What the sleazeballs ignore
The legal definition of child.:
That certainly seems clear enough.
However we note how often the evidently very large body of people
trying to convince others that
George Zimmerman was guilty of murder in killing Trayvon Martin
have referred to Martin, not just as an “unarmed teen”, but as a “child.”
Here are some examples of people who should know better
who have called Martin a child:
By LIZETTE ALVAREZ
New York Times, 2013-07-13
SANFORD, Fla. —
...
[D]uring the state’s rebuttal argument, a prosecutor, John Guy,
[made the following arguments:]
...
“That child had every right to be where he was,” Mr. Guy said.
“That child had every right to do what he was doing, walking home.
That child had every right to be afraid of a strange man following him,
first in his car and then on foot.
And did that child not have the right to defend himself from that strange man?”
By Eugene Robinson
Washington Post Op-Ed, 2013-07-16
...
Those jurors also knew that Martin, at the time of his death,
was just three weeks past his 17th birthday.
But black boys in this country are not allowed to be children.
They are assumed to be men, and to be full of menace.
...
We know how frightened our sons would be,
walking home alone on a rainy night
and realizing they were being followed.
We know how torn they would be between a child’s fear
and a child’s immature idea of manly behavior.
We know how they would struggle to decide the right course of action,
flight or fight.
by Wil Haygood
Washington Post Style section, 2013-07-16
...
Clifford Alexander, who is black, was a young lawyer
when he worked in the White House under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
He well remembers discussions about judges and juries in Southern courtrooms
in those days.
And he understands why conversations reverted to such reflections
in the aftermath of the Zimmerman verdict.
“The clear reason why Zimmerman had the audacity to approach this child
was that he saw the color of his skin as a threat,”
he says.
...
Back to comments by the author of this blog:
Beyond the legal definition of child,
there are the physical characteristics of Martin.
According to his autopsy, at the time of his death
he was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighted 158 pounds.
That height makes him taller than average in America,
and four inches taller than the 5 foot 7 inch Zimmerman.
In other words,
Martin had the physical stature of an adult male.
In the physical sense, he was an adult.
What his mental age was was another matter,
but since he was at the normal grade level, evidently there was nothing particularly wrong with that.
child n.
1) a person's natural offspring.
2) a person 14 years and under.
A "child" should be distinguished from a "minor"
who is anyone under 18 in almost all states.
1) a person's natural offspring.
2) a person 14 years and under.
A "child" should be distinguished from a "minor"
who is anyone under 18 in almost all states.
That certainly seems clear enough.
However we note how often the evidently very large body of people
trying to convince others that
George Zimmerman was guilty of murder in killing Trayvon Martin
have referred to Martin, not just as an “unarmed teen”, but as a “child.”
Here are some examples of people who should know better
who have called Martin a child:
2013-07-13-NYT-zimmerman-trial-day-14-zimmerman-trial
Zimmerman Case Goes to JuryBy LIZETTE ALVAREZ
New York Times, 2013-07-13
SANFORD, Fla. —
...
[D]uring the state’s rebuttal argument, a prosecutor, John Guy,
[made the following arguments:]
...
“That child had every right to be where he was,” Mr. Guy said.
“That child had every right to do what he was doing, walking home.
That child had every right to be afraid of a strange man following him,
first in his car and then on foot.
And did that child not have the right to defend himself from that strange man?”
"2013-07-16-WP-Robinson-black-boys-denied-the-right-to-be-young
Black boys denied the right to be youngBy Eugene Robinson
Washington Post Op-Ed, 2013-07-16
...
Those jurors also knew that Martin, at the time of his death,
was just three weeks past his 17th birthday.
But black boys in this country are not allowed to be children.
They are assumed to be men, and to be full of menace.
...
We know how frightened our sons would be,
walking home alone on a rainy night
and realizing they were being followed.
We know how torn they would be between a child’s fear
and a child’s immature idea of manly behavior.
We know how they would struggle to decide the right course of action,
flight or fight.
2013-07-16-WP-Echoes-of-the-past
Echoes of the pastby Wil Haygood
Washington Post Style section, 2013-07-16
...
Clifford Alexander, who is black, was a young lawyer
when he worked in the White House under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
He well remembers discussions about judges and juries in Southern courtrooms
in those days.
And he understands why conversations reverted to such reflections
in the aftermath of the Zimmerman verdict.
“The clear reason why Zimmerman had the audacity to approach this child
was that he saw the color of his skin as a threat,”
he says.
...
Back to comments by the author of this blog:
Beyond the legal definition of child,
there are the physical characteristics of Martin.
According to his autopsy, at the time of his death
he was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighted 158 pounds.
That height makes him taller than average in America,
and four inches taller than the 5 foot 7 inch Zimmerman.
In other words,
Martin had the physical stature of an adult male.
In the physical sense, he was an adult.
What his mental age was was another matter,
but since he was at the normal grade level, evidently there was nothing particularly wrong with that.
posted by KHarbaugh at 08:54
<< Home