We have been presented with two very different portraits of Trayvon Martin. One is a sweet young boy who liked little kids and playing football. The other is a teenage wannabe thug who was in the process of graduating from misdemeanor property crimes to violent felonies.
I think both portraits are accurate.
The teenage years are when boys begin to transition into manhood. That transition can be difficult under the best of circumstances. Our bodies change and suddenly hormones began flooding through us. We experience thoughts and feelings we never had before.
Our friends become more important than our parents. Peer pressure is incredibly powerful. We are trying to figure out who we are and where we want to go with our lives. We are simultaneously overconfident and insecure.
We make decisions that will determine the rest of our lives. But we don’t always make the right choices. Sometimes we start down paths that turn out to be false starts. Sometimes we go too far down those paths and can’t get back.
That sweet young boy named Trayvon became enamored of a thug lifestyle. You can literally see him changing in the various photographs that have been published.
What if he never met George Zimmerman on that fateful night? It is possible that he would have straightened out his life and become a productive citizen. Or maybe he was doomed to follow the wrong path until he ended up dead or in prison.
We’ll never know, but that is not George Zimmerman’s fault. Trayvon Martin made the decisions that cost him his life. Now George Zimmerman is one of the people that have to live with his death.
The Crawdad Hole 
Well said !
This is comedy gold!
They are trying to question a witness via Skype.
I spent most of my life working with adolescent males – first in the computer industry and then teaching high school and middle school. One of the things I learned was that boys and young men have a sense of immortality that girls and young women don’t seem to have. Maybe it’s biological and maybe it’s societal, but it’s very real. Anecdotal evidence suggests that awareness of mortality sets in at about 32 for most men. Zimmerman, at 28, was probably beginning to understand that some behaviors might get him killed, but was not aware enough to stay in his car and wait for the police. Martin was full-blown immortal. Perhaps, when young men used to leave for the day to slay dragons a sense of immortality was required for success, but today it gets a lot of young men in serious trouble.
One of the problems with our current day culture and educational system is that we no longer give boys adequate outlets to be boys. We repress them, and they act out. So we think the answer is to demand even more “non-violence” and softness from them, try to stamp out any competitive urges, and make it worse.
Whenever you repress natural urges, they come out in unhealthy ways. Young men want to compete, and posture, and be aggressive, and conquer in some way. It’s normal. We need to to give them the outlets that are safer, and tell them its ok.
Young men have lots of opportunities to compete today. Sports teams begin pre-kindergarten. I’m not sure where the meme started that the whole world has become non-competitive. We may frown on them hassling girls in the corridors at school,, but they still posture for each other. They shoot and kill everything in sight when they have a joystick in their hands. There are actually a lot of outlets for male aggression. We don’t ask them to kill their own dinner, dinner and we don’t conscript them into the military.
He was a football player , so he had an outlet .
Wish there were still like buttons. Great comments, elliesmom!
Well said elliesmom, from a mother of 3 boys.
Word. All over the place the education system has been feminised, run by women, ideologised by women, and everything they do is geared to turning boys into girls, behaviourally. Everywhere they turn, they’re told it’s a bad thing to be a boy/man. I don’t advocate the glorification of aggressive, win at all costs competitiveness. But boys are not girls and they shouldn’t be turned into faux girls. Boyhood should be celebrated and positively channelled.
IMO, there are girls who are tomboys and there are also boys who eschew what is considered “normal” boy play (unfortunately all the terms for such boys are insults, “nerd” would be the nicest that comes to mind). Each child is different. Some girls like to play rough. Some boys don’t. I have one grandson who is the classic rough-n-tumble “all boy.” And the other one cries during sad movies and can’t stand physical activity (he’d rather be reading a book). Just let kids be kids. Don’t force any child into a mold predetermined by their sex instead of their personality.
Trayvon Martin decided not to go home . The distance from where he confronted George Zimmerman to his home was even less than