...Hate Crimes in America; the Trayvon Martin Story Cynthia Ellerbee COM/156 May 19, 2012 Laura Babbitt Abstract Hate Crimes in America; the Trayvon Martin Story In 2005, Florida became the first state to expand an ancient rule of law called the castle doctrine. That doctrine says that if strangers enter your house without permission, you can use deadly force to defend yourself. The Florida legislature decided that the old common law should extend not only to the sidewalk outside your house but to "any other place where he or she has a right to be"--any street, any park, any store: anywhere. It is called the Florida Stand Your Ground Law. (Cloud & Altman, 2012) Trayvon Martin was a lanky 6’3 17 year old African American boy. He attended Carol City Senior High in Miami Gardens, Florida and made A’s and B’s. Trayvon was a boy who did his family and community proud. It wasn't just that he mowed the lawn every weekend with his dad, worked the concession at a football field and helped his neighbors with their groceries. His mother had drilled manners into him, and it showed. "It was always 'Thank you,'" says Johnson, 60, his great-aunt. Each year he put up her Christmas decorations, and come summer he pulled the weeds from her yard. "He didn't mind anything you wanted him to do," she says. At 9, Trayvon helped his dad to safety when a fire broke out in the family kitchen. As he grew older, Trayvon, who had a love for aircraft, longed to go on to college like his...
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...Zimmerman was acquitted for the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. But before Trayvon there was Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old who got shot by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2009. Oscar and his friends were involved in an altercation on the train which needed the police to get involved. He was then...
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...Engl 122 6/2/16 The Trayvon Martin Case and its Aftermath For years now racism still lives and kills many people. What is Racism or being racist mean? The Dictionary defines racism as being prejudice, having discrimination, or believe in antagonism which is directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own races is superior. In the case of Trayvon Martin, he was racial profiled like many other African Americans. His death lead to many protest and movement from the Africans Americans and other civil activists. Which made a big impact on society and how profiling people just of their race is wrong. The George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin case has made people question their intentions on racism and racial profiling and has gave them a lastly effect on them. Trayvon Benjamin Martin was born on February 5,1995 and is from Miami, Florida. He also has 3 other siblings and 2 divorce parents (Amber 1). Tracy Martin was the father of Trayvon and Sybrina Fulton was the mother although it that they were divorced the parents remain close for their children. In the article its says, “In fact Sybrina would say they better as friends as husband and wife “(Amber 1). Sybrina wants to be divorce but wants to remain close contact as a friend to Tracy. Tracy Martin was a fine with idea of stay as friends for the kids. Tracy was a truck driver and would go and meet his kids during the weekends and often during the week. Trayvon Martin was a smart, out-going, enthusiastic...
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...In response to the act of violence done towards Trayvon Martin, President Obama explains, “When Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago… I think it’s important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn’t go away”. The history of the African American community in the United States that President Obama is mentioning is the concept of the construction of whiteness and how that “whiteness” has been used repeatedly against the Black community. Trayvon Martin is not the first nor the last victim of this history and stand your ground culture which Kelly Douglas explains in her book, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God. Then the question comes to us when we observe these acts of violence, who or what is responsible for the acts of violence in the world like the murder of Trayvon Martin? Do we blame the murderer, George Zimmerman, who felt that Trayvon Martin was a...
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...February 6th, 2012, Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman while on his way home. This event sparked national outrage, as many believed Martin, a black teenager, was a victim of racial profiling. Months later, Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, and thus began the case State of Florida v. George Zimmerman. This case made national headlines, and many were unhappy with its ruling. Ultimately, this case is incredibly significant due to what occurred, the laws involved, the evidence presented, the final verdict, and the case’s lasting impact. The circumstances of the crime are what made this crime and this case such a national headline. The victim, Trayvon Martin, was walking home after purchasing snacks from the local 7-Eleven when George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, saw him and became...
