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Obama: 'Trayvon Martin could've been me 35 years ago'

Obama has made his first comments on the Trayvon Martin case since George Zimmerman was acquitted last weekend of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Martin’s death last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LxYB7PM5EA

YouTube: MichaelSavage4Prez

US PRESIDENT BARACK Obama has said the nation needs to do some “soul-searching”, look for ways to bolster African-American boys and examine state and local laws to see if they encourage confrontations like the one in Florida.

“Where do we take this?” Obama wondered aloud in an impromptu appearance in the White House briefing room. “How do we learn some lessons from this and move in a positive direction?”

Obama’s appearance marked his first extended comments on the Trayvon Martin case since George Zimmerman was acquitted last weekend of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Martin’s death last year.

Jurors found that Zimmerman was acting in self-defence when he shot the unarmed black teenager. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Obama, who early on had said that if he had a son, the boy would have looked like Martin, said: “Martin could’ve been me 35 years ago.”

The president also said it’s time “for all of us to some soul searching,” but he also said it’s generally not productive when politicians try to orchestrate a conversation.

He said race relations in the United States actually are getting better, looking at his own daughters and their interactions with friends, the president said, “They’re better than we are. They’re better than we were.”

African-American history

The president declined to wade into the detail of legal questions about the Florida case, saying, “Once the jury’s spoken, that’s how our system works.” But he said state and local laws, such as Florida’s “stand your ground” statute, need a close look.

Obama said it would be useful “to examine some state and local laws to see if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of confrontation” that led to Martin’s death.

He questioned whether a law that sends the message that someone who is armed “has the right to use those firearms even if there is a way for them to exit from a situation” really promotes the peace and security that people want.

And he raised the question of whether Martin himself, if he had been armed, “could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk” and shot neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman if he felt threatened when being followed.

Protests and demonstrations, he said, are understandable, adding that “some of that stuff is just going to have to work its way through — as long as it remains nonviolent.”

“It’s important to recognise that the African-American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn’t go away,” he said.

Read: America’s history of racial killings and failed convictions

More: ‘Justice for Trayvon’ marches take place across America

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    Mute marty
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:21 PM

    Isn’t he such a lovely man. Getting so sentimental when he speaks about children. Its such a pity he wasn’t so thoughtful when dropping bombs from drone strikes on innocent children in other countries. This man is a war criminal!

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    Mute Briain de Seadhach
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    Jul 19th 2013, 11:12 PM

    Look, you’re entitled to your views about Obama’s foreign policy, but do you have to write them here, on an article about a young man who was shot dead?

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    Mute Parmenides
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:24 PM

    Disgusting for a head of state to comment on individual cases purely because the victim was the same race as he. Obama’s a joke.

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    Mute Victor Ajani
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:31 PM

    @Parmenides: what about when David Cameron commented about the murder of the British soldier in London. Is that disgusting too?

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    Mute Parmenides
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:35 PM

    No, but Cameron didn’t bring race into it. Had you fully read my comment, you’d see it’s what he said, not that he said, that I take issue with.

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    Mute Joseph C. Brady
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:38 PM

    Obama. …is half white…as well. .btw

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    Mute The Leads Are Weak
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:26 PM

    What an idiotic thing to say.

    How can you compare chopping someone up with an axe in broad daylight to protecting yourself after you got ambushed by someone who proceeded to break your nose and smash your head against concrete?

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    Mute Adrian Quinn
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:26 PM

    parmenides
    Why shouldn’t he comment on it? A conflict of interests? Might upset the white folk by being too uppity? He hinted that he’s of the opinion that this was an incident that, at the very least, was kickstarted by one mans fear of a black youth in the neighborhood. Zimmerman would NOT have followed a white kid, hoodie up our hoodie down. The just of his comment was that we need to search our souls and overcome the mutual fear of different colored skin that still grips this nation. If you don’t get that, then you, at the very least, are the joke.

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    Mute Rufus Hound
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:32 PM

    I doubt Obama weighed in because he feels any particular personal attachment to Martin; more likely that the political issue of race, that permanently bubbles under the surface in the US, has become a tinderbox in many of its cities over the last few days!

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 2:24 AM

    Adrian. He can personally think what he likes in private but as President he is obliged to represent ALL the American people. And that includes the Zimmerman’s, the Jury and everyone that believes that the trial was fair.

