March 27th, 2012
02:14 PM ET
Trayvon Martin protest at the White HouseAbout 300 supporters of Trayvon Martin marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House today to show their support for an investigation into the death of the Florida teen. Many were students and faculty from the School Without Walls, a D.C. magnet high school located on the campus of George Washington University. The marchers called for justice for Trayvon Martin, who was shot to death in February while walking unarmed through a gated community in Sanford, Florida. President Obama was not at the White House. He is flying home from his trip to South Korea and will arrive later this evening. |
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It was self-defense...by Trayvon! No doubt he was scared of the strange guy following him. Just a kid walking home.
yeah I mean it doesn't matter that he jumped zimmerman while he was walking back to his car and beat his head into the sidewalk, I mean the kid was black zimmerman looked at him funny he had the right to curbstomp him...
It was self defense for both.
A scared little boy.
A scared neighborhood watchmen.
Reports describe Zimmerman as 5'5". Reports describe Martin as 6'3". Martin may have not been a sweet little boy, pictured as a 10 year old in many newsoutlets, as we were so led to believe.
It can't be said enough – my heart goes out to Trayvons parents and family members. None of us were there. None of us really know what happened. People in general act pretty much the same when they are scared – they either run like hell or fight for their lives. In this case maybe Trayvon tried to do both. It is a very sad situation for everyone involved.
This Should not still be happening 2012, of course not wake up America!
This is a sad, tragic case. I am with President Obama on this one that there needs to be a full,complete investigation from both sides of the case. There needs to be equal consideration for both sides also. Just because someone wears a hoodies doesn't mean they are automatically a criminal. My child and their friends wear hoodies also. If on the other hand he attacked the watchman first he is entitled to defend himself and if it means to kill in self defense, so be it!
INVESTIGATION ON BOTH SIDES, REALLY THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WHO WAS THERE IS DEAD, DEAD. HE IS NOT HERE TO DEFEND HIMSELF. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GUY LET HIS TRUTH OR 1/2 TRUTH SPEAK BUT THE TEEN IS DEAD ONLY THE TWO OF THEM REALLY KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. HEY GOOD THING HOODIES AREN'T BEING TARGETED IN WA STATE BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF RAIN AND ALL TEENS WEAR HOODIES YEAR ROUND. I NEED TO WARN THE TEENS IN MY FAMILY BE CAREFUL ABOUT CARRYING SKITTLES WHEN WEARING YOUR HOODIES IN PUBLIC
Here is what I want to know about this case. What time did Zimmerman call the police about this boy and what time did Zimmerman tell the women who saw him standing over the body tell them to call the police? Seems to me that would tell us if he was following Trayvon after he was told by the police not to follow him.
He wasn't told by the police not to follow, he ws told by the dispatcher. You could be a dispatcher, I could be dispatcher, you don't have to have any police training. Consequently a dispatcher has no authority to tell you what you can and cannot do. Zimmermans choice to follow was not illegal.
Trayvon thought he was a tough thug. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong person to attack and paid the ultimate price. The people who are standing up for Trayvon are ignorant.
Wow. I'm a senior who protested, and I'm assuming your an adult. The fact that you called us, and millions of other people ignorant is amazing. Where you there during Trayvon's death? Where you a witness? NO. So shut up and stop calling people ignorant. We stood up for not only Trayvon, but for the fact Zimmerman commited MURDER. COLD BLOODED MURDER, and isn't being punished. What's that saying about the government? That it's ok to go around killing innocent unarmed kids. But, "Dean", stop being ignorant and get your facts straight before making stupid comments.
I go to Walls. Just let these people be ignorant. There is not use in trying to change their opinion.
Were you there? Nope. The witnesses that were there say zimmerman was crying for help as trayvon was on top of him beating his head into the sidewalk. If you were getting your head beat into the sidewalk and had a gun would you use it? Or check to make sure the thugs not black first?
What? Just out of curiosity, where do you live? Is it a diverse or non-diverse area?
Go talk to the people in Detroit about diversity. I doubt that they are very welcoming to white people.
It is not a crime to be walking in your own community. The thug is a guy with a gun thinking he's some sort of dirty Harry and acting upon that thought.
Thank you.
The problem is there was no investigation. The police told him to back off, he didn't. He had no weapon. He was 140 pounds. Even if he did attack, which I doubt, a gun is NOT self defense when your are twice his size. You're ignorant, I'm not gonna call you a racist but you are misinformed.
