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Permalink Reply by suzie on July 9, 2013 at 8:51pm

OMG that's a wild political cartoon .. Its kinda scary cuz its true .. The pig representing corporations .. .. Ewwwwie

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Permalink Reply by Nobody Will Observe on July 9, 2013 at 8:56pm

Bout sums it up!

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Permalink Reply by Nobody Will Observe on July 6, 2013 at 5:09pm

GOOD READ

Trayvon vs. Tyrone: Why Racial Stories Are a Bad Idea

By Russ Baker on Apr 24, 2012

Some time back, I argued that, while the Trayvon Martin story is tragic and worth studying, we were making a mistake by allowing it to dominate our news cycle for an extended period to the exclusion of so much else. I pointed out that such incidents are, by definition, anecdotal, and do not necessarily warrant treatment as the defining issue of the moment. Implicit in that argument was that hot-button issues like this can morph in unpredictable ways and push us toward more, not less, conflict.

I knew, in part from covering the aftermath of horrible interracial or inter-ethnic tragedies in Central Africa and the former Yugoslavia, that it’s a huge mistake to take any incident and turn it into a national cause—because another incident will always come along to rally those who are on the defensive about the first.

Now, unfortunately, I have been proven right, based on a different incident involving a young black man, older whites, and a horrible death. This time, however, the victim is white.

Trayvon Martin case, meet the Tyrone Woodfork case.

Taking Sides

First, a Trayvon recap:

On February 16, George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old, mixed white-Hispanic, neighborhood-watch captain in a multi-ethnic, gated community –The Retreat at Twin Lakes, in Sanford, FL — shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, an African American. Zimmerman was the sole volunteer among his neighbors to play a role in the watch program. Zimmerman is now awaiting trial for second degree murder. The core of the case is whether Zimmerman was justified in believing that he—or anyone—was in imminent danger from Martin, who was returning at the time to his father’s townhouse from an errand, and who was unarmed. The case became largely about racism and racial suspicion, as well as about so-called “Stand Your Ground” laws that provide extra legal protection for those using weapons outside their homes when they feel threatened.

Now, the other case:

On March 14, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, someone broke into the home of an elderly white couple, and viciously attacked and robbed them. Eighty-five-year-old Nancy Strait is said to have been sexually assaulted before being beaten to death, and her 90-year-old husband Bob suffered a broken jaw, broken ribs, and was shot with a BB gun.

Tyrone Woodfork, 20, African American, who was found in possession of the Straits’ car, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, two counts of robbery and burglary. Police suspect he had accomplices.

The first story became an international sensation. The second story has gotten very little attention outside of Tulsa. But it is now being pushed by those frustrated with all the attention given to the Martin case, and who feel that Zimmerman is the victim of a lynch-mob mentality and being railroaded.

In both situations, a simple moral may be drawn. In the Zimmerman-Martin case, it is obvious that anyone should be able to walk down the sidewalk without fearing for his life—and that one’s skin color should not put one in peril. In the Woodfork-Strait case, it is that no one should have to live in fear that malefactors will attack them in their home.

The activists who rallied in Sanford to seek “justice for Trayvon” felt that the case should become a lightning rod for discussion of racism and gun laws that may lead to and justify avoidable homicides. But what is to stop activists in Tulsa from arguing that the Strait case should also become a lightning rod— for discussion of a fear of lawless young blacks and a logical desire to arm oneself and take whatever measures are necessary to stay safe? In truth, neither case represents a common situation—very few comparable shootings have occurred involving Neighborhood Watch volunteers, and there are relatively few home invasions overall.

Furthermore, both cases confound efforts to reduce them to racially polarizing stereotypes. Zimmerman comes from a Hispanic background, lived in a multi-ethnic community, and was hardly a KKK type. (To appreciate the importance of balance and perspective, read this Christian Science Monitor profile of George Zimmerman, which adds shades of grey to this heretofore black-and-white story.)

Woodfork, it should be noted, had a suspended sentence for a previous burglary conviction. This will surely be used as a sort of Willie Horton moment by those who believe that locking everyone up will make us safer. But the choice is not really between locking up first-time offenders forever (shades of a fascist state) and lawless anarchy. The effectiveness of new approaches to enhancing public safety, including the “focused deterrence” promoted by criminologist David Kennedy (which concentrates on convincing violent drug dealers to change their ways) has been documented.

Besides, the Tulsa case is more about crime than race. Look at this picture: the people gathered to talk about this crime with a member of the Tulsa Crime Commission, neighbors of the Straits, are white and black. In fact, of nine neighbors visible in the photo, five are black. Blacks, percentage-wise, are more often the victims of violent crimes than whites—largely because they live in poor neighborhoods, where, not surprisingly, the perpetrators, too, are black, and not surprisingly, mostly young.

But here’s another photo from that same neighborhood meeting—in this shot, all you see are white faces. Get the problem? Depending on what you see, that’s what you get.

We All Lose

The point is, you can take virtually any high-profile story and create a cause celebre to suit your own perspective, prejudices, agenda. Identifying the bad guys depends on your point of view: Racism is the problem; people of another color are the problem; guns are the culprit, guns are our salvation. On and on it goes.

READ MORE: http://whowhatwhy.com/2012/04/24/trayvon-vs-tyrone-why-racial-stori...

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Permalink Reply by Chip on July 6, 2013 at 9:45pm

http://truthernews.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/trayvon-martin-murder-t...

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Permalink Reply by truth on July 6, 2013 at 10:13pm

“Level 5 – Ridiculous!”

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Permalink Reply by Chip on July 6, 2013 at 10:51pm

But resist, we much… we must… and we will much… about… that… be committed.”

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Permalink Reply by Tara on July 7, 2013 at 9:57am

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Permalink Reply by Nobody Will Observe on July 9, 2013 at 7:54pm

HERE WE GO!

Florida Sheriff Taking Riot Threats Seriously As Zimmerman Acquitta...

Miami-area sheriff’s office talking to federal agencies and asking residents not to riot.

Kit Daniels
Infowars.com
July 9, 2013

The Broward Sheriff’s Office, whose jurisdiction includes a large portion of the Miami metropolitan area, released a video yesterday urging residents not to riot in response to the Travyon Martin shooting trial which now appears to lean heavily in George Zimmerman’s favor.

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Permalink Reply by Nobody Will Observe on July 9, 2013 at 7:57pm

Threats to Riot, Loot if Zimmerman Found Innocent Intensify - July 8th, 2013

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Permalink Reply by Chip on July 9, 2013 at 8:35pm

I read some of those tweets. I hope they riot and loot better than they spell.

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Permalink Reply by Nobody Will Observe on July 9, 2013 at 8:39pm

LOL spelling optional.  Be safe! Go to the store NOW

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Permalink Reply by Chip on July 9, 2013 at 8:50pm

Roger that.

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