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:20 AM

    Yes, Obama unlike TM is half and half. Martin was black-both parents being black. Obama seems to have some issues with his white identity as this is not the first time he has made such comments. During his 2008 campaign, he threw his white grandmother under the proverbial bus by suggesting she was afraid of blacks, and that this typified her race. The same grandmother who had raised him.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:53 AM

    Mick Jordan. George HW Bush weighed in after the Rodney King beating; “what I saw made me sick”, he said, “I have no way to explain it away”. This was before a trial, (a trial that ended in a not guilty verdict). Should he have shut up and not have interfered in a racial problem? The problem with most people who post on here, and I especially include you, is that you think a black president is defending the black community because he’s black too! Its just not the case. Cant you accept that here is a president who saw a gross injustice and felt he had to speak out. I commend him. Also i have lived in the US for well over a decade and have no fear walking the streets among people of different colour. I think the bogey man tales of your childhood have narrowed your thinking.

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jul 20th 2013, 8:29 AM

    No gross injustice there – read the actual evidence in the case instead of listening to the hype.

    Stupidity? Yes, on the part of Zimmerman, Martin and America’s gun laws. But injustice? No.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 9:36 AM

    Mattoid. Correct judgement in my opinion, based on a bad prosectution and a well versed defence. The President was talking about the stupid “stand your ground” law. Do you think OJ was innocent because a jury decided so?, or the cops in the Rodney King trial were innocent because a jury decided so?, or the Guilford four, or the Birmingham 6 were guilty because a jury decided so? Based on the cases offered by both sides on all these cases, I believe the jury gave what they thought was a correct decision. My personal opinion about all these cases (including this one)is, the jury got duped.

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jul 20th 2013, 10:08 AM

    @Adrian
    The jury can only act on the evidence presented to the court, and in this case it was clear from the very beginning that there was always going to be ‘reasonable doubt’ at the very least, which is why the initial decision was not to press a prosecution.

    “A witness to the confrontation just prior to the shooting stated that Martin was on top of Zimmerman and punching him, while Zimmerman was yelling for help”.

    If you have further evidence which was not presented to the court please let us know.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 10:37 AM

    Mattoid. Now how would be privvy to other evidence? Just for the craic though, lets go back to the time, (and try and put yourself in his shoes), when TM enters the neighbourhood.
    You are a kid on your way to your girlfriends house to watch a baseball game. You notice that, behind you, a man has gotten out his car and has been following you. Maybe you turn on him and ask him why he is following you. He turns away, but you still want to know whats going on. A confrontation begins. The rest has been proved in court . TM on top. GZ gets the gun free and kills.
    Now, why does does GZ make a 911 call? Why does he follow him against the advice of the police?

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:45 AM

    Adrian, TM was visiting his father’s girlfriend’s house, but either way, from GZ’s point of view he sees a young unfamiliar man in a hoodie acting suspiciously (looking into several houses) and calls 911. No mention of race until asked by police.

    Starts following the person and is told by the despatcher “we don’t need you to do that” (not an instruction not to follow). From his evidence, as he is returning to his car he is ‘jumped’ by TM and in the ensuing altercation sustains a broken nose as he receives a beating. Fears for his life and shoots in self defence.

    Evidence produced in court (third party witnesses, 911 recordings, injuries sustained by both parties) is consistent with his version of events.

    From TM’s point of view, if he thought he was being followed by a suspicious man and was in fear of his life, most people would run a mile and not stop running till they felt they were completely safe, particularly if they were close to ‘home’. TM didn’t though – he turned round and started walking towards GZ, then runs, then turns again and initiates the physical confrontation in which he subsequently loses his life.

    The tragic thing is that this whole incident didn’t need to happen – two hotheads and liberal gun laws made for a lethal combination.

    Nothing to do with either race or ‘stand your ground’, but hijacked by various vested interests and hyped beyond all reality.

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    Mute Richard Barrett
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    Jul 20th 2013, 12:41 PM

    obama in fairness, is an intelligent bloke.He is also a representive of the rich, a puppet for wall street. Perhaps I’m being a cynic but I struggle to see how anyone can take him seriously.

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jul 20th 2013, 1:50 PM

    Very few US presidents have been anything other than representatives of the rich :-(

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    Mute EDDIE BARRETT
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    Jul 20th 2013, 8:43 PM

    You appear to have a big problem with colour and race Mary – & what is “Obamacare” Mary ?

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 21st 2013, 3:26 AM

    Thanks for going there, Ed. You have just demonstrated what all liberals do when they are being verbally challenged ;-)

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    Mute joe dangermouse
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:24 PM

    Fox News are creaming themselves with this little nugget.