We are not saying he did it we are not saying he didn't. What we were protesting was the fact that there was no actual, thorough investigation. Besides the fact that he was black, does every American citizen not deserve that?
Twice the size? Where did you get that information from? Please give us a link to the news story.
The more facts I hear, the more this appears to be another case of rush to judgement, fueled by a media's agenda.
No you are the one who is ignorant for assuming things you obviously don't know.
Wow! So how long have you known Trayvon Martin? Or did you submise that he was a thug because he was black. I find it unsettling when statements are made on one's character, especially when you have never met the person. Although I have never met Zimmerman, I know he should have been arrested and detained pending a full investigation. However, knowing that does not give me the right to make a character call on Zimmerman, because I have never met him. The problem here has deep roots...just read your own responses! There was no angel or demon in this situation. There was however, an admitted shooter and a dead teen...
You say " I know he should have been arrested and detained". The recent videos show him in handcuffs. Therefor he was arrested and detained.
The problem is: When Zimmerman called the police they asked if he was following and he said "yes" and the operator told him "you don't need to do that"....but he did not stop. According to records this all happened around 7:12 p.m. which by any standard is not late at night. Also, although George Zimmerman had a license to carry a gun the central tenets of the national Neighborhood Watch organization does not condone following a person, stopping a suspicious person, or carrying a weapon. A local watch committee is only supposed to be the eyes and ears for the police. They are not the police. George Zimmerman had made 40+ calls to the police in a year reporting suspicious people....maybe he was hyper-fixated and identified certain people as suspicious. The young man killed was on his cell-phone to a friend immediately before the incident happened.
I do think the gated community is certainly open to a large wrongful death lawsuit, since it seems they had signs posted stating they had a neighborhood watch and there were gung ho people out patrolling who had no firm written guidelines and who obviously had not been trained. They had a patrol which was not registered with a National group, had no written rules & regulations/ guidelines, and who had not been adequately trained by professionals. These are just ordinary citizens not official law enforcement people. Trayvon Martin had just as much right to stand his ground as the man with the gun. As a person who lives in a similar type condominium neighborhood and who has served on the condominium board....all I can say is Hello I see a wrongful death lawsuit coming.
jean, you know so much. Maybe Spike should tweet your address. Then the police could come and ask you for the answers. No need for a trial.
this kid ran down Zimmerman knocked him down and jumped on him and beat his head against the ground...while Zimmerman called for help. Those who choose to riot and make an issue of this clearly indicate why blacks in this country are in trouble disproportionately to other ethnics... NO RESPONSIBILITY.
Now we know this kid was caught in school with burglarly tools and stolen property...could be he was the person who was robbing homes in this gate community (that his father lived in)...what do you think the odds of that are? Oh wait...I'm racist...for talking this way...hahaha
Excuse me Jerry,
Only a European could make a comment such as the one you just made. The problem of African People in this country is the ignorance and stupidity of people such as you. You seen to think you know everything about everyone and people of color in particular based on a news clip and not fact. Your opinion as ignorant and self serving leaves me to believe that your head is burried so far up Uranus and that's not a planet. Get a life!! You could probally fit all your black friends in the back seat of a Volkswagon and still have room for an elephant.
well.... a little angry aren't you? No I'm not a european...but my wife is and I travel there frequently and if you want to see some real racism I suggest you go to europe..or even asia. Your comment "the problem of african people in this country is..." NO, first, they are not african, they are Americans. And the problem with SOME blacks is they do not except responsibility for their actions...they are perpetual victims and they allow politicians to keep them that way...ie, the democrats having meetings in DC today about this kids death ... by the way, are you sure I'm not black? You nut case.
SOME blacks don't accept responsibility, SOME whites, SOME asians, SOME indians, SOME native americans, SOME middle eastern, SOME AMERICANS don't accept responsibility for their actions. Like electing presidents to do a job then watch him fail and then expect another president to fix it the day he gets in. They're responsible for electing an adequate president, right? Yes. Of course you can't always tell but if they do it wrong don't reelect them and if they do it right don't impeach them. Where amI going with this? Yes, SOME people make mistakes and don't assume responsibility so? The problem here is that there was a person who got shot and there was no investigation or trail done. It has NOTHING to do with COLOR/RACE//ETHNICITY/WHATEVER YOU WISH TO CALL IT. It is simply an injustice done that got out to the nation. I'm pretty sure if you got shot your wife would want a fair trail done or an effort put in to find out who shot you and get them persecuted. Leave ethnicity out of this! You are all being blinded by color it is only about JUSTICE!
