Without thinking, we all accused George Zimmerman of being an angry racist vigilante hell-bent on teaching a roaming black kid a lesson.
It didn’t help that he wasn’t hauled in right away for questioning after a young man walking home eating Skittles, presumably minding his own business, ends up dead.
Law enforcement fueled our anger when they dragged their feet, as did Rev Jackson when he came to town to tell the world how we should feel. After we watched the family mourn, the protesters scream and the world-wide attention titillate Central Floridians, the dialogue moved past who dunnit.
The question we have to ask is why this case, with these players, in this town, did this crime take on a life of its own? It’s a case bolstered by massive high-profile attention which prodded people to take a look at their own go-to beliefs about racism and justice.
Sanford, a town only 30 minutes from my house, isn’t so unique in it’s long-time simmering racial tensions. Read more….
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