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...Pursuing Trayvon Martin: Historical Contexts and Contemporary Manifestations of Racial Dynamics edited by George Yancy and Janine Jones, analyze what really happened to Trayvon Martin and the police officer George Zimmerman. My primary source revolves around this book and how Martin was being racially profile by the police officer based on the color of his skin. Martin killed because he looked “suspicious” enough to be doing something that he was not suppose to be doing. Most of the times when men of color are being stopped by police officers are mainly because of what they looked like and not the actual purpose. Because of racial profile, an innocent man lost his life. This book will be my primary source because I will be using what happen to Martin as a foundation of why racial profiling is important and why this issue needs to be addressed. How can I feel safe when the same...
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...“Law is not law if it violates the principles of eternal justice.” - Lydia Child. The rule of law attests to the idea that citizens are to be protected by these very principles. Unfortunately, the integrity of our judicial system is in jeopardy, especially after controversial decisions regarding recent police brutality cases. When the Trayvon Martin case came to light I was captivated by the legal process involved. It was so live and present for me as I poured over hours of footage from jury selection to the prosecution and ultimately the verdict. It was this that inspired my desire to go into law. When the verdict announced, on a personal level I was outraged, but on a procedural level I struggled to understand how the case was presented and how the jury came to the decision. I recognized the weaknesses in the prosecution’s case against Mr. Zimmerman as well as issues in the legal system that allowed this to happen. A year later,...
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...Jasmin Longmire Mr. Eckstein English 10-C 5.10.2016 The Theme Of How It Went Down Trayvon Martin, an african american male by the age of 17, was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, in Sanford, Florida. The scenario of this tragedy ties in with Kekla Magoon’s novel, How It Went Down. Tariq Johnson, age 16, was fatally shot in his hometown by a white male. In the aftermath of his death, everyone had their point of view of what happened causing Tariq’s friends, family, and community to struggle making sense of the tragedy showing that there is always more than one side to one story. The book describes the changes of the town and the mystery of Tariq's death unfurls day by day. Vernesha Johnson was Tariq’s mother, She was kind and tried her hardest to keep her son out of trouble. She always wanted to teach her kids to do what was right no matter what. Redeema Johnson was Tariq's grandma. She was filled with wisdom and gave it to him and his little sister Tina. Redeema comforts anyone who needs her, whether it’s friends, family, or even complete strangers. Tina Johnson was Tariq’s Younger...
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...George Zimmerman shoots an unarmed 17 year old African American by the name of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. George Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch member who often patrolled the neighborhood, and was licensed to carry a firearm. Trayvon Martin was visiting his father at the gated community Retreat at twin lakes. Trayvon Martin was shot in the chest and, killed by a Neighborhood Watch member George Zimmerman. This horrible incident happened on February 26, 2012. George Zimmerman was charged with second degree manslaughter on June 10th 2013 (Biography.com). This incident went viral bringing up lots of conversations about racism. The incident also caused people to protest. People also marched for Trayvon Martin , and lit candles where...
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...Trayvon Martin’s case Why do media always have to be racist in every news? Media tend to pay more attention to the news about African-American got murdered. In Trayvon Martin’s case, he was an African-American teenager who was shot by the neighborhood watch, George Zimmerman. The media described Zimmerman as ‘white Hispanic’ who shot a black boy without suggesting that he might did that to protect himself. So why do media keep calling Zimmerman as a ‘white Hispanic’? It is because they believe that sensationalism can attract more readers. Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old high school boy who was shot after having an argument with the neighborhood watch, George Zimmerman. After the shot was fired, polices arrived and found Martin shot dead by Zimmerman. Zimmerman was taken to the police station for questioning but was released later due to lack of evidence. Zimmerman claimed that he shot Martin because he was self-defending from a violent young boy. After several weeks of protesters and misleading news, Zimmerman was soon charged with murder. The trial began on June 10, 2013 and on July 13 the jury released him. Two years later, the department of justice declared that there...