Obviously, jerky you are a white that does not accept responsibility for your own prejudiced thoughts. I assume you keep a white robe a hood....and are a card carrying member of the KKK from the way you let your mouth run on in racist unfounded speculation.
You are racist, why should you believe the perpetrator's word over 3 other witnesses and a phone call. You don't know the life of an African American. The problem is there was no investigation. He had almost NO injuries when it hapenned. Witnesses say they saw Zimmerman on top of him. If anything Martin was defending himself. A gun is not self defense against someone who is half your size.
@Jerry...yep. as usual, here you are in your usual hate form, which is not surprising!! You sure are racially stereotyping for talking that way! The eye witnesses said they saw Zimmerman on top of the young man. Zimmerman said himself he was chasing him! The boy's girlfriend who was on the phone with him said Trayvon told her there was someone following him! She told Trayvon to run..but he told her he wasn't running...he'd just walk fast. The boy tried to lose the murderer by hiding up close to the apartment buildings. The fool ran him down anyway and asked him what was he doing there...the boy asked him why are you following me? I believe that was the straw that broke the camel's back with Zimmerman!! He didn't like that 'coon' questioning him instead of answer his question!! Who did he think he was?? So he put his hands on the child and pushed him; so I guess the boy DID start trying to fight the BIG 250lb thing!! All the while he was screaming out for help. People heard it, some looked out and saw it!! They called 911!! By the time 911 got there the child was dead!! Now you'd just sooo like to blame the victim for his own death, like the rest of the demon racists would rather do, it is just pathetic!! But just know this, it will not end there...OK?? Black people have gotten sick and tired of being killed by the hands of the white man, and 9 out of ten times, nothing is ever done about it!! NO! Zimmerman is the one who ran down the wrong one...or maybe the right one, because even though Trayvon isn't here any longer to 'Stand His Ground', we will 'Stand It' for him....enough is enough!! This is the one that has opened up a near race riot, which I pray will diminish into nothing more than a dialogue on this racism in America. Maybe we as Americans can finally get honest, come out of denial, listen to one another, make compromises, make genuine amends and become truly 'One Nation Under God'!! All the way up until now, that has been a farce...a total lie! People all over the world know it...they know that 'New Babylon' is full of hypocracy!! They've come to realize when we claim to be a DEMOCRACY, we ought to be saying we're a HYPOCRACY!! SAD but TRUE!! By the way, I believe this Martin Murder is a hate crime, brewed in racism and stereotyping..PERIOD! Zimmerman was wrong; he's guilty as sin and needs to stop lying...turn his biggoted self in and pay his debt to society like anybody else who was in his position would've to do!! If he's such the sweet man and the good guy that they've tried to present to us here lately, he should have a conscious and it will kill him if he doesn't. If he isn't that person and I don't think or believe he is...he will settle with just trying to get off!! That fool is guilty and he knows it! Why did he wait to so long to start even talking (through his atty) and of all things, claiming that the boy hit him first? Even claiming the boy was the aggressor!! How can you be the aggressor and you're the one being chased down? How stupid does Sanford, Fl think we are?? When Zimmerman caught Trayvon, he set off that altercation so he could kill that child claiming self defense...he didn't think about eye and ear witnesses who may potentially be able to blow wholes in his story!! He didn't care about what the police had told him to do, because his daddy was a big time former Judge. So he had inside connections to the police dept as well as the cowardly city manager! The witnesses who called 911 are certainly credible!! Well until the Sanford PD and city officials got a hold of them, threatening them to change their stories a bit, and got them even contradicting what they said they saw in the first place!! Sanford doesn't care one bit about the unnecessary killing of another black child...SANFORD IS ON A MISSION NOW OF TRYING TO SAVE SANFORD'S FACE in America and to the world!! I know in a small town like that, it's not unlikely that Sanford is paying people to come out black and white to say how nice this killer is and that he's not racist or a biggott!! As broke as folks are these days, they'd probably say and do anything to get their bills and rent paid, and the rest of it is being staged under fear!! One man claimed Zimmerman stopped a person from breaking into his apartment! I wonder if he killed that person or those persons?? Seems to me, if he was going to stage a 'Stand Your Ground' plot, if ever there was a time that the lie could have possibly been believable, it would've been then!! You know