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    Mute Joseph C. Brady
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:39 PM

    He served them a softball

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    Mute Stephen Howlin
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:21 PM

    How much media coverage would this get if it was a white man Zimmerman shot and kilt or if Zimmerman was African-American?

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    Mute Continent Simian
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:25 PM

    I don’t know. Neither do you.

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    Mute Stephen Howlin
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:31 PM

    True but I can have a guess it wouldn’t be as much considering we don’t hear about the other cases of stand your ground.

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    Mute Joseph C. Brady
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:37 PM

    I reside in America. ..I know..zero national covg…zero

    61
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    Mute John Fagan
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:40 PM

    Obama was quiet when those two white British men were shot by a black man because they were in the wrong neighbourhood. Black people can’t be racist, so we’re told.

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:15 AM

    It wouldn’t get any coverage. More blacks have been killed in Chicago since the war in Afghanistan started than American troops in Afghanistan. It is a national tragedy, yet neither Obama, Holder, Sharpton nor Jackson ever want to address it. Why? It doesn’t fit their narrative for America.

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    Mute Simon Jester
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    Jul 20th 2013, 3:17 PM

    Dont forget its Obamas hometown/power base.Chicago should be the safest city in the USA.But because Obbie and Michelle hail from it and most of the people who voted for them are black/ white liberal types,there cant possibly be any such racial black on black killings or whatever in his hometown.

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:35 PM

    Hold on a minute, I’m not au fait with the intricate details of this case, but a jury found the man not guilty, whether the jury was right or wrong, surely the president should not be allowed to comment on a case that has gone through due process. Was the verdict a blatant miscarriage of justice, can anyone tell me? Sure, it reflects badly on gun law in the US, is this the point Obama was making?

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    Mute Monor Curry
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:52 PM

    No way near a miscarriage of justice. Zimmerman (stupidly) followed Trayvon Martin through a gated neighbourhood. The neighbourhood had experienced quite a few robberies and Zimmerman was a self-appointed neighbourhood watch type guy (from what I understand). He called 911 about the hooded Trayvon Martin and said he was going to follow him, 911 responded “you don’t need to do that” and Zimmerman is then heard saying he has lost sight of Martin. After that it’s conjecture, but the most likely run of events is Martin confronted Zimmerman about being followed, they probably argued, Martin was winning the scuffle and was on top of Zimmerman (this last fact is part of a testimony from a forensic pathologist) supposedly beating Zimmerman’s head against the pavement (Zimmerman had incurred significant facial injuries). One shot was then fired from Zimmerman’s gun, which unfortunately went directly through Martin’s heart.

    As far as I can tell from the case, Zimmerman was a hyped up idiot. Martin was suspected to be a marijuana user – this is in NO way an intention to be a slight on Martin’s character, rather marijuana is known to heighten paranoia – and things escalated beyond both of their control very, very quickly.

    Manslaughter is something that definitely COULD have been brought against Zimmerman, but anyone following the trial will tell you that the prosecution brought an absolutely laughable case. It was almost too easy for the defence.

    It’s no indication on gun laws, and Obama was bringing in the Stand Your Ground law even though it had no bearing on this case whatsoever, as it was not a law that was used in Zimmerman’s defence.

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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:56 PM

    As a legislator, it is his responsibility to pass laws and to assess whether or not they are serving their intended purpose. I don’t see Obama at any point indicating that the jurors made the wrong call, nor do I see him putting any blame upon the judge either. His comments are directed purely at the ‘stand your ground’ law.

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    Mute Dom Morgan
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:57 PM

    No, the verdict suits facts. In fact, the bill for this trial should go to Al Sharpton because initially the authorities thought they had no case to prosecute Zimmerman. But Al Sharpton made a lot of noise and Zimmerman was prosecuted. It was proven during the trial that Martin was on top of Zimmerman and bashing his head against the asphalt when he was shot. There were attempts in media to make a racist out of Zimmerman but this guy brought a black girl to the prom and was mentoring black kids. Obama’s comments are stupid and out of place. But what else to expect from this opportunistic demagogue?

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    Mute Monor Curry
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:58 PM

    Directing it at that law is completely irrelevant to the case in hand as it was not a factor in the trial or the verdict. I understand he wants to address these issues but he should not be using Martin’s tragic death as the imperative. It’s disgusting.

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    Mute Michael O'Connor
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    Jul 20th 2013, 3:53 AM

    Your point?

