If ever there was an example of how politicians can make a bad situation worse in order to boost there own fortunes, it's the case of Treyvon Martin.
Martin, the Florida teen who was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch patrolman named George Zimmerman in Samford, Florida, appears to have been the victim of a senseless slaying. I say "appears", because the facts surrounding the case are still unfolding. Was the killing a hate crime? Why wasn't Zimmerman immediately arrested? Should Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law (Fla. Stat. § 776.012. Use of force in defense of person) be revisited?
Martin's family and community should keep the heat on until these questions are answered. And so should Florida representatives.
What's not needed are people who want to use this event as an excuse to further their own agendas - especially while the investigation is still unfolding. Not only does it distort and already heated topic, but it unnecessarily gets people angry and causes more harm. Unfortunately, that's exactly what some are doing. Here's a sampling:
President Barach Obama(D)-
“When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids . . . every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this.”
Hank Johnson(D- Georgia)-
"He was executed for WWB (Walking While Black) in GC (Gated Community)"
Maxine Waters (D-California)-
"Personally, I think it was a hate crime"
Bobby Rush (D-Illinois)-
"Racial profiling must stop, Mr. Speaker. Just because someone wears a hoodie, does not make him a hoodlum."Rush was censored for actually wearing a hoodie on the House floor while making the speech.
And than we have the usual suspects, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton, to throw fuel on the fire. Rev. Sharpton was quoted as saying that "the incident has been a “wake-up call” for the country and for “those who have suffered from the illusion of a post-racial generation.” Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor of Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, said the incident has pricked the hearts of a new generation of activists. “History is going to record that Sanford, Florida, is this nation’s Selma, Alabama...We have found our own Rosa Parks.”
Last, but not least, we have the national media, who are more than happy to amplify the chaos for higher ratings and, consequently, higher revenues.
Seriously - is all this necessary at this point in time? The case is in the hands of the Florida State Attorney's office , which is reviewing the case. For Rep. Maxine Waters to make a judgment before a decision is made is irresponsible and undermines the efforts of local officials. Rep. Hank Johnson should be keeping an eye on his own back yard - a police sergeant in his district in under investigation for corruption, and a New Black Panther party leader in his district is in jail for posting a bounty for George Zimmerman.
Rep. Bobby Rush's district is located in Chicago, a city that has seen 41 people shot in one weekend a few weeks ago, with one of the shootings leading to the death of a 6 year old girl. I would think there are more than a few families of innocent victims in Chicago who would welcome the personal attention that Rep. Rush is giving to the Tryvon Martin case.
And with the nation as a whole in serious trouble on so many fronts, Why is President Obama taking time to get involved in a case that is still under investigation?
As for Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Rev. Bryant, Why don't they go to great lengths to spotlight the true national injustice - black on black crime? Homicide is the leading cause of death among African-American males ages 15 to 34. These figures also indicate that 94 percent of black murder victims were killed by black offenders.
Time will tell what the final verdict will be regarding Treyvon Martin. If there is a miscarriage of justice, I hope Martin's family and community representatives fight the good fight. In the interim, we as a nation would be better served if politicians would fight the good fight in their own backyards. They should also be respectful of Martin and the nation as a whole by not using this tragedy to further their own agendas.
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