saying "These assholes, they always get away.". He told the 911 operator that he was following Trayvon and was advised not to. Trayvon at that point had started running to get away from his follower.

Trayvon was not on drugs or acting suspiciously. He had bought a packet of skittles and a can of iced tea and was heading back home. He phoned a friend in a panic about being followed by Zimmerman, at that point the friend heard him say "why are you following me?" as Zimmerman cornered him to confront him, then there was a scuffle before the line went dead.

Zimmerman had ended up fighting with the 17yo. He had a gun, Trayvon had just his sweets and can of pop. Trayvon was heard by neighbours to shout for help before being blasted in the chest. He died on the spot, just yards from his own back door.

Zimmerman has not been arrested. He claimed he was acting in self defence. He has a history of raising false alarms to the police and broke neighbourhood watch rules by carrying a loaded gun. He is still free.

Trayvon's family and friends still have not come to terms with what has happened to their little boy who was not afraid to be seen kissing his dad in public and who once saved his dad's life by pulling him from the flames of a house fire.

Can you imagine if Trayvon had been white and Zimmerman black?

Please sign This petition to prosecute Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon. Please also share on your facebook walls. Cheers.

OP posts:
nokissymum · 20/03/2012 16:09

Why do we need to fill in our address inorder to sign ?

AlmaMartyr · 20/03/2012 16:09

Signed. Poor boy and his family :(

Dolcegusto · 20/03/2012 16:11

Signed. That poor boy, and his poor family.

JustHecate · 20/03/2012 16:12

My god. It's just - well, there isn't a word, is there?

ByGrabtharsHammer · 20/03/2012 16:12

Signed. I'm so upset and angry about this, I'm actually shaking.

Flubba · 20/03/2012 16:12

Have forwarded it on to all I know.
Also read the NY Times' article on it from the weekend here

SomekindofSpanish · 20/03/2012 16:15

Signed. What with this story and the one in France, the news can make depressing reading.

ByGrabtharsHammer · 20/03/2012 16:17

Bump

EverythingInMjiniature · 20/03/2012 16:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cornsilksit1 · 20/03/2012 16:21

have signed
absolutely tragic

HollyGoHeavily · 20/03/2012 16:21

Signed. This is such a depressing and horrifying story.

dreamingofcalm · 20/03/2012 16:21

Signed and shared in FB.

toomuchmonthatendofthemoney · 20/03/2012 16:22

Keep trying to complete the petition form on the link you gave but it keeps disappearing off my screen aargh.

SilentBoob · 20/03/2012 16:28

Bump.

:(

TheRhubarb · 20/03/2012 16:30

nokissymum, presumably so that you can't spam it with fake details. The petition is for the state attourney's office so you would need a verified address.

toomuchmonthatendofthemoney - you need to scroll right down to the bottom and then some more so that the form section scrolls down. It's not ideal but if you do scroll down you'll notice that the bottom of the form then appears.

There are actually people going round starting groups saying "Trayvon Martin is dead and we don't fucking care" - well we need to show that we DO care. It doesn't matter if this is in the UK or US, we need to stand shoulder to shoulder and show the world that this is completely unacceptable and will NOT be tolerated.

Your signatures, your support, it all helps.

OP posts:
MumOfAPickle · 20/03/2012 16:35

Absolutely disgusting. Have signed.

otterface · 20/03/2012 16:42

Florida, the state where this outrage took place, has self-defense laws that are particularly vague.

Basically, to claim to have killed someone in self-defense, you don't have to prove that your life was in danger. You only have to show that you feared for your life. Which opens the door to situations like this, in which the fear the killer claims to have had was an irrational one based on racial hatred, but which the local police have accepted as a fear nonetheless. There are of course questions about the objectivity and professionalism of the local police force as well.

It is an outrage, and is rightly provoking outrage among many, many people in Florida, in the United States and (apparently, from this thread) around the world. There has been enough pressure by applied public outrage that the (federal) Department of Justice will be investigating the local handling of the case. See here.

I have found it hard to think about that poor child and how terrified and bewildered he must have felt in those last moments. I hope his killer is made an example of, preferably by the criminal justice system. It doesn't seem likely, though.

otterface · 20/03/2012 16:44

sorry, I meant to type in the last paragraph that I have found it hard to stop thinking about that poor child... Though it is very hard to think about it, too.

LumpyLatimer · 20/03/2012 16:45

UPDATE

Reuters has just announced that Florida's state attorney has summoned the grand jury...

I'll see if I can find a full link to the news story.

worldgonecrazy · 20/03/2012 16:46

I just wish there would be one news story coming out of America that would show some semblance of sanity. Everything I am reading these days says that the USA has gone fruit-da-loop crazy with regard to human rights and the way people are treated by authority. I am very glad there is a huge mass of water between U.S. and them!

Happynow · 20/03/2012 16:47

Disgraceful ... can hardly believe it. Signed.

NanaASH · 20/03/2012 16:48

So, this is the American way

TheRhubarb · 20/03/2012 16:52

No more than saying that the Lawrence case was the British way NanaASH. Just look at the support from Americans on the facebook page and the petition site. People are rightly outraged by this and I just hope that Obama, the black President of America, steps in to make sure that this kind of inherent racism that seems to run through the police and legal systems is quashed and that Trayvon Martin's death will not be in vain.

OP posts:
ifeelloved · 20/03/2012 16:53

Marking it so I can sign later and also bumping.

fedupofhorseracing · 20/03/2012 16:55

Just signed it.. cant believe they even had to start a petition for this. the boy was murdered. they know who did it. the maths is simple-lock the murderer up!