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:05 AM

    The jury spoke and gave its verdict almost a week ago. What BO thinks as a private citizen on the case is his business. But to once again interject himself publicily in his role as POTUS is both unprecedented and unbecoming to the office. He is in no way different from race -baiters like Sharpton and Jackson. Listening to him, one would falsely think that a white man had killed a black man. He knows it’s a lie, but it’s better for him to have unemployed and frustrated blacks rioting over this than rioting against his failed policies.

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:10 AM

    Obama is NOT a legislator!
    Read up on how the American government works. He is in the Executive branch of government. The Congress made up of both the House of Representatives AND the Senate make up the Legislature. When Floridians decided to adopt the ” Stand Your Ground” law, it was on a state level. It was not a law that all 50 states were forced to adopt from the federal government!

    Incidentally, the defense for Zimmerman did not argue this law in his defense.

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    Mute Simon Jester
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    Jul 20th 2013, 3:11 PM

    Nothing to do with the GUN laws in the USA.it is a self defence law .
    Yeah as usual Obbie was taking a swipe at his pet hobby horse,and is still peed off the didnt get any ofr his diktats thru in the gun confiscation laws.
    As for it being Obama 35 years ago in Martins position..Great pity it wasnt!!!

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:50 PM

    Great point, Simon. As we are now seeing over here, BO is politicising Trayvon’s death in order to push for more gun laws in addition to trying to have “Stand Your Ground” laws rescinded even though this law was not used in Z.’s defense.
    It’s a pity NONE of the usuals seem to give a rat’s ass about the thousands who have been murdered in Chicago. Very sad indeed.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:49 PM

    When Obama was giving his speech about how he knows what its like to be followed around a store and when a lift a woman will couch her bag tighter and people lock their car doors he didn’t answer why people would do it. Why do people feel nervous around young black men? And none of the media present dared ask him that. People are nervous for a reason.

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    Mute Marilyn Maroney
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:59 PM

    Mick, I do because people nowadays are nucking futs, I don’t trust no one!! Doesn’t matter it they are pink or green, let alone black or white..it’s not like the 60′s when it was safe to do just about everything

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 19th 2013, 11:58 PM

    This speech was aimed completely at the Black Community and the left of the party. And if anyone noticed he slipped it in that there would be no federal case against Zimmerman. He knows as does Holder there is nothing they can do him on.
    And if he was so worried about how people view young black men then why doesn’t he throw the full weight of the federal government against gang violence around the country. Use an Iron Fist approach towards these thugs. Zero tolerance. Give people the confidence to walk in their neighbourhoods free from fear of being harrased, mugged and or killed going about their business. Then when that is done women might not be so quick to clutch their bags, Store security may not be so quick to judge.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 8:11 AM

    How many pink or green people have you met? The only 2 colours you mention that are actually acceptable human pigments are black and white. You are obviously nervous around the one you are not. tell the truth and shame the devil!

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    Mute Marilyn Maroney
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    Jul 20th 2013, 8:29 AM

    Adrian, I am magenta with lime green polka dots…dont you know a figure of speech when you hear one?

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 9:39 AM

    Why say “pink or green”? There is no place for figures of speech, or metaphors, or euphamisms in this debate. Are you nervous when you meet a black person? Yes or no.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 9:41 AM

    Marilyn, or if your black, are you nervous around white people? Yes or no.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:22 AM

    Adrian. Now you are being fecious. This whole debate is about Black v White America. And it was Obama that raised the fact that people are nervous around young black men. Why do you think he said that?

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:34 AM

    Because it should not be about black v white America. Why should a white person be nervous about meeting a black person or a white security officer be suspicious of a black customer? I wasn’t being facetious. Pink and green is a cop out.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 12:10 PM

    Unfortunatly it is. In the US the propensity of young males from poorer neighbourhoods (ie. Black and Hispanic) to be involved with gangs and criminality. No different to the groups of young males living in certain areas here in Ireland.
    And if you look at the transcripts from the dispatcher tapes you notice that Zimmerman did not bring race into the description until the dispatcher asked him what colour the suspect was.
    But what gets me is how Black Americans describe themselves. “African American”. Why? You would never hear a black British person describe themselves as African British or French as African French. They just refer to themselves as British or French. Its Black Americans and the left that are reinforcing the idea that they are somehow different by describing themselves so. They are the ones pushing racial differences to the fore. If the white community were to set up a lobby group the twin of the NAACP they would be labled as racists. The KKK has its Black equivalent in the Black Panther Party but nobody will condemned it for fear of being labled a racist. Yet these organizations do nothing to try and integrate. Just continue the divide.

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    Mute Marilyn Maroney
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    Jul 20th 2013, 1:50 PM

    Adrian, listen I live in Chicago…top crime city of the country, 60 something murders in the last 2 weeks,
    I know what I’m talking about, I live in the middle of it….am I black or white?? Nunya

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 6:57 PM

    Mick. So an American of Irish or Italian descent has no right to call themselves Irish-American or Italian-American. Black Americans of African descent hold onto to their heritage a little tighter because teir ancestors were shipped over to be slaves. A practice that ended a mere 150 years ago. Come amd live here before making judgements like that. Your’e contempt for the Black American while living in Ireland disgusts me.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:05 PM

    Marylin. Living in Chicago and being nervous around everbody because, “everybody is nucking futs”, is not good or your obviously fragile mental state. I work in Oakland and people who arent the same color as me, dont scare me.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:22 PM

    Adrian again you try and twist what people are saying.
    This is a Speech Bill Cosby made.

    “They’re standing on the corner and they can’t speak English.
    I can’t even talk the way these people talk:
    Why you ain’t,
    Where you is,
    What he drive,
    Where he stay,
    Where he work,
    Who you be…
    And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk.
    And then I heard the father talk.
    Everybody knows it’s important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can’t be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth.
    In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.

    People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an Education, and now we’ve got these knuckleheads walking around.
    The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.
    These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids.
    $500 sneakers for what?
    And they won’t spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.

    I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit.
    Where were you when he was 2?
    Where were you when he was 12?
    Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn’t know that he had a pistol?
    And where is the father? Or who is his father?
    People putting their clothes on backward:
    Isn’t that a sign of something gone wrong?
    People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn’t that a sign of something?

    Isn’t it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body?
    What part of Africa did this come from??
    We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don’t know a thing about Africa …..

    I say this all of the time. It would be like white people saying they are European-American. That is totally stupid.
    I was born here, and so were my parents and grand parents and, very likely my great grandparents. I don’t have any connection to Africa, no more than white Americans have to Germany , Scotland , England , Ireland , or the Netherlands . The same applies to 99 percent of all the black Americans as regards to Africa . So stop, already! ! !
    With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap ……… And all of them are in jail.

    Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person’s problem.
    We have got to take the neighborhood back.
    People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different ‘husbands’ — or men or whatever you call them now.
    We have millionaire football players who cannot read.
    We have million-dollar basketball players who can’t write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job.
    Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us.
    We have to start holding each other to a higher standard..
    We cannot blame the white people any longer.”

    ~Dr.. William Henry ‘Bill’ Cosby, Jr., Ed..D.

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    Mute Marilyn Maroney
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:37 PM

    Mick, don’t even bother, you know that will be twisted too,…….like talking to a brick wall

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:37 PM

    I’m not twisting words. Bill Cosby made that speech from position of privelage. We pontificate and debate this subject a continent apart from each other- from a position of privelage. An inner city black kid starts with an economic and educational handicap. In the same way that people in the Ballymun towers back in the 80′s started with a severe disadvantage. In these enviorments,drugs and crime fester and mushroom until people outside looking in forget what caused the situation, and look upon the inhabitants as dirt who are too lazy to better themselves. Bill Cosby is one man and one opinion.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:44 PM

    He is a Black Man just as Obama is. You claim that Obama is entitled to his opinion then so is Cosby. And Obama didn’t grow up in the projects either. He grew up in a middle class neighbourhood in Hawaii so not exactly in position to claim “to be down with the homies”.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:46 PM

    Marylin, Mick asked the question, “why do people feel nervous around young black men?” You said that you feel nervous around people. I am just trying to get you to say who you are nervous around and why? “Because everybody is nucking futs these days”, and “it’s not like it was in the sixties”, are cop out responses in my opinion. If you dont want to engage in a dialoge- that’s fine. I wish all the best. Cheerio.

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    Mute Adrian quinn
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    Jul 21st 2013, 12:13 AM

    Bill Cosby is entirely entitled to his opinion. I in fact agree with him. The truth is,though, that black/hispanic incarsaration, (crap spelling i know), figures are three times higher than their white counterparts. Unemployment among black/hispanics is double the white average. Graduation rates are half the white rate. College graduation is not even close. Rather than asking your original question about why whites are nervous around young black males, maybe we should be asking why the fundamentals of American life are askewed in favour of white people. The black community does need to tackle the problems that Cosby speaks of, but they need to start on an equal footing, and they just dont get that. I’m honestly not trying to be a p*+*k.

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    Jul 21st 2013, 12:18 AM

    Oh and @mick, please dont say “down with the homies”. You sound like an Irishman who’s knowledge of inner city minority life in the US comes watching New Jack City. Now I’m being a p*#%k.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 21st 2013, 12:28 AM

    The point I am making is that most Black Americans place themselves apart by a self pitying stance of “Whitey is keeping down” where as nothing could be further from the truth. There are plenty of prominent Black Americans that have climbed out of the poverty and misery by their own efforts. America prides itself as the “Land of Opportunity”. The thing is nobody is going to hand you that opportunity on a plate. You have to make it yourself.

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    Jul 21st 2013, 12:40 AM

    Btw Adrian my remark about the Homies came from a Black commentator Kevin Jackson that was condemning Obama. He also had the same attitude as Cosby. He was the Author of the Book “The Big Black lie”.

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    Mute Adrian Quinn
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    Jul 21st 2013, 12:42 AM

    On what do you base that mick? Have you asked most black americana? Its there a stat that says must black americans blame whitey?

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 21st 2013, 12:50 AM

    It can be seen by their actions. Ask the NAACP ask Al Sharpton and his supporters ask Jessie Jackson and his supporters ask Louis Farakan and his supporters ask the Black Panthers and their supporters ask the Detroit Democratic party and its supporters. Ask the Crips and the Bloods. Ask those currently in the countries prisons.

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    Mute frank mullen
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    Jul 19th 2013, 10:02 PM

    Typical Obama looks good , says all the right things but ultimately a fraud.Drone strikes, Bradley Manning, Gitmo bay still open ect ect ect…..Sad thing is I had great hope for this man

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    Mute Mark Garrigan
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:17 PM

    Doubt it

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    Mute Ed Kavanagh
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    Jul 19th 2013, 10:25 PM

    Approx 93% of Blacks murdered in US were murdered by other blacks. I think what we are seeing is Obama and Holder disgustingly making this a racial issue for their own agenda. Obama is a racist.

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    Mute Eamonn Colfer
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:34 PM

    The politicisation of this tragedy is a disgrace. It does not respect the separation of powers between the executive and judicial branches of government

    “He questioned whether a law that sends the message that someone who is armed “has the right to use those firearms even if there is a way for them to exit from a situation” really promotes the peace and security that people want.”

    There is no proof that Zimmerman could have gotten away during the attack, and contrary to one side’s version of events, there is no proof that he continued to follow Trayvon Martin AFTER the police despatcher told him “you don’t need to do that” (exact words – not “don”t follow him”).

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:18 PM

    Correct Eamonn – despite the constant media barrage about it this case didn’t even involve ‘stand your ground’ laws, and absolutely no evidence whatsoever was presented to the court to suggest that race was a factor in GZ’s initial suspicions or his subsequent (and stupid) decision to follow TM.

    This case was hijacked by various vested interests from day one and these same interests are now trying to dig themselves out of a hole and emerge without too much egg on their face. Shame to see Obama among them.

    The wiki on the case (and its references) is quite enlightening and blows many of the myths out of the water:
    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin

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    Mute Michael O'Connor
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    Jul 20th 2013, 4:22 AM

    I read the wiki. Seems that a frightened young man was chased down by a power hungry assailant. When said young man finally stood his ground, he was killed. No verbal interaction, just followed, then chased, then shot.

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:49 AM

    Shot after he allegedly attacked the person who had been following him (and who was now walking back to his car). Yes, he’s not around to tell his own story, but such limited evidence as there is in this case is consistent with Zimmerman’s version of events.

    All other things being equal, to suggest that it happened differently is to make biased assumptions.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 11:34 AM

    From the tape itself it states that Zimmerman had lost sight of Martin. And that Martin came back to confront Zimmerman.

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    Mute ieoinu
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:54 PM

    That comment is ridiculous and out of order. He has absolutely no right to comment or second guess a jury which acquitted Zimmerman. Based on the evidence presented to them they found that he was justified in killing Martin. That’s the fact of the matter, it’s not something that he should be politicising!

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    Mute Marilyn Maroney
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    Jul 19th 2013, 10:40 PM

    If anything, he should be backing up the judicial system of the country he is in charge of

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    Mute The Leads Are Weak
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:24 PM

    Why is he sticking his beak in again? He should be trying to fix the economy and create growth.

    Worst President in living memory.

    All he seems to do is shoot hoops and pose for pr pictures with staffers children.

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    Mute Eddie Barrett
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    Jul 19th 2013, 10:06 PM

    My friend “The Leads are Weak” – sounds like you have been doing too much Tea Party’ing – I can name two immediate recent past Presidents , both of whom were called Bush, Bush one and the other was known as Bush two.

    If ineptness & ignorance was being measured on a scale of zero to a hundred – they certainly score a 100% as the worse that I personally have observed in my 60+ years on Earth.

    In terms of economic recovery since Obama took over the economic basket case that’s was the USA after Bush two, the economy , the banks and the stock exchange have transformed.

    If there is a criticism of Obama – he still hasn’t got the illegal wars withdrawals finished , Quantanamo closed down , all guns banned and his Governments drones use , stinks beyond belief .

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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Jul 19th 2013, 10:51 PM

    ”If there is a criticism of Obama – he still hasn’t got the illegal wars withdrawals finished ”
    in fact he is far worse than Bush 2 ar regards Civil rights – and US invasions . He has no intention of closing his Gulag at Guantanamo- nor getting guns banned .
    Hopey Changey is just a good talker – like so many politicians – and we still believe them [ at times - too many times ] – after 200 years of lies .
    As for this case – I suppose its better to talk about it that than the fact that another large city in US – Detroit is broke !!.

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    Mute Ryan Murphy
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    Jul 20th 2013, 2:19 AM

    Obama doesn’t seem to realise the gravity of his office. This is the guy who laughs about drones, and I don’t mean the Jonas brothers.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWKG6ZmgAX4

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:22 AM

    Guess you don’t live here!

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:38 AM

    This is in response to Eddie Barrett’s comment above :-)

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    Mute Simon Jester
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    Jul 20th 2013, 3:30 PM

    Get all guns banned..Well, there is no fool like an aul fool,if you think thsat is going to happen.Plus you must have slept thru TWO of the worst presidencies that I as a young whippersnapper of 48 years can remember.Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon,possibly also Gerald Ford would be very hot contenders for ineptness and incompetance. Smokie Obama is beginning to top them all.

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    Mute EDDIE BARRETT
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    Jul 20th 2013, 3:44 PM

    Yes I do Mary – in Ireland of course! – you have noticed that The Journal.ie is an Irish production – but to answer your comment , I travel very regularly to the States and have lived there too in my student years .
    I have been a student of history and politics all my life and am from that type of background .
    I had hoped that Obama was going to be a better President but I’m afraid he has been totally compromised by the corruptive effects of a dangerously right wing majority in Congress – which shows no respect for good for the US and the rest of the World whatsoever.

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:43 PM

    @ Ed Barrett: By the ” right wing” obstructionist, do you mean those who are going along with his immigration bill or who agree with him on going into Syria?

    As one who has lived here almost 30 years, I would tell you that the House has a majority of Republicans right now and the Senate has a majority of Democrats. Since the 2010 fall elections, BO has been trying to circumvent the HOR and issue executive orders on some of his pet projects. Recently, he mused as to how to completely circumvent the Constitution.

    He has been able to pass Obamacare without a single Republican vote. How is that, you may ask.
    From January 2009 until January 2011 ( when there was a changing of the guard in the HOR), Obama had a MAJORITY of his own party in Congress. However, they did not give him everything he wanted either.

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    Mute The whistler
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:53 PM

    I suppose treyvon could have been peeping into peoples living rooms so him and barack might have that in common

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    Mute Monor Curry
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:57 PM

    A heartfelt speech but the President should really not be talking about this. However we’re in unknown territory, he is the first black President in the history of the US and he’s in a unique position to comment on these things.

    His comments on what it’s like to be a young black guy in America is a sad reflection on American society as a whole. His basic logic is that Zimmerman would not have followed a young white hoodlum in the same circumstance (something I’m not sure is true – for all accounts on ZImmerman’s character, I think he would have). The argument is pointless and only serves to embed in the public’s mind that Zimmerman was on some level racist and this is indicative of the result of the trial and also American society as a whole.

    Yes, racism is a problem in America. Yes, young black males get pigeon-holed and it’s disgusting some of the things that can happen in terms of police brutality and so on. But the use of this case to politicise that issue is disgusting and personally I find it amazing how well the family have handled it.

