After Trayvon Martin case, UN tells US to examine laws thatdiscriminate against African Americans

George Zimmerman

"We call upon the US Government to examine its laws that could have discriminatory impact on African Americans, and to ensure that such laws are in full compliance with the country’s international legal obligations and relevant standards,” said human rights expert Verene Shepherd, who currently heads the UN Working Group of Experts of People of African Descent.

Much of the world sees the Trayvon Martin case as representing America's still-present racial problems and are particularly concerned about Florida's Stand Your Ground Law. It has created debate in the United States and also in other countries after George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin in what he said was self-defense and justifiable use of force. Trayvon Martin was an African American teen, age 17 years old, when he was shot by Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman.

While the US Department of Justice, the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Federal Bureau of Investigation currently evaluate evidence generated during the federal investigation, the world has watched the trial as well, and many people have expressed their disappointment in the verdict, freeing Zimmerman from a murder charge in a Florida courtroom.

“The Trayvon Martin case has highlighted the importance of the need to review those existing laws and policies that can have a discriminatory effect on the basis of race, as African Americans become more vulnerable to such discrimination,” Ms. Shepherd said, recalling that the US has been party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights since 1992, the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination since 1994, and many other international human rights law treaties.

“States are required to take effective measures to review governmental, national and local policies, and to amend, rescind or nullify any laws and regulations which have the effect of creating or perpetuating racial discrimination wherever it exists,” said the Special Rapporteur on racism, Mutuma Ruteere.

According to the 2011 US Department of Justice Hate Crime Statistics, 71.9 per cent of the total number of victims of hate crimes reported to the nation’s law enforcement agencies were victims of an offender’s anti-black bias. IA survey done in 2012 by a non-governmental organization Malcolm X Grassroots Movement found that at least 136 unarmed African Americans were killed by police, security guards and self-appointed vigilantes annually.

Bandwagon effect impacts beliefs on Facebook, Snowden, Zimmerman events

[caption id="attachment_19560" align="alignleft" width="300"] bandwagon[/caption]

Carol Forsloff----What’s the “in crowd” thinking today and how can I fit in?  The bandwagon effect pulls hard on the crowds who waited for the George Zimmerman verdict and fret over Edward Snowden and his status as traitor or hero.  How much of this response is the bandwagon effect, and what is it, according to social science experts?

The bandwagon effect is described as  “the more people come to believe in something, others also "jump on the bandwagon" regardless of the underlying evidence. The tendency to follow the actions or beliefs of others can occur because individuals directly prefer to conform, or because individuals derive information from others.”

"Jump on the bandwagon" is also a term that is frequently used to define similar behavior, dating back from "jump on the bandwagon"  comes from events in 1848 when Dan Rice, who had been a popular clown, entered politics, using his bandwagon as he toured to secure votes during his political campaign.  Now that bandwagon effect is often talked about in politics, music and social media, where people respond to something in the way they see their social group, or favored group, to respond.

Facebook shares have increased in value over the past few days.  More and more investors will follow because of that bandwagon, but experts warn against responding immediately when there is a sudden rise in a stock, or the market as a whole.    Instead most experts remind us that values that increase can also plummet in the same direction, so that steady gains and hedging as well as diversifying is a better trend to follow, going against that “bandwagon effect.”

Edward Snowden appeals to the hero instinct in many young people, who see someone who dares to be different and will do and say what he needs to in order to keep the light on stage.  The response by many is to circle in groups, defining boundaries, exchanging social media highlights and responses, based upon that hero or traitor notion.  But a perusal of the usual and customary Facebook feed finds far more folks cheering on the fellow who is continuing to have international appeal for boldness and escape and standing up against the government.  That response has been a bandwagon effect.  In fact it has been said by writers of the Daily Beast his actions have inspired European youth to train as spies.

And if you are African American or an educated Northerner it is likely you run with the crowd that seeks signed petitions declaring inequities in the George Zimmerman trial.  Zimmerman was acquitted of charges against him for killing an African  American teen.

While we examine our finances and our feelings about news events, it is important to understand the bandwagon effect and how it may deter making an appropriate assessment of a given event.  How we respond often is governed largely by two factors:  your own beliefs and the beliefs of the group in which you belong or hope to become involved.  And once you make up your mind instantly after something happens, it will be hard to change it, given the additional fact that most people will continue to believe a falsehood that agrees with their beliefs even when the truth is made evident.

'Stand Your Ground' laws: Are they needed?

[caption id="attachment_19518" align="alignleft" width="300"] George Zimmerman shown after verdict[/caption]

Leigh Martin---Like many people as a writer, pre- law student and person who believes in staying updated on social matters, I  have watched the George Zimmerman trial and wondered about Florida's "stand your ground" law.  Is this a good or bad piece of legislation?  How does it influence human behavior?  These are some of the issues and answers to the questions I discovered during my research.

