Black voices around the country were being heard as they protested for their lives. It almost seemed like déjà vu for the black community. However, this time, unlike in the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s, the Black Lives Matter movement had a powerful tool in their pocket: social media. The creation of the hashtag “Black Lives Matter” galvanized the movement throughout the nation, as posts from people on both sides of the spectrum spoke out on their thoughts over the current police violence against African Americans. Although the hashtag originally began on Facebook, the Black Lives Matter movement has been able to reach a wide range audience through Twitter. On February 26, 2012, George Zimmerman reported a “suspicious person” in the neighborhood. After dispatch instructed him not to approach the suspect, Zimmerman did the contrary and a few minutes later gun shots were fired. George Zimmerman shot and killed an unarmed, seventeen-year-old African American, Trayvon Martin. Let it be known that he had no authority to shoot Trayvon, he was simply a neighborhood watch. He was not a police officer; he was a civilian in charge of overseeing activities at night. Neighborhood watch have no authority to arrest or take actions typically reserved for police officers. Later that week, he was arrested for the murder of Trayvon Martin. However, a year later, Zimmerman was acquitted of the charge for second-degree murder. When the verdict was released, Alicia Garza was at a local
Trayvon Benjamin Martin was a 17 year old African American from Miami Gardens, Florida. He was badly shot by George Zimmerman; a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman called 911 to report that there was “suspicious person” walking through the neighborhood. He was told to not do anything, but he did anyway. As he approached Martin, he attacked him and shot him straight to the heart. According to CNN, “Zimmerman acknowledges that he shot Martin, claiming it was in self-defense.” (“Trayvon Martin Shooting Fast Facts”). When the case was taken to court George Zimmerman was found not guilty even after he
Because of the ongoing racial tension, in December 2006, a fight broke from a White student taunting some Black students supporting the incident of the nooses being hung from the tree in the school courtyard (Christie, 2008). The White student was badly beaten and had to be hospitalized. The African American students were later charged with attempted murder and conspiracy. The African American students were between the ages of 15 and 17, facing up to 100 years in prison without parole. African American residents of Jena, Louisiana stated
As I was conducting research about police brutality I came up with three questions I wanted to find out. I wanted to know what race group is affected by police brutality the most, why they were affected by this the most and what to do to stop police brutality involving shooting civilian. This Paper talk about how police brutality is a major issue in America right now. There’s many different types of police brutality but police officers killing civilians is something that is issue in our nation currently. After doing reaching this topic I was able to find out that African Americans have been affected by this the most out of any race. African Americans are affected by this the most because in some cases African Americans are usually stereotyped and this causes them to be treated different by police. Ways we can help this issue is by supporting these organizations that are against police brutality and encouraging police officers around the nation to always have a body camera on them at all times.
Technology has shaped the large social movement. #BlackLivesMatter has been a useful and positive tool in 2015 and in 2016. In the Social Media Helps Black Lives Matter Fight the Power it talks about how
Nonetheless, BLM does receive a great number of criticisms. Some people point out that it wouldn 't last. The movement is blamed for its having no coherent structure and no powerful leadership that it will eventually fail. Opponents said that Black Lives Matter actually worsened race relations in America, pointing to the polls that show Americans opinions about race relations being worse in recent years, but BLM supporters asserted just because they have pointed out racism in America doesn 't mean the group was to blame. Republican candidate for President 2016 Chris Christie has turned up his criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement and support the police. He also accused the group of calling for the deaths of police officers. BLM has
The idea of violence is instilled in everyone’s head in some way or another. From the time we are born we are equipped with the idea that we must react when we are upset. When someone affects us in a negative way, there is an idea in our minds that urges us to fight back or cause harm to that person. This idea of causing harm stays with us from childhood until we take our last breath. Since 2013, there have been 242 school shootings within America. Even worse, there have been over a thousand mass shootings in the country resulting in mass casualties. Most recently, one single man murdered fifty-eight people at a concert in Las Vegas, Nevada and injured over 240 others. Although the motive may have been different between these shootings, one thing remains the same for all of them, the act of violence.
George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch leader, was driving to Target to run a errand on the night of February 26, 2012 when he observed a suspicious person, leisurely walking in the rain, looking at all the houses, wearing a grey hoodie as he would tell dispatch in his 911 call made at 7:09 p.m. Moments later an altercation occurred between Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, which left Trayvon dead from a single gunshot wound to his chest and Zimmerman with a bloody nose and a cut to the back of his head. Zimmerman asserted that the shooting was done in self-defense because he thought Trayvon was reaching for his ( Zimmerman’s ) concealed gun and he feared for his life. Eye witness accounts of the event backed his claim that Trayvon was hitting him, but Rachel Jeantel, who had been on the phone with Trayvon,
With the many conversations about the African-American communities and their issues with gang violence, government assistance, and the lack of jobs in their communities it is clear to say that the American Dream or even a moderate lifestyle was not created for all African Americans and Minorities and since we found a way to be noticed, heard, and felt like they’re rightfully a part of something America wants to now label it “war or Drugs” and “gang Violence” thus creating Gang Injunctions in those predominantly of color communities. Now I am not stating that the violence is not present, innocent lives are not being taken, nor are drugs consuming our communities, but what I am saying is that they act as if there is no other approach that could help clean up the streets, provide piece and harmony among all communities, and solve issues for the betterment of the community. Instead they are removing them from their communities, threatening them from going to their neighborhood, and as a consequence they get jail time, an institution that already houses half if not more than half of our black men. The gang injunction initiative is set up to tear apart the minority communities through driving up the prices and making them move, especially if they have a family member who is under the injunction’s rules. Its ironic how they put them in such enclosed space, while they make suburban home for the economically fit causing them to commute and now they are systematically removing them
Treyvon Martin was a 17-year old Black American from Miami Garden FL, where he resided with his mother. In February 2012 Treyvon was visiting his father in Sanford FL when he was fatally shot in self-defense by 28-year old George Zimmerman. The evening on February 26, 2012 Martin went to a nearby convenient store in and purchased a bag of candy and a drink. While walking back from the store through the neighborhood of The Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sandford, A member of the community watch saw him and called the Sanford police stating Martin looked suspicious. Zimmerman, ignoring the plea of the 911 dispatcher to remain in his SUV got out anyway and approached Martin, resulting in an altercation where Martin was fatally shot. Reports from the officer at the scene say that Zimmerman sustained injuries of the nose and the back of his head. Zimmerman claiming self-defense was not charged for the murder at the time. Many outpours from American Citizens called for justice. After a petition created by Martins parent’s calling for justice of their teenage son surpassing 1.3 million signatures charges still were not filed on Zimmerman. Finally, April 11, 2012 Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder. On July 13, 2013 Zimmerman was found not guilty of the fatal shooting of the Florida teen. This is one of many heart-breaking examples of the civil injustice that Black Americans all over the country are a victim to. Thus, creating a desperate plea for a change.
