Manns Medium

Many of you probably have not yet heard Bill O’Rielly’s rant about why Trayvon Martin lost his life on that cold and rainy night in Sanford Florida.   O’Rielly believes that it had nothing to do with race but everything to do with wearing a hoodie.   To thse who know better, that reasoning sounds niave and childish but to those who are like minds of O’Rielly it sounds quite possible if not extremely true.   So what can we do to provide them with a much deeper understanding?   Some, including our president Barack Obama, say it’s time for a nationwide honest conversation for others like Chris Hayes; it may be time to ask “what’s the matter with white people?”   We are beginning to have that conversation now and I stand here to try and answer Chris’ question. What’s the matter with white people?   The same thing that is a problem for all races of people, nothing.   There is nothing wrong with white, black, or brown people except we all fall into on...

In the aftermath of this tragedy, we are all looking quite closely at the events leading up to and after this trial searching for a lesson, a reason and a solution.   In that vein, some are being held to a different standard than before.   Now you don’t have to say anything but agrees with the verdict and you are either a racist or ignorant.   If you disagree with the verdict you are either racist or ignorant.   Either way, you get the point; we are all now ignorant or racist. Case in point, in an article written by Aliyah Frumin for Hardball titled “Opinions of Juror B-37 were her own, say fellow jurors” , reports of this juror saying things like “she didn’t think Martin’s race was the reason why Zimmerman, then a volunteer neighborhood watchman, followed him” or Trayvon made a mistake by not running and sticking around.   This same article reports that four (4) of the other jurors got together and released a statement that request an appeal “to the high...

I have attempted to follow this case from day one and since it has been televised, I found myself glued.   I see so much in this trial but the most griping of all is what it now says about our new America. First we saw the civility of the attorneys as each took seriously their job of defending or prosecuting this case.   I loved the fact that they kept apologizing when they felt that they may have been wrong or disrespectful to each other, the judge or those who were testifying.   It did my heart good to see adults conducting themselves in a manner that is qualifying of our justice system.    They showed that you can defend your client on either side of the argument without belittling anyone on the other side and you can defend your client diligently without demonizing those who do not agree with you.   They showed great character and honestly made me feel that all of us can now get our day in court and equal justice. Next I saw a new America, tha...

According to Matt Gutman and Seni Tienabeso of ABC News has inked an article titled ABC News Exclusive: Zimmerman Medical Report Shows Broken Nose, Lacerations after Trayvon Martin Shooting In which they report that “a medical report compiled by the family physician of accused Trayvon Martin murderer George Zimmerman and obtained exclusively by ABC News found that Zimmerman was diagnosed with a "closed fracture" of his nose, a pair of black eyes, two lacerations to the back of his head and a minor back injury the day after he fatally shot Martin during an alleged altercation.    Zimmerman has claimed self defense in what he described as a life and death struggle that Martin initiated by accosting him, punching him in the face, then repeatedly bashing his head into the pavement.”   The only problem that I see after reading this article is how Zimmerman claim Martin accosted him while the evidence proves the opposite. I also find myself questioning this report mainly...

It is reported that “George Zimmerman's attorney filed motions to waive his client's right to a speedy trial and to request more time to ready a defense”.   What this tells me is that his attorney is attempting to find more ammunition to help him defend his client as well as he could.   He may feel that with more time he will be able to present evidence to achieve his goal. Personally, I believe that all the time in the world will not absolve George Zimmerman of being held accountable for the life that he took.   Choices made that night will cost him his freedom.   Because hindsight is 20/20, it is quite easy for me and others to say what choices Zimmerman should have made.   While we may have wished that he made other choices, reality dictates that he didn’t.   His attorney should be commended for giving his client the best defense that he could but in the end, if Zimmerman does not pay for his actions, it will truly surprise me.

There are several great lessons that can be found in the bond hearing that took place for George Zimmerman today.   George Zimmerman is the man accused of second degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin.   Several things happened that made me both proud and a little concerned. What made me proud was seeing our legal system at work, each side doing what they were supposed to do and that is defend and speak for their clients.   Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara showed why he is one of the best in the field.   He keeps refusing to play out his case in the media and is quite determined to keep it in the courtroom where it belongs.   His constant objections during the bond hearing lead me to believe that he really is quite the professional.   His apologies for defending his clients to rumors of his defense being offensive to the parents and supporters of Trayvon leads me to believe that he is a man of high character.   His job is to get his clie...

When asked why tempers are so high in Sanford Florida, many people just can’t seem to answer that question.   I, myself, have had a hard time attempting to explain why so many are marching for justice and often I use the analogy of people turning out to comb the countryside when The Anderson child was lost or the enormous outcry when Natalie Holloway came up missing.   While many have tuned in to the Trayvon Martin story, they have also been exposed to similar events which have happened and no one seemed to have really paid attention to them.   This has left some furious and others unaffected but what it should have done to all of us is show us that coming together as Americans is the only true way to end this senseless violence upon any community and upon our nation. Take for example an article written by Olivia Katrandjian of ABC News titled Two Men Arrested, Facebook Clues in Tulsa Shooting Spree .   This article along with the one from Holbrook Mohr of th...