First a little about the Florida law.  While some people believe President Barack Obama or Congress should act, they actually have little to do with the state laws that have been touted as a way for people to protect themselves from assailants, whether these assailants are on the streets or in a person's home.    Actually, the jury's instructions during the George Zimmerman trial was that Zimmerman had “no duty to retreat," citing the law on Stand Your Ground.

Chapter 76, is discussed by one of Florida's Senators, Chris Smith, that he outlines on his website Use of force in defense of person.—A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if: (1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.  Other conditions are outlined and enumerated by Smith that are pertinent to the law of defending yourself and the conditions under which one may do so.

There are opposing sides on the condition of the "Stand Your Ground" laws, especially since the trial of George Zimmerman, who was found not guilty of killing Trayvon Martin, referencing the law in his defense.

Jonathan Turley, a well-known attorney and commentator on national news stories relative to the law,  maintains that Obama's sharing of his personal experience gave good insight into the problems of race in America.  He went on to say that he believes Zimmerman was fixated on the topic of crime as opposed to the SYG law itself and declares the use of it at trial was the classic self-defense style often used in trials such as these.

With reference to the use of SYG at trial, Turley writes:  "The jury clearly found the evidence lacking, as I pointed out in an earlier column. That does not mean that they were carrying out a racial agenda or blind to the historic mistreatment of blacks in America. They could have had a good-faith reason for reasonable doubt of what occurred at this place at that time."

A Mother Jones writer, however, believes the law was specifically what the jury was addressing when they made their decision to acquit.  Still the article seemed less to answer the question about whether or not SYG laws are needed and more on the trial of Zimmerman and the impact of the law specific to the case, whereas Turley asks us to pause and think about why the laws were instituted in the first place, so that people can protect themselves when police are not in the area at the time of an assault.

The controversies on the law are tinged with emotion, but the facts require reflection.  The states are finding the questions about the law more frequent after the trial of George Zimmerman.  Still the answers may come with the same arguments as the gun laws themselves, also different from one state to another.










-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leigh Martin is a college junior, studying to enter law school, who is interested in how the laws are framed with respect to self defense and offered her observations as a free-lance writer.

Black on white crime examined in relationship to equal justicefollowing Zimmerman verdict

[caption id="attachment_6526" align="alignleft" width="480"] Judge's tools[/caption]

Carol Forsloff with Casey Buxton---While black youth kill each other more than they do folks outside their own circle, it turns out that white youth are victims of the crossfire of racial tensions and violence.    But where is the lens for examining fairness and justice in race outside of the emotions expressed after the George Zimmerman verdict?

A group of black teenagers shot and killed a white baby in March 2013.  An email chain has been fostered to underline the issue of race within the problem of teen violence, however it is tinged with another insertion on President Barack Obama, intimating that he only worries about African American teens, as in the case of Trayvon Martin.   But it does point to an issue often ignored in the day to day discussions of race and violence and what is fair and reasonable in the application of justice.

In the case of black teens killing a white baby, this took place during a robbery attempt.  The mother insisted she had no money, at which time one of the teens went over and shot the baby in the face.

One article observes that those interested on matters of race and violence may often not be interested, or focused, on crimes when they involve black on white crime, as in the case of African American teenagers killing an unarmed white woman  in Georgia.  Often this type of information comes from someone trying to prove that the problems are equal when it comes to race, on matters of violence and justice.    But a balanced perspective must include the fact that the violence that occurs among the races has more than a one-way street.

After the George Zimmerman verdict, where a Hispanic male was found not guilty of killing an African American teen, speculation has principally been on the American justice and its lack of fairness to African Americans.  On the other hand, OJ Simpson was not found guilty of killing his wife, despite what many considered very clear and detailed evidence.  In high drama, many celebrated the verdict and few asked about the fairness of the verdict itself.  Jurors were seen shaking O.J. Simpson’s hand not long after he was acquitted.  In fact it has been reported that after that acquittal, many African Americans celebrated for weeks.

But are we seeing widespread celebrations from the Hispanic community after Zimmerman’s acquittal?

Justice  might seem to hang in the balance on the Zimmerman case, but a balanced view might produce a conclusion that race as a factor in crime is not a reasonable factor for any race at any time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Casey Buxton" is an African American teenager who did not want to reveal location or race, but helped with this story in finding some perspective and information, that is helpful in the examination of the Zimmerman verdict and violence and the matter of race in equal justice.  He says, "I don't like it either way."  We had discussed this as two people on a bench in Portland after the Zimmerman verdict.   His perspective is like most people, of all races.