George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, shot and killed 17 year old Trayvon Marin in Sampson, Florida on March 25th, 2012.In the police report, Zimmerman claimed to have followed Martin out of the convenience store because he looked suspicious and that is when the altercation between the two began. Some words were shared between the two that led Zimmerman to step out of his car despite the police’s order to remain inside the vehicle. Zimmerman also told police that Trayvon knocked him down when he punched him in the nose and repeatedly slammed his head on the ground and that he had only reached for his gun because he feared for his life. The incident ended when 13 year old Austin Brown saw Zimmerman lying in the grass moaning and crying for help. Police soon arrived after a 911 call about hearing gunshots in the distance from another neighbor (Gutman, 2012). Fine details from that eventful night that would later be used in the investigation and trial are still left unanswered.
Everyone has heard of the story about the case of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman. If there are a few who have not, Trayvon Martin was a young seventeen year old boy. At the time he was not doing well in school. It was his third suspension during the school year and Trayvon’s He was shot by a neighborhood watch man, named George Zimmerman. Zimmerman claimed to feel threatened by the young teen, so he felt the necessity to shoot Trayvon Martin as a self-defense. After many months of court trials Zimmerman was finally able to walk the streets freely.
Some white nationalist are tired of being part of the ruling race as they are tired of all the violence and wars that we cause against one another, African-Americans and other minorities just want more protection from the government against hatred and violence from the ruling race. To write this article the writer had to do research and investigation as you don't see many direct quotes throughout the article. All Americans should be aware of how minority groups live and how they are treated. This article talks about all the violence that minority groups receive from the ruling race, where the second article talks about all the violence that war can bring to a society. This article shows all that minor group go through and how little improvement
Pop culture has enlightened and exposed the world to the good, the bad, and the ugly under every circumstance, and people tend to be more provoked, influenced, and intrigued by the bad and the ugly rather than the good. One topic of pop culture that never fails to gain attention is violence in its many forms. While at a state of constant social change and adaptation, the population finds more and more disagreements on the ever-changing and conflicting views and beliefs of each individual, which can lead to violence in some, if not most cases. Hate crimes are crimes or actions motivated by certain disagreements among groups that typically involve some form of violence. This essay will discuss the violence in racial hate crimes against African Americans, because the violence in these hate crimes, both past and present, will help educate individuals about different racial perspectives on the claimed “unfair” or “unequal” treatment of the African American race compared to the treatment of whites in all aspects of society and life. In the United States, African Americans as a race haven been one of the main targets for violent racial and hate crimes. Racial violence and hate crimes against African Americans have been a part of the United States since the very beginning, with a spike in conflict around the 1960s era of the African American Civil Rights Movement, and are even portrayed now in current pop culture sources. Violence against African Americans in films like The Help (a
The fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin took place at night on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida. Trayvon Martin was a junior in high school, and was temporarily staying the gated community (which was a multicultural community) that George Zimmerman a 28 year-old mixed race White/ Hispanic was the watch coordinator for. According to Zimmerman 's subsequent testimony, Zimmerman shot Martin, who was unarmed, during an altercation between the two. The police arrived shortly after the altercation came to a stop due to a call previously made by Zimmerman. After the police took Zimmerman into custody, he was treated for bodily injury to the head, face, and upper body which he sustained during the fight with Trayvon Martin. He was then questions for approximately 4-5 hours and with no real substantial evidence that disproves Zimmerman’s claim to have been acting in self-defense and due to the
According to a biography on Biography website, Trayvon Martin was an unarmed American 17-year-old killed by George Zimmerman on February 26, 2012. He spent his third school suspension with his father. Due to the burglaries in that area, there was a neighborhood watch that was established in 2011. Zimmerman was one of the residents was selected as a program coordinator. He patrols the streets and is licensed to carry a fire arm. From August 2011 to February 2012, Zimmerman reported “suspicious guys” to the police and they all happen to be black males. On February 26, Zimmerman reported to the police of a “suspicious guy” and the dispatcher told him not to get out of the car and follow Martin. Zimmerman disregarded the instructions and followed Martin anyway.