NY State Sens. Kevin Parker, Bill Perkins and Eric Adams wear hoodies in Albany yesterday in tribute to Trayvon Martin.
Rep Bobby Rush (D-Ill)
In the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting scores of politicians and celebs have expressed their sympathy and solidarity with Trayvon martin by donning hoodies.
They may think they’re rebuking Geraldo Rivera’s ill-conceived comments that, “The hoodie as just as responsible for Trayvon Martin’s death as is George Zimmerman.”
Sanford, Florida police have said they arrived on-scene to find a bloodied and battered George Zimmerman, bleeding from the face (nose) and the back of the head near 17 y/o Trayvon Martin dead of a single gunshot to the chest.
Both State and federal authorities are now investigating that shooting...and rightfully so.
George Zimmerman apparently called police over Trayvon Martin’s presence in that community, believing him “up to no good.”
The 9-1-1 dispatcher asked if he was still following Trayvon Martin and when he answered in the affirmative, he was told to stand down – “We don’t need you to do that.”
According to Zimmerman, he went back to his car and had lost sight of Martin and just before he reached his vehicle was grabbed by Martin from behind.
Witnesses claim words were exchanged (“Why are you following me?...What are you doing here?”) and then he claims that the younger, 6’1” Martin punched him in the face, breaking his nose and sending him to the ground. He then claims he received the wounds to the back of his head when Trayvon Martin began slamming his head against the concrete.
IF Zimmerman trailed, then shot an unarmed Trayvon Martin “on suspicion,” then that’s a murder, but IF Martin actually confronted him and was shot while assaulting Zimmerman, then that is clearly self-defense.
All the existing accounts leave far more questions than answers. How, exactly, did a man who claims to have been in the process of being severely beaten find the wherewithal to draw and shoot his assailant?
But at this point, the facts aren’t all in so, as the investigations are still very much in progress. At this point, no one knows (except Mr. Zimmerman and the deceased Mr. Martin). The investigations will have to run their course.
Certainly NO ONE outside that small circle (the Martin and Zimmerman families) has ANY vested interest in any specific outcome, regardless of what some of the fringe people within our society might think.
Seeing politicians, celebrities and others donning hoodies as though that somehow expresses any real solidarity without any actual personal sacrifice is just pathetic.
It does NOTHING to bring more clarity to this case.
It does NOTHING to advance ANY cause.
It does NOTHING to bring Trayvon Martin back.
So WHY do some people so proudly embrace such meaningless, fruitless gestures? WHY?
Here’s an idea, let’s let the investigations go forward and see where they lead, rather than making assumptions either way.
JMK
