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Zimmerman acquittal reflects deep racial divide
By Barry Weisberg |
July 24, 2013, Wednesday
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THE George Zimmerman acquittal in the United States (announced on July 13) is a reflection of the deep ongoing racial divide, the long-standing failures of the criminal justice system, and the precarious plight of virtually any black male in this country.
In many cities in the United States there is not a single black parent who does not on a daily basis fear for the life of both their male, and increasingly, their female children.
The Zimmerman trial reflected the reality that black males remain virtually an "endangered species" in the United States, despite the fact that Barack Obama was elected President.
Poisonous fruit
The verdict was only the final act of this ugly trial process. The early reluctance to try George Zimmerman, the racial profiling of Trayvon Martin, the law which allowed Zimmerman to even carry a gun, the self-defense laws in general, the apparent overcharging that confused the jury, the simplicity of the verdict regarding the killing of a black male, and other factors, reveal the poisonous fruit of the new Jim Crow "color blind" society.
Often accused black males, or victims such as Trayvon Martin, cannot receive a fair trial because the cultural context blinds jurors to racial realities. This helps explain the unprecedented rate of black male incarceration in the United States.
The disparity in how white (approved) and black (disapproved) commentators viewed the verdict is yet further evidence of the racial divide.
The fact that so many of the commentators could contend that ours is the "best criminal justice system in world," despite the fact that black males in the United States are arguably treated more poorly than under Apartheid in South Africa, is an ongoing symptom of the denial, delusion and deception about the racial divide.
A 2012 study, Operation Ghetto Storm, documented that 313 black males, women or children - one every 28 hours - were killed in the United States by police, security guards or vigilantes. This is the context in which George Zimmerman acted as a "neighborhood watch." There is no other country in the world where black males suffer from such extra-judicial violence.
Unfortunately the unpunished killing of Trayvon Martin is not the exception but increasingly the expectation in the United States.
It is one context by which black on black shootings in some cities must be understood. These shootings appear vindicated by the widespread extra-judicial killing of black people. It is not possible to end the black on black shooting in the United States unless the extra-judicial shooting is eradicated.
All this occurs within the context of escalating black poverty, inequality, incarceration and the recent Supreme Court gutting of the historic Voting Rights Act. The color line is real in the United States. It cannot be reversed by the election of an African American President, and may have worsened.
All of the calls for equal justice for black males are as futile as the attempts at gun control. It is a disgusting reality that Zimmerman will once again be allowed to carry a gun.
It is hardly surprising that as the verdict approached, there were many calls to avoid violence. But most of these same people were usually not among those who had previously demanded an end to the widespread violence against young black males.
While the United States has allowed a fraction of the black population to achieve success, it has also prevented the majority from escaping from severe inequality.
Violence against African Americans dates back to slavery. Although there are no longer slaves, the violence persists.
Barry Weisberg, JD, PhD, has three black sons and three black grandchildren. He was the Global Cities Commentator for Chicago Public Radio, a founder of the Violence Prevention Peace Promotion Strategy and The Chicago Build the Peace Committee. He taught law and sociology at Hong Kong University and is currently working on a peace curriculum for the Chicago Public Schools and a book about the transition from the global culture of violence toward cultures of peace. E-mail: barryweisberg@att.net.
In many cities in the United States there is not a single black parent who does not on a daily basis fear for the life of both their male, and increasingly, their female children.
The Zimmerman trial reflected the reality that black males remain virtually an "endangered species" in the United States, despite the fact that Barack Obama was elected President.
Poisonous fruit
The verdict was only the final act of this ugly trial process. The early reluctance to try George Zimmerman, the racial profiling of Trayvon Martin, the law which allowed Zimmerman to even carry a gun, the self-defense laws in general, the apparent overcharging that confused the jury, the simplicity of the verdict regarding the killing of a black male, and other factors, reveal the poisonous fruit of the new Jim Crow "color blind" society.
Often accused black males, or victims such as Trayvon Martin, cannot receive a fair trial because the cultural context blinds jurors to racial realities. This helps explain the unprecedented rate of black male incarceration in the United States.
The disparity in how white (approved) and black (disapproved) commentators viewed the verdict is yet further evidence of the racial divide.
The fact that so many of the commentators could contend that ours is the "best criminal justice system in world," despite the fact that black males in the United States are arguably treated more poorly than under Apartheid in South Africa, is an ongoing symptom of the denial, delusion and deception about the racial divide.
A 2012 study, Operation Ghetto Storm, documented that 313 black males, women or children - one every 28 hours - were killed in the United States by police, security guards or vigilantes. This is the context in which George Zimmerman acted as a "neighborhood watch." There is no other country in the world where black males suffer from such extra-judicial violence.
Unfortunately the unpunished killing of Trayvon Martin is not the exception but increasingly the expectation in the United States.
It is one context by which black on black shootings in some cities must be understood. These shootings appear vindicated by the widespread extra-judicial killing of black people. It is not possible to end the black on black shooting in the United States unless the extra-judicial shooting is eradicated.
All this occurs within the context of escalating black poverty, inequality, incarceration and the recent Supreme Court gutting of the historic Voting Rights Act. The color line is real in the United States. It cannot be reversed by the election of an African American President, and may have worsened.
All of the calls for equal justice for black males are as futile as the attempts at gun control. It is a disgusting reality that Zimmerman will once again be allowed to carry a gun.
It is hardly surprising that as the verdict approached, there were many calls to avoid violence. But most of these same people were usually not among those who had previously demanded an end to the widespread violence against young black males.
While the United States has allowed a fraction of the black population to achieve success, it has also prevented the majority from escaping from severe inequality.
Violence against African Americans dates back to slavery. Although there are no longer slaves, the violence persists.
Barry Weisberg, JD, PhD, has three black sons and three black grandchildren. He was the Global Cities Commentator for Chicago Public Radio, a founder of the Violence Prevention Peace Promotion Strategy and The Chicago Build the Peace Committee. He taught law and sociology at Hong Kong University and is currently working on a peace curriculum for the Chicago Public Schools and a book about the transition from the global culture of violence toward cultures of peace. E-mail: barryweisberg@att.net.
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