LeBron James the nice guy?

[Finkelskyhook]

In posing for that unfortunate picture the Miami Heat endorse that this was profiling while knowing nothing about what actually happened.  I find that reprehensible.

For you, democritc, the Miami Heat, or anybody else to call something a miscarraige of justice based on (your own words)it's an event we know very little about is a very sad commentary.  Particularly the way most of the self-serving press has framed this.  I don't assume that the police aren't doing their jobs.  I'm sure they're working hard to get it right.

I found the picture offensive and self-serving on several levels.  First and foremost because I don't see everything through the color of a person's skin.  

I have no problem with posing with true heroes as was the subject of this thread.  

[GreenFaith1819]

In posing for that unfortunate picture the Miami Heat endorse that this was profiling while knowing nothing about what actually happened.  I find that reprehensible.

For you, democritc, the Miami Heat, or anybody else to call something a miscarraige of justice based on (your own words)it's an event we know very little about is a very sad commentary.  Particularly the way most of the self-serving press has framed this.  I don't assume that the police aren't doing their jobs.  I'm sure they're working hard to get it right.

I found the picture offensive and self-serving on several levels.  First and foremost because I don't see everything through the color of a person's skin.  

I have no problem with posing with true heroes as was the subject of this thread.  

Finkle - For the most part, I enjoy your posts on here. You offer a different way to look at things.

But with this comment, I cannot agree with you at all. Here's why:

The MIA Heat, in posing for that picture, did an honorable thing. As the facts come out (and more facts will indeed come out), what the Heat did was in fact shine more light on this tragedy - because, after all - this thing happened a MONTH or so ago, and two loving parents have waited THAT LONG for THIS MUCH attention to be focused on it.

Since then, we've all seen this boy's name dragged through the mud...drug searches, whatever, and nothing has been done for George - no alcohol tests, nothing.

Tragedy.

Lord knows if this was MY two boys I'd be livid. And I'm a Christian man.

You must understand, Finkle, that this case resonates so much with some cases in this country of racial profiling. I absolutely LOVE the US, but to exist as an African-American Male in this country is stressful, indeed. Heck, to even VISIT outside of this country and have to experience some stereotypes, as I have, is stressful as well.

I won't name the country, but during a recent deployment I had to endure such a stereotype. Some would not call this incident offensive, but Lord knows it fed into stereotypes about Black Men.

And Finkle - while it is admirable that you DON'T look at things through the prism of color, not all of us do. Even I at times, have done this. I am not perfect. With that being said, we, you, me CANNOT expect those in law enforcement to ALWAYS do the right thing, here.

And that is part of the fear that I live with every day. That fear comes to the surface when I see tragedies like this. I have two boys who happen to be African American.

You MUST understand where I'm coming from.

[democritic]

In posing for that unfortunate picture the Miami Heat endorse that this was profiling while knowing nothing about what actually happened.  I find that reprehensible.

For you, democritc, the Miami Heat, or anybody else to call something a miscarraige of justice based on (your own words)it's an event we know very little about is a very sad commentary.  Particularly the way most of the self-serving press has framed this.  I don't assume that the police aren't doing their jobs.  I'm sure they're working hard to get it right.

I found the picture offensive and self-serving on several levels.  First and foremost because I don't see everything through the color of a person's skin.  

I have no problem with posing with true heroes as was the subject of this thread.  

I'm not talking about the race of Martin, Zimmerman, the police, or anyone else. I'm not presuming Zimmerman's guilt. I agree with you, that is for a court to decide. In order for a court to decide it, the police need to do their job and they needed to start a month ago, not now.

If Zimmerman is innocent, he has still been done a disservice by the local police who did not handle this situation correctly. That was the start of this firestorm. It's only more recently that that has become context for a discussion of racial attitudes (some of it misframed, some of it valuable).

I think that the local, state, and federal bodies all have clear objections to how the case was handled. If the police had done their job, you wouldn't need to keep qualifying the event as "one we know very little about." So more than it being wrong to assume that Zimmerman is guilty, more than it being wrong to assume that Zimmerman is innocent, I think it is wrong to assume that the police handled this to the best of their ability.

[Finkelskyhook]

Excellent post, GreenFaith1819.  Above all...Thank you for your service.

In the interests of not making every post a page long, I'm going to respond without repasting our exchange.  Also want to thank the mods for allowing a civil discussion about a difficult situation.

What bothers me most about the Heat picture, your post, democritic's post, among others...Is that you assume there was profiling without knowing the facts.  I don't find that honorable.  I think it's wrong.  What light are they shining?  They're speculating.   They don't know what happened.   You assume that the police are not doing their job without knowing the facts.  That will continue to bother me no matter what the result of the investigation ends up being.

How do you know that there have been no tests on Zimmerman?  Where are you getting your information from?  Watching media coverage of this....If I wasn't paying attention, I'd think the young man was 10 years old (Why is the press only showing pictures of Trayvon when he was about 10-12 years old?)  Why are they identifying Zimmerman, a hispanic, as a "white hispanic"?  Why are they fanning the flames by showing mobs led by two of the most racist people in American history?  Why is the press framing it this way?  I believe it's ratings.  Because they know no more than we do.  Yet they appear to have already convicted Zimmerman of profiling and murder.  So, IMHO, with that picture, has the Miami Heat.

I thought the timing of the Heat picture added to my belief that it was symbollic and self-serving.  All of the information that we have today was public 3 weeks ago here...So I have to believe it was more prominent there.  Yet it took them 3 weeks, with little to no information, to make this "tribute"?

[Fafnir]

Okay I'm not exactly sure what my BIG and green letters didn't make clear about what was appropriate but I come back from lunch and see the conversation didn't stop. Locked.