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A Moment of Clarity From A Pissed Off Parent

We thought court racism was done
the judicial battles all hard won
til hatred took another son
and we found justice suddenly gone.

For we discovered when a killer
stalks and scares and shoots a youngster
all he needs is just one juror
To sell his self-defense to as a cover

So now I tell my teen-aged son
that when he steps out on his own
he must make sure that he's alone
and not the target of a gun
aimed by some murdering racist scum.

Style / type: 
Structured: Western
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
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Comments

It would appear you don't agree with the Zimmerman verdict. The courts are like casinos it appears. Plot and kill one's ex wife and her lover and get off with nothing. Then a young man gets killed as the result of multiple wrong decisions and the perpetrator walks free because the prosecutor tries for murder instead of involuntary manslaughter. Is it any wonder our faith in the judicial system is non-existant?...........stan

I saw the look on that murderer's face when he realized he had gotten away with it.
That look was "Wow, I got away with murder."
His pursuit of his victim was so obviously premeditated, so obviously deliberate, that any jury of actual REAL peers would have convicted this killer.
Instead, its now Open Season on every back male teenager, in the 22 - or is it 33? - states that have "Stand Your Ground" laws.
Including my home state of Indiana.
The Florida court system just implicitly indicated that its OK for armed strangers to shoot my sons to death because of the color of their skin, if those strangers "feel threatened".
Which means, "if they're black".
Yes, I'm pissed off.
And, I was pissed off when Simpson got acquitted, too.
He was acquitted for the same damned reason.
Racism.
This is just a tad more personal.

Respectfully, Race

"Laws and Rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" - Race-9togo

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Race_9togo

author comment

couldn't make it any clearer, where your interests lie, and I don't blame you for one minute!
if I were black, I would tell my son the same thing. I fear for the youth of this day and age, no matter what their color. All they have to do is look like they might be a threat and...

I too, am very disappointed in the judicial-system. He should have been charged with manslaughter. My own opinion is; that Zimmerman didn't start out to kill that boy. He thought to scare him good and got in a tussle with him and was starting to get beat. Then he pulled his gun and shot him! Instead of taking the beating of his life, like he should have, "taking it like a man", he was a coward and killed that boy. He deserves to go to prison and get beat every day for a whole lot of years! Anyways, he will get what he has coming. He will live every, day the rest of his life knowing that he did something horrible. I don't know if that will bother him, but I hope it torments him forever. Thanks for the chance to read such a great story. ~ Gee

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

Its real good to hear from you.
Do you know what was the hardest thing of all in this?
Seeing the look on my son's face as I spoke to him about it. It took everything I had not to show a tear. The mere fact that I had to have that fucking conversation with him was bad enough, but the fear and anger and outrage I saw in him just

I'm fuming now, again.

Here's a question for you: how did six middle-class southern white women get characterized as a "jury of peers" in the case of a white/hispanic guy - oh screw THAT, a white guy - who admitted gunning down a black teenager? If this is what we can expect from our courts - and I said the same damned thing about Simpson - then we should change the constitution, because racist bigotted scumbags who made their minds up long before they were selected don't have any business being on any jury of our land.
I don't honestly think Zimmerman's going to spend one moment regretting what he did - I don't think he's capable - but I do believe he's going to spend the rest of his miserable wanna-be life looking over his shoulder every time he steps outside. Which isn't fucking nearly punishment enough, but I'll take what I can get.

Thanks Gee.

Respectfully, Race

"Laws and Rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" - Race-9togo

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Race_9togo

author comment

wouldn't want to have that conversation with my children. However, it needs to happen, even with girls!
Girls have to be warned about being in the wrong place at the wrong time and about the way they dress. It shouldn't be so, but it is. I feel bad for all those parents that have to talk to their children about being safe. Please let your son know that not everyone is a bad person, but he has to go with his gut and if it says to leave a place or not to go with some people, he should listen to it! He may be called chicken, but there are worse things; like being dead! Thanks again for sharing this with us, ~ Gee

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

There is no doubt that our court system lets many go free who shouldn't. I can't recall who said it but I remember having heard "Better 12 who are guilty go free than one who is innocent go to jail. " The entire world is more dangerous on a personal level than it used to be. I recall in my youth getting in fights. Just fights. But now a fight can lead to somebody going home for a gun or knife or having one already and a fight escalates to a killing. Guess the thing to tell young people is to not fight as one never knows what it might turn into..........stan

Good poem and delivers.

I've stayed out of all conversations about the trial,
I will say this, in this country it isn't against the law
to walk around any neighborhood but that doesn't
mean it's safe, not for any of us.

Racial profiling; It is indeed a practice carried out
by all police and sadly the majority of citizens, of
every race, but was that the premise for this tragic
set of circumstances? It appears the evidence didn't
prove that to be the case, at least not to the jury, does
that mean it didn't happen, not in the least but it is our
system of justice ( trial by jury ) ...

I read somewhere that Zimmerman had been charged,
perhaps even convicted of assault on a police officer in
the past, my question is why was this guy ever given (if this
indeed took place) permission to carry a concealed weapon.
My next question (if I'd been on the jury) was, why didn't he
just shoot him in the leg, he had enough time to pull his gun
out and shoot (was the safety on, was it in a snap type holster)
or was it already out?

It would seem to me that there was a miscarriage of justice,
I really don't believe the intention was murder but at the very
least a manslaughter charge should've been sought.

Thanks for reading end enjoying.
I suppose I really should just shut up; this subject makes people extremely uncomfortable, and no one wants to admit just how fucked up our court system really is.
I won't say "justice" system, because justice does not exist, in the USA.

Yes, he was arrested in 2005, I think, for "resisting an officer with violence" and "battery of a law enforcement officer". However, he got the first charge pled down, and the other dismissed.

He's also been arrested for domestic violence, in the same year.

I have no idea why he would be allowed to carry a weapon, given his criminal record.

But my characterization of this scumball still stands. I live in the USA; I know a racist when I see one.

Respectfully, Race

"Laws and Rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" - Race-9togo

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Race_9togo

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