the burglar tried to fight back and tussling with him his gun went off!! Something like that...but Trayvon was just walking, minding his business talking on the phone!! By the way, I didn't believe that whiteman and his lies anyway!! Today, they had a black man get on tv talking about what a good friend, and a good guy this monster killer was, and how he had been off crying ever since it happened, because he knew he had taken someones life...well, I GUESS SO!! I wonder how much Judge 'Daddy' Zimmerman and the City of Sanford paid these folks to come up with all of these 'good' stories and reports on a racist murderer?? All of a sudden too!! Well I guess it took a month to get all these folks to get together on what they were going to say to the masses to diminish his commision of this heinous crime. Cover-ups are not unusual for 'governments' on any level!! I've seen them....and with high-profiled nepotism involved too, they could mess around and that clown could walk!! Trayvons' parents are afraid to accept the protection and support of the NEW BLACK PANTHERS because they've been threatened of what would happen to them when they leave!! That's just another trick of the white man that's been waged on the black race since we've been in America!! DIVIDE AND CONQUER!! Which reminds me,... I don't remember even as a child growing up, the Ku Klux Klan being turned around when it came to one of the causes of white concern!! They staged marches right through our neighborhood as they marched down the street in front of our house..! The government never disbanded them like they did the Black Panther Party (Bobby Seals and Huey Newton) The are right now trying to figure out how to get rid of The New Black Panthers..when the Aryans, the KKK, the Skinheads, and just plain old Jim Crowe White Supremacists are still in tact, and flourishing!! Whites just don't want Blacks to position themselves to defend themselves from them!! Not going to work this time folks...we've learned a little bit better now on what we have to do!! We will have to protect and save ourselves and our children, by any means necessary!!
You know this exactly how? Just remember Trayvon Martin cannot tell his side of what happened...and owner residents of The Retreat at Twin Lakes might say anything to avoid a lawsuit against their property.
To Dean and Jerry, get your facts straight before typing. Dumbasses.Why don't we just legalize murder. Then let's meet for a cup of tea.
please, tell me what are your facts?
Its a fact that as any potential neighbot hood watch affiliate you should have a more accurate inventory of ppl in your immediate community. Its a fact that anyone can appear suspicious in a hoody regardless of race. Iits a fact that he continued to pursue his target after being told by proper authorities not to do so. Its a fact that after the shooting that this point was never revisted and he was never questioned why he ignored direct orders by 911. Was it due to drugs, alcohol or some other manipulated drug. Now all that aside lets move to the assult. I'm a black, i wear hoodies, i don not live in a high crime area but if i am walking my head is always on the move taking not of my surroundings. these actions may cause me to look suspicious to the wrong person and they may feel the need to act. Now i have spotted someone falling me acting unusual. Whether they are driving or on foot they now appear suspicious to me the same way i appear to them. I have no clue of their intentions or motives i just no that i'm being followed and If this action continues for an extended period of time an altercation is indeed imminent. After the unrest has built up to a certain point (fear, aggitaion, anger) a persons fight or flight mechanism kicks in and one of two things happens. With that said maybe Trayvon did rush in and attack Zimmerman...BUT IN HIS OWN SELF DEFENSE. Zimmerman did his job and called authorities which should have ended his role in the situation. Due to his actions of following Trayvon, (which also doubles as harrassment) He may have been caught off guard. The person doing the harrassing doesnt also get to play the victim and he should be charged.
What are yours?
Jerry, I find it completely ridiculous that a 140 lb BOY could possibly easily take down a 250 lb man (one with a violent past)and beat him without the much larger individual stopping him. The size difference alone disproves the self-defense claim.
And mind you this 140 pound boy took him down with an ice tea and a bag of skittles in is hands. Zimmerman's allegations are completely ridiculous. How could that even be possible? Regardless, he was targeted for wearing a hoodie in public. Anyone walking in a hoodie, regardless of ethnicity, shouldn't be murdered without proper cause. Zimmerman feeling threatened by a young child walking the OPPOSITE direction is completely ridiculous. He followed him on purpose. Nobody is saying guilty or not guilty but there NEEDS to be an INVESTIGATION. Thus far, there is none. If any other child is walking and shot over senseless circumstances, there would be a quick investigation. Why not for Martin?