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...becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's son, we who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens.” - (Ella Baker, 1964) The country’s history reverts back to enslaving our race and the killing of black men and women across the nation. Our ancestors have put their blood, sweat, and tears into making a better world for us. On February 2012, Trayvon Martin was killed by neighborhood watch member, George Zimmerman. Trayvon walked out of the store with his hoodie on, while carrying a bag of skittles, and a can of sweet tea. Zimmerman, believed Trayvon was a threat to his community and not thinking shot him 70 yards from his home. Martin, at the age of 17, lost his life because Zimmerman classified him by the color of his skin....
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...George Zimmerman Shooting and Killing of Trayvon Martin George Zimmerman is the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, a month ago. He has been keeping a low profile. He is in hiding after reportedly receiving several death threats and, for weeks, all the world saw of him was an unsmiling 2005 mug shot. As investigators and reporters try to piece together why the Floridian shot a black boy 10 years younger and dozens of pounds lighter, a fuzzy picture of Zimmerman is emerging. Here's what we know so far: George Michael Zimmerman was born in 1983, the third of four children of Robert and Gladys Zimmerman. Robert, a retired military man and magistrate judge, describes the family as multiracial, telling the Orlando Sentinel that "George is a Spanish-speaking minority with many black family members and friends." Gladys is of Peruvian descent. George grew up in Manassas, Va., where neighbors describe the Zimmermans as very religious — George was an altar boy and evening receptionist at the family's parish, All Saints Catholic Church. The Zimmerman children attended Catholic school through eighth grade, then public high school. The family moved to Florida about a decade ago. George married Shellie Nicole Dean, a cosmetologist, in 2007. For a living, at the time he shot Martin, Zimmerman was working as an underwriter at mortgage risk-management firm Digital Risk. He had also been working on an associates...
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...In this case, Rachel Jeantel One year after being out as unable to read or write in the George Zimmerman murder trial, Trayvon Martin's friend Rachel Jeantel is a changed woman after graduating from high school. Her speech on the stand often detracted from her testimony, as the then 19-year-old used terms such as ‘creepy’ and ‘cracker’ to describe Zimmerman, whom she said was aggressively following Martin before their phone call was silenced during the scuffle. It was during a break in Jeantels car crash of a testimony that her attorney, Rod Vereen, decided that he was going to help her. She did all of that for Trayvon. She was the one who went to court to justify the Trayvon Martin case, as she was telling the defense people of...
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...I chose to write about the incident that occurred with Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. “The Trayvon Martin case” is about a teenager named Trayvon Martin who was shot and killed in a gated neighborhood by a neighbor named George Zimmerman. Zimmerman was never sentenced to any jail time; he was not punished for his crime. People all over the world have brought this topic to attention and demand it be handled correctly. In this paper, I will be explaining how this injustice affects society as a whole and how people judge each other by race and other certain features. Trayvon Martin, 17, went to the store to buy a bag of skittles and a can of ice tea when attacked by neighborhood watchmen, George Zimmerman. Martin is a resident of Miami, but was visiting his father in Sanford. Zimmerman saw Martin walking in the gated community that he lives in and called 911 to report him for “suspicious action”. After being told by the emergency operators not to follow Trayvon, Zimmerman proceeded. He pursued young Martin and ordered him to “stand his ground”. Alarmed by what was happening, Martin turned his back and continued to walk back to his father’s fiancé’s home. Zimmerman attacked Martin and in the process was hurt. Zimmerman pulled out a gun and fired two shots. The first shot had missed, but the second made direct contact. Trayvon Martin died from a bullet wound minutes after being shot. Neighbors around the area called 911, claiming to have heard gunshot. Zimmerman was released...
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...shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida by a man named George Zimmerman. However, after pleading innocence, he was released. His reasoning behind the shooting was that it was done for self-defense. This caused for an outrage amongst the African-American community all over the nation and caused for the creation of the Black Lives Matter, or BLM movement for short. Now, the intentions of the BLM movement are to resist dehumanization and fight against violence and systematic racism toward black people. They fight to secure the rights that black people are denied in society which a person of another color normally has. According to their official site, the BLM movement, “…centers those that have been marginalized within Black liberation movements.” They do so mainly by protesting, and at other times, joining other civil rights groups. For instance, recently, BLM joined forces with the minimum...
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