Yes, even Rep. Allen West (R-FL) -- ALLEN WEST -- wrote yesterday about how ticked he is about Trayvon Martin's killing, called for his killer's arrest, and complained about the mishandling of the investigation. Still, some on the Right are finding ways to say very strange stuff about the Florida teenager's death.
Mother Jones' Adam Serwer (who will be a guest on "MHP" tomorrow morning) reported on Wednesday that Glenn Beck's website called Trayvon "the aggressor." A conservative tweeter spammed me and many others today with a weeks-old report alleging the 140-pound Trayvon was atop the 250-pound George Zimmerman, punching him when the fatal shot was fired.
(Considering 911 tapes put that into question, and the link came from the separatist Council of Conservative Citizens -- think a modern-day White Citizens' Council -- you'll forgive me if I don't link it.)
Compared to those, Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera was soft this morning when he theorized that it was Trayvon's hooded sweatshirt (that he wore in the rain) which got him killed:
"I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin’s death as George Zimmerman was...What’s the instant association? It’s crime scene surveillance tapes. Every time you see someone stick up a 7-11, the kid is wearing a hoodie. Every time you see a mugging on a surveillance camera or get the old lady in the alcove, it’s kid with a hoodie...
“When you see a Black or Latino youngster, particularly on the street, you walk to the other side of the street. You try to avoid that confrontation...Trayvon Martin, god bless him, an innocent kid, a wonderful kid, a box of Skittles in his hands. He didn’t deserve to die. But I bet you money, if he didn’t have that hoodie on that, nutty neighborhood watch guy wouldn’t have responded in that violent and aggressive way.”
Rivera upset a lot of people (including his own son) with that, and I was tempted to ignore it. But the thing is, there might be a bit of truth in that assessment.
It's precisely because CSI: Geraldo declared it the perpetrator to be Trayvon himself, in the gated community, with the sweatshirt that I was reminded of something other than Rivera that was popular in the eighties -- N.W.A.'s "F*** the Police." No, I'm not linking that, either, but you might remember this Eazy-E verse:
They put up my picture with silence
'Cause my identity by itself causes violence
Eazy seemed to be talking more about his rep than his race. However, considering how much all of us are urged daily to identify ourselves by what we wear, Rivera's argument is that anyone wearing a hoodie accepts a criminal identity, regardless of the circumstances or person's character. He's literally equating it to the actual cause of death, giving lethal agency to clothing. This has been done for many, many years, particularly when it comes to African-American men and boys. Who is to say that Zimmerman wasn't as ridiculous and biased as Rivera, profiling an innocent kid?
Geraldo In a Hoodie
While not necessarily inspired by Rivera's comments, the Miami Heat (Trayvon's favorite NBA team) all donned hoodies in tribute. Several tweeters have changed their avatars to photos of themselves in hoodies. Our own host wore one on the air today. And a new Tumblr blog showed us one more person who loves to wear them -- Rivera himself!
When you look at the several pictures of Rivera wearing this allegedly fatal outerwear with a smile, it makes his comments even more trifling. He gets that the hoodie perhaps marked Trayvon as a criminal in Zimmerman's eyes, ans he seems perfectly OK with it:
“Stop wearing it! You know the old Johnny Cash song, don’t take your gun to town, son. Leave your gun at home,” Rivera said. “There is some things that are almost inevitable. I’m not suggesting that Trayvon Martin had any kind of weapon, but he wore an outfit that allowed someone to respond in this irrational, overzealous way and if he had been dressed more appropriately… I think unless it’s raining out, or if you’re at a track meet, leave the hoodie home, don’t let your children go out there.”
It was raining that night.
Leave a Comment:
Cash wasn't using a metaphor. The hoodie wasn't the gun. The GUN was the gun.
Does brain science explain Trayvon Martin's case?
I've read that Zimmerman may have been wearing a hoodie that night, also.
The law usually is a double edged sword. What I see is a law, in effect, that if you feel threatened, you can kill someone who threatens you. Mr Zimmerman has shown himself to be a threat to life and limb, I would say the law would protect anyone who would see him to fear for their life.
wrong...zimmerman just wanted to ask martin one question, what are you up to ?? martin, panic and ran... when Zimmerman approached him, martin attacked him....martin was the bully...8 houses were burglarize in previous month's by blacks...KEEP THAT IN MIND.