Hmm...I bet I could take down a 250 lb person...I do weigh 145 though, that's a little different
The fact of the matter is, none of us truly knows everything that happened that night. But we ALL know that there was enough probable cause to arrest George Zimmerman (i.e the 911 tapes, the fact that he disobeyed the dispatcher, and that he used a gun to shoot and kill an innocent teen because he "looked" like he was up to no good when he had a bag of Skittles and an Arizona tea) and do a full investigation, which is obviously why the FBI and justice department is now investigating the case.
That hasn't happened. That is unjust. Characterizing someone as a "tough thug," is doing the same thing as Zimmerman - profiling without the facts. And to say that those who "choose to riot and make an issue" of an uninvestigated murder indicate that there is an issue of black irresponsibility? WOW. Really? Tell that to my white, Hispanic, and Asian friends that marched alongside me. This is an American issue, a HUMAN issue - not solely a race issue. My first amendment rights are just as valid as yours, and the rights that were stripped from Trayvon Martin are supposed to be accessible to EVERY American citizen.
If we don't "make an issue" out of the ill course of action that the of the Sanford police department has taken, then that would be license for more vigilante "neighborhood watchmen" to murder based on prejudice and unfounded suspicions. Seems to me that doesn't bother you at all, Jerry, Dean, and those with similar thoughts - that's the real issue here.
Look, we people of Walls are not ignorant and will not be displayed as so. Whoever you are posing as a Walls student please stop because you are making our school look like we have no education. We are just people trying to fight for justice. It has nothing to do with color only to do with what is right. If you are indeed a Walls child, please help yourself by not saying anything else and save yourself from further embarrassment. This is ridiculous. Don't antagonize anyone unless you want to be. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion ignorant or not.
We are not bluntly ignorant. We may be ignorant but not when it comes to serious issues.
Scooby dooby doo
We protested for what we believed in. Since when is that ignorant? And it's not even a race thing. We are demanding justice for all. You all do not have to support our movement, but you do not have to put us or anyone else down–THAT is ignorant and displays a weak-minded person.
And Jerry, it does not matter what color you are,. Trust me, no one cares. Again, we (sww HS) were not looking at race, but at the fact that the crime was not fully investigated; which in any court of law would be unjust.
OK, there are certain groups, taking this opportunity to launch protest, work on civil right, justice, and promote and ask for more from America. Hey, we didn't know what happened and non of our business we should be involve. Let the justice dept, police, DA, the family to figure out their thing. But, no, you people getting out of hand and act uncivilized and band together to make it like a national issue. Hey, just a little boy. Yeah, who know if he was a drug dealer, criminal or aggressor. Oh yeah, the attacker had criminal record donesn't mean he would strike again. But given the situation both were pretty much the same height, size, they were up for an ego, challenge, or something else we don't know. It is normal in manhood. So, what's wrong with you people?
Yeah, who know if he was a drug dealer, criminal or aggressor. Oh yeah, the attacker had criminal record donesn't mean he would strike again
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So the attacker has a criminal record and you feel that does not mean he would have struck again? Yet you failed to use that same philosophy when talking about that kid. You added: "Yeah, who know if he was a drug dealer, criminal". Even if he was all of that, should he have been killed in the manner he was? Would Martin have struck again? (if you are correct about and it really doesn't matter if you are or not) Looks like we will never know!
You also stated: they were up for an ego, challenge, or something else we don't know. It is normal in manhood. So, what's wrong with you people?
So if you don't know why bother with the speculation? The problem appears the police is SLOWLY releasing data that should have been quickly released in the first place! Sadly it looks like the police are FORCED by public pressure and FBI involvement to do their jobs! That is what is angering people, the appearance of a coverup!
You realize this country was built on protest?
The problem is there were 2 people involved but one is not here to defend himself, so we the public have to rely on the watch dog that he is telling the truth. He was told by proper authority not to pursue the kid, but the wannabe rent a cop took it upon himself to do so. Ok even if this small teen took down a man twice his size does that warrant being shot to death. This shouldn't be about black vs white but about 2 humans and one is now dead. Neighborhood watch is great with proper trainning not to take it upon themselves to be heros and I want to know did this guy have a permit for his weapon, the kid had skittles hope he got a permit.