Last night a breaking news bulletin revealed that George Zimmerman was found not guilty by a jury in Sanford Florida. If you had been following the trial, like most of us probably have, you would know of the apprehension surrounding such an outcome. Police in many cities had been preparing for violent reactions. This morning, fortunately, there have been no reports of such. We are thankful for that and maybe, that's a milestone in our country. After all, we are a civilized democracy. If you look around the world you'll see violent demonstrations in reactions to events that citizens disapprove of. Violent demonstrations where citizens die. Sometimes, many. But we're above that, at least we're supposed to be. In our past we're guilty of violent demonstrations. Reginald Denny can vouch for that. And we could use a milestone like that, considering what's been going on in the U.S. for the past five years. When Obama took office at the top of the list of the promised "Hope and Change" for many people in this country was that race relations would improve. Finally. That was a change that was truly worth hoping for. A black president who could bridge the races and bring a long-awaited harmony to the nation. Just thinking about it reminds me of the song "Imagine" by John Lennon.
But such was not to be. Not even close. Exactly what hope and change he hand in mind is really not clear anymore. The change most of us are hoping for now is that the mess he's created will go away (along with him...). No, he has not helped improve race relations, not at all. In fact, he's made them much worse. He has polarized the races in this country to a level not seen in the history of the nation. At least not since the days of slavery.
Let me throw a few facts at you. I like facts because they're so damn hard to argue with. Of course some people will argue with anything, but whatever... Fact: most white people, no, make that almost all white people do not dislike, condemn, look down on, or see black people in any way lesser than themselves. Black people, or any other race in the U.S. are entitled to the same rights, privileges and opportunities that the rest of us are. All we ask is that you earn them, they won't be given to you. If we have to earn them, so do you. Our constitution says we are all equal under the law and entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does not say you're entitled to all that only if you're white. Now, recall I said 'almost all' white people previously. There are some and probably always will be a contingent of maladjusted morons that are bigoted and prejudiced. Just remember, that little group of meatheads includes ALL races. Here's another fact: white people would love to see black people as a hard-working, law-abiding, industrious, productive, educated and intelligent race contributing to the good of the country. Just like we would like to see all white people do the same. But that's not the way it is. But if you are black and you're all those things, God bless you and let's work together and get 'er done.
Now, let me continue with the facts. There is a lot, way too many actually, claims made that someone is racist in this country. A disproportionate number of those claims appears to come from supporters (mostly Democrats) of the president. If anyone dares to disagree or condemn anything the president says or does, they're called racist. People, and I'm talking to white, black, brown, red, yellow or whatever color you are, get over it. In fact, shut the hell up. We're sick of it already. The Ku Klux Klan is racist, white supremacists are racist. The Arian Nation is racist. Disagreement with someone of any color is not racist. Here's another fact and a lot of you aren't going to like this one. The race guilty of being the quickest to pull out the race card is, yes, black people. Deal with it, it's the truth. Seems like every time someone disagrees with Beloved Barry, he's called a racist. Enough already. You know that's not racism, so stop it.
Now, back to the George Zimmerman trial. First, the events leading to the trial were sad, tragic and most unfortunate. I'm not going to debate whether justice was properly carried out or not. Some say it was, some say it wasn't. But there was one thing that was properly carried out. Due process of the law. Zimmerman was accused, arrested, jailed, arraigned and stood trial by a jury of his peers. The media, the public, a special interest group of white people, hell not even a federal judge decided his innocence or guilt. That was done by a jury of his peers and no one else. Was the outcome wrong. Maybe. Maybe not. If it was it was no more wrong than any of the wrong outcomes that have happened before. There have been people who have been falsely accused and even falsely convicted before. And people who have been falsely acquitted before. It is not a perfect, flawless system of justice we have. Sometimes, it makes mistakes. But it is the best system of justice on this planet. If you don't believe that then you don't get out much. Try living as a woman in a Muslim nation, that'll convince you. Look at it this way, if you are ever accused of breaking the law and you're arrested, jailed and ordered to stand trial, would you be OK with you're guilt or innocence being decided by the media, the public, a special interest group of white people or even a federal judge? I didn't think so. You'd want a jury of your peers. And you would get it. Just like George Zimmerman did.