1. Zimmerman had no reason to ask Martin what he was up to. It was quite clear what Martin was up to. He was walking on the sidewalk. 2. If Martin did run, and if Zimmerman did react by running after him, how can Zimmerman claim self-defense? As soon as Zimmerman began chasing Martin, he became the aggressor. 3. It is irrelevant that 8 houses were burglarized in previous months by black people. Martin wasn't burglarizing a house.
Seemingly, the only way this "stand your ground" law would've worked was if Treyvon had been armed and able to stop that guy (perhaps in a hoodie, himself) from following down the street, threatening him.
Of course, if Zimmerman hadn't "taken his gun to town" in the first place, maybe Treyvon's hoodie wouldn't've killed him in cold blood. Damned hoodie.
I see. Women ask to be raped by wearing clothes that reveal some skin, and black men ask to be shot by wearing hoodies. What should white men wear when they want to be attacked and/or killed?
@ Jose, If 8 houses are burglarized in a neighborhood by someone who shares your racial or ethnic background, does that give someone the right to follow you, harass you, ask you what you are up to, and if you try to get away, shoot you? Do they have the right to do that to your child?
As posted 3-22-12:
“I suspect Trayvon Martin was killed because he resembled a young Barack Obama. What with all the hate speech, racism and Obama derangement syndrome on AM Radio Free Conservative Wacko. It’s seditious propaganda… That’s illegal in the USA, right?
Every time I hear another story of racism, hate crime, police incompetence or police abuse of power/excessive force. I think back to 1999 to 2003 when most in the national media ignored a huge accountability protest movement.
Let me tell you all something about questionable shootings… I saw the IMPACT firsthand in Southern California for victims 19 year old Tyisha Miller, 18 year old Irving Landrum Jr., 18 year old Ginenne Stover, 20 year old Dante Meniefield (shot for smoking a joint), Mario Paz, Margaret Lavern Mitchell, Anthony Lee, etc… (see “Stolen Lives Project” for full national accounting)
All our Progressive spokespersons are so shocked this could happen in the USA while ignoring those of us who’ve been fighting against racism, abuse of power and accountability issues for decades. Liberals hang on to the microphone like it was a ****’n sex toy… It seems all the lessons the Movement taught have been lost by irresponsible government and journalism that failed to keep the public informed.
Honestly I’ll never understand WHY President Bill Clinton signed the “Telecom Bill” which killed the “Fairness Doctrine” and gave away the public broadcast airwaves to a very few conservative wacko silver spoon trust fund babies and Rupert Murdoch, who is nothing more than a foreign agent working to help the Communist Chinese “divide and conquer” the good ole USA! (Ask that @** Newt Gingrich about that one…)
I feel threatened by the Republican Corporate Ho Party, FOX News and the AM radio Limbaughs… can I move to Florida and shoot them? (lol, ohh that was wrong, sorry)”
I am somebody who fights against totalitarian tyranny spoact.blogspot.com
I guess I understand (not meaning I agree with) the outlet that some hip hop has provided. The local authorities threw the key to Trayvon's justice away, without a second thought, using the Stand Your Ground law as an excuse to not collect evidence or investigate. It is no wonder NWA's "F*** Police" rings home, as it expresses pent up frustration. It's possible I'd stereotype and hate on all police too as a kind of mental social justice.
"The exception proves the rule":
A sociopathic white is a loner, sociopathic is the culture of the colored person. Great colored people became great despite their heritage, culture, home etc. Great white people are simply geniuses. Bad white people played to many violent video games.
and: "Clothes make the man" (...a criminal, slut etc.)
--- We really haven't evolved all that much since these expressions were coined.
What I would also like to add is that you don't have to be white to be racist.
I am wearing a hoodie right now--because it is cool in my apartment. I live in a small city with a large Hispanic population. No, I do not cross the street when I see a young person wearing a hoodie. Yes, I might cross the street if I see someone acting like a hoodlum.
The problem with Geraldo Rivera's statement is it is a perfect example of prejudice. Does the picture of him and Bill O wearing hoodies make him a threat?