High profile criminal case decisions could negatively impact juryselection

[caption id="attachment_11536" align="alignleft" width="319"] Casey Anthony - wikimedia commons[/caption]

Carol Forsloff---In a just and humane system, everyone has a right to equal treatment under the law, which was the reason for the concept of selecting juries  from a community of one’s peers to decide on the guilt or innocence of any given person in a civil or criminal case.  But will the effect of the George Zimmerman verdict and other high profile cases have a negative impact on jury selection?

Some media outlets speculate that the Zimmerman case will be one that will linger both in the public’s memory as well as in legal analyzes, future trials, and law school curriculum.

It took more than two months to select the jury in the OJ Simpson case, with the trial moved to the Los Angeles area to ensure a racial balance in the composition of those jurors selected.   Additionally they were told by Judge Ito that they had to complete a lengthy questionnaire of 79 pages with 295 questions, some of which caused some jurors to protest the personal nature of those questions.  This was added to the fact that Marcia Clark had complained to the judge that some of the people in the jury pool had lied in order to get on the jury and demanded a lie detector test be administered to all those anticipated to be selected.

All of this time and controversy became increasingly shrill over the progress of the Simpson case with the result, when Simpson was not convicted of killing his wife Nicole Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman  , there was an outpouring of sentiment both in favor the verdict and against it, with much of that sentiment fueled by discussions about race and the American system of justice.   There were intimations about white people being especially concerned about the verdict of Simpson’s innocence based upon the sentiment of the African American community, represented by those on the jury themselves.

The Casey Antony trial also provoked strong emotions.  Casey Anthony was tried in Florida for killing her toddler, Caylee.  Again questions were raised about the biases of jury members, the composition of the group and the fairness of the verdict, to the extent that many of the jurors refrained from disclosing their identities.  One of those jurors, Dean Eckstadt,  was quoted as saying on the Today show “We are upset that so many people think we are incompetent.” He did not think the jurors were afraid for their lives after the verdict, but most of the jurors on the case preferred to remain anonymous.  However one of the jurors, referred to as Juror No. 12, quit her job and left town because of the death threats she was reported to have received.

In the case of George Zimmerman, juror B37 maintains the deliberations and the decision was emotionally trying for all members of the jury.  She also tearfully explained they had been careful to arrive at a fair verdict.  Still most of the jurors have preferred to remain anonymous, and like the verdicts in the Simpson and Anthony cases, people question the juror’s decisions and the framework used to make those decisions.  Four of them distanced themselves from the opinions of Juror B37 who had said that Trayvon Martin had played a significant role in his own death.    They have requested privacy, issuing this statement: “Serving on this jury has been a highly emotional and physically draining experience for each of us,” the statement said. “The death of a teenager weighed heavily on our hearts but in the end we did what the law required us to do.”

In the aftermath of the Simpson trial there was speculation about the racial divide but not specifically the safety of the jurors themselves, despite the unpopularity of the verdict of not guilty rendered by the jury.    In contrast, however, jurors on both the Anthony and Zimmerman cases have expressed concerns about their safety following their decisions.

How many people, of any race, after learning how juries are selected, the time it takes to make the decisions about a jury composition, and the potential personal vindication they might receive following a verdict if it does not follow public opinion will be willing to serve on a jury on a high profile case?

How might that impact the administration of a potential humanitarian and just decision when jurors must fear the aftermath of their decisions?

New tech gadget combines pen and personal security

[caption id="attachment_15416" align="alignleft" width="180"] Key Chain pocket mace for secuirty[/caption]

If you are one of those folks worried about the possibility of attack when you are out in an unknown area, or a place badly lit or just want that extra feeling of safety, a new tech gadget combines pen and security, in a fashion for multiple use.

According to Gizmag, a magazine that features the latest on gadgets of all types, this pen gadget is a serious conversation piece, besides being very functional for personal security and for writing. UZI Tactical Defender Pen was created by the same company that makes submachine guns.

Think Geek also has looked at this new tech goodie, highlighting its essential features as these: The pen is constructed of aircraft aluminum. It can use Parker or Fisher refills to write. It can break glass and catch DNA. It can also write under water. A photo of this device is on the Think Geek web page.

A number of companies offer personal security devices. Brickhouse Security, for example, offers everything from stun guns to a key chain with mace.

Laws on self-defense can be tricky, as folks have noted in the case of the young man, Trayvon Martin, who was killed during a neighborhood altercation allegedly by George Zimmerman, who is now being held in jail, pending a decision on the case. This case has raised questions about laws that allow for folks to defend themselves away from home in an aggressive way that can even cause death.  So there is a fine line between personal security and self-defense, and what folks can do legally that is now being questioned.