George Zimmerman is back in the news this week, yet again. This time, a drunken man at the bar accosted him after hearing him brag to a fellow bar-goer about murdering Trayvon Martin. The conversation began with Zimmerman saying, "I love your [racist] tattoos. My name is George Zimmerman, you know, that guy who killed Trayvon Martin?"
Disturbing. You have to think that if he wasn’t proud of what he had done, if he wasn’t satisfied with himself that he had murdered an unarmed black teenager (despite the allegation by Zimmerman’s lawyer that Martin was in fact armed, that he “armed himself with the concrete sidewalk."), if he wasn’t happy with what he had done, he wouldn’t introduce himself as the man who had done the act. As if being a murderer is now a source of pride in his central identity.
But let’s rewind. Let’s not forget that this past May, Zimmerman actually auctioned off the gun that he shot Trayvon Martin with. Let’s recall that it was sold with his assurance that the buyer would remain anonymous, as if he was aware of the shame that should come with the transaction. Calling it a “piece of American history,” it sold to the top bidder for $250,000 dollars. A quarter of a million dollars, which — as stated on his website the day the auction closed — would be used to “counter violence against law enforcement officers by the group Black Lives Matter" and to fight Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton’s “anti-firearm rhetoric.”
And with that, Zimmerman has officially inserted himself into the politics of this already controversial presidential race for the upcoming election. He has directly aligned himself with the Trump camp of misrepresenting both Clinton’s policies and the entire premise and aims of the BLM movement.
Think I’m reaching? Labor Secretary Tom Perez, who is a top surrogate for Clinton and whose name was initially in the running for Clinton’s vice president selection, doesn’t think so. In a conference call that took place in May during the throws of the auction, he said, "It wouldn't surprise me if George Zimmerman wanted to be on Donald Trump's side because they share the same values.”
First, Hillary Clinton is not “anti-firearm.” Clinton is pro-firearm-safety.” In a display of ignorance, Trump has been quoted as saying “Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment. She wants to abolish it. Hillary Clinton wants to take your guns away and she wants to abolish the Second Amendment. She wants to take the bullets away. She wants to take it.” Which, aside from being far from eloquent, is also painfully inaccurate. Clinton’s proposals concerning the Second Amendment entail expanding background checks, closing the loophole that allows for sale of a firearm after a three-day waiting period even if a background check is not completed, and banning the sale of semi-automatic assault weapons.
Furthermore, Trump has taken opportunity after opportunity to denounce the Black Lives Matter movement as “dangerous” and “divisive,” repeatedly replacing BLM with “All Lives Matter.”
No shit, Donald, but Black lives are the ones that need the support right now.
And yet, our Republican nominee for the President of the United States continues to kick Black Lives Matter protesters out of his rallies and continues to make offhand racist and incredibly offensive comments about minorities.
Why would we want to put a man in office who holds the same values, who agrees with the ideologies, who promotes the same hate and bigotry, as a man who murdered an innocent child? (Because lest we forget, Trayvon Martin was robbed of his life before he even became a legal adult.)
This should scare you, this idea that the man who has the possibility to run our country not only supports the acquittal of Zimmerman, but agrees with and promotes the same ideals that are used to justify his actions.
As you are selecting your preferred candidate this November, I am asking that you consider this quote from acclaimed TV producer Norman Lear, who has called for each president of our nation to "Be a father to us. Help us understand our common humanity." Consider that perhaps a matriarchy may be the next key step in our country's success. Consider that just maybe, it is time for a mother's love.