    If Obama wants to bring about these things that he’s talking about (which are admirable), then he should damn well have been doing it since day one in office and not using a media driven story to get people talking.

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    Mute toubini
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:32 PM

    That’s a manipulation, “stand your ground” rule was not even invoked in this trial, it was “self defence”.

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    Mute Parmenides
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    Jul 19th 2013, 8:22 PM

    Wish it had been.

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    Mute adrian quinn
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    Jul 19th 2013, 9:55 PM

    the leads are weak. The economy is growing , unemployment is down, the housing industry is booming again. one war ended, another winding down. Healtthcare war won. immigration bill in the pipeline. love him or hate him but he’s been a busy boy. he also golfs a lot too. but the thought of him shooting hoops with the brothers on the black top pullin’ on a 40oz suits your mind better I guess. yes the leads truly are weak

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    Mute Simon Jester
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    Jul 20th 2013, 3:35 PM

    Meantime Detroit is bankrupt,New Orleans still looks like a hurricane hit it,California is bankrupt,Eric Holder still refuses to answer questions about Fast & Furious,Prism still looms large,Benghazi is still unanswerd,and a few myrid other problems.Yeah lets hear smokies prettyy speeches on all that,thats when he comes home from discovering his roots in Africa on the taxpayers dime.

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    Mute Gavin Okeeffe
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    Jul 19th 2013, 11:59 PM

    there’s so much wrong with this issue, the shooting itself, the media blowout, racial slur whether hispanic white black, the police response, the rioting but for a president to get involved in a case where a verdict has been concluded by a jury is irresponsible at best and will fuel further racial tensions………keep the masses divided on this issue as a distraction from the recent scandals maybe?

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 20th 2013, 7:26 AM

    Of course, it’s part of the distractionary MO. We still have Benghazi, the IRS, NSA, Fast & Furious, etc.
    The Romans had their “panem et circenses” to keep the plebs happy. We in America have a steady diet of trials which have been sensationalized to keep people distracted from whai is REALLY going on-whether it’s the Jody Arias trial ir the Zimmerman trial or whatever.

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    Mute Flash Gordon
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    Jul 20th 2013, 1:02 AM

    America needs to see itself as a Nation;
    American Irish
    American Italians
    American Africans
    American Hispanic etc.
    Labelling in the other way has a subconcious effect of tribal outlook and therefore increased fear and bigotry….
    Remember Garcia’s “Fried chicken ” comment ? And Tiger was “hurt” and la la la ……
    Had Tiger said something like “We in America eat alot of fried chicken , so what is your point exactly ?” Then he would have forced Garcia to be exposed as a eejit; instead he just reinforced the stereotype !
    That kinda thing ;
    never been to America so this is very much a conjecture by me !

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    Mute Heather Sinnott
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    Jul 20th 2013, 2:32 AM

    This is sad. The president stands behind rhetoric to try to point out a wrong. Hardly the most powerful man in the world never mind his country. A young man dead for wearing a hoody with the wrong colour of skin and the president of the USA can do nothing!

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    Mute Fidelma Kelly
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    Jul 19th 2013, 10:34 PM

    What an awful scenario.

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 21st 2013, 3:35 AM

    We have had a spate of these sorts of crimes over the last five years.
    You probably don’t hear about them over there.

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/07/now-that-barack-obama-talked-about-trayvon-martin-will-he-talk-about-marley-lion/

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    Mute Mary Nolan
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    Jul 21st 2013, 3:28 AM

    A thought-provoking article on the TM situation from a very articulate young man.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/romany-malco/a-message-to-trayvon-mart_b_3612231.html

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    Mute Gerry O'reilly
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    Jul 19th 2013, 11:40 PM

    So who could Kennny have been same as he is …

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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jul 20th 2013, 10:17 AM

    I am thankful that this killing would not have been legally justified in Ireland.

    It is sad to see a life ended, needlessly, wastefully and without justification.

    Leave policing to the police. That’s what the perpetrator of the killing was told but he decided to self appoint himself as a terminator. He killed a youth. Some name he may come to understand the enormity of what he did. Ending the life of another human being is a terrible action especially when it was so unnecessary.

    President Obama is entitled to have a view on this issue, just as the rest of us are.

    Zimmerman was at best a foolish, foolhardy and irresponsible individual.

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    Mute William Walker
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    Jan 30th 2014, 4:57 PM

    Thanks for the great article! I need to keep up with Obama. I usually don’t care much but, I need to learn more about politics.

    William | http://www.floorscapes.com.au

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