Post-Racial Lynch Mobs

I have never been shy about expressing my opinion. I will readily admit when it comes to race I have no idea what it feels like to be a minority. My life has been insulated by geography and economics. I grew up in a small farm town not far from Nowhere, Indiana.  During the entirety of my public school years there lived exactly one black family in the entire county. They were only there for a few years. I can't say I ever had a conversation with the girl in my grade. Not because she was a person of color, I do not remember her being in any of my classes. There was a significant Hispanic population, especially in my elementary school years. They were just the kids with accents. Skin color was of no matter. My parents established that training early.

I can honestly say my first conversation with an African-American occurred at Boy Scout camp. The occupants of the next campsite down were from Indianapolis and the troop was entirely black. We hung out just like we would have with any kids the next campsite over. One boy tried in vain to put cornrows into my thick wavy hair.

There were a few African-Americans in my college fraternity. But as one of them explained to me once, they were all Oreos (think on it). I am not sure the sons of doctors and lawyers could relate the the plight of the inner-city gang-banger any better than my rural cracker ass.

With that long preamble, I am not sure how anyone who watched or read about the Zimmerman trial could think the facts were there for a conviction. It is true Zimmerman should have never left his vehicle. After that, it is all a terrible tragedy. Trying to pinpoint the exact moment the two men's fate intertwined is like trying to know just which Twinkie caused my diabetes. I believe that is called an exercise in futility.

I have seen no evidence to support Zimmerman followed or targeted Martin because he was black. There is no Federal Civil Rights case here. Sometimes juries fail to reach conclusions we desire. Casey Anthony walked, after all. We can bitch and moan about the OJ trial, but when the jury saw things differently it was not an excuse to riot, burn or take to the airwaves in outrage and demand extra charges from the Feds.

Justice should be blind. Skin color, or economics, or social standing are not relevant. Is it always so?  I do not think so, but that is no reason to argue the system is broken. Six citizens made a decision based on the facts as they heard them. Our system is designed for justice to be deliberative. A lynch mob works through emotion, not fact. We should not want it any other way. The entire situation is tragic and the families involved will never be the same.

The Sharptons and Jacksons and outraged leaders of the black community should look at the tragedy in the nation; the unfathomable rate of black-on-black crime, the astonishing rates of teen aged pregnancy and high unemployment right down the street in the black neighborhoods of our cities. One case in Florida is not a symbol of race relations. Throwing Zimmerman in jail will not solve that massive problem.

 The grievance theater is never really about the specific case, the specific shooting, it's about the links between the social problems of the black community, the compromises of civil liberties necessary to keep entire cities from turning into Detroit and the inability of the media to address the sources of crime as anything but the phantoms of white racism. It's about a black leadership that is more interested in posturing as angry activists and shaking loose some money than in healing the problems of their own communities. source

Let us stop blaming our great-great grandfathers for the ills of today's inner cities.

It is well past time we heed the words of MLK and start judging each other by the content of our character instead of the color of our skin. I am pretty sure Mr. King would agree that sentiment should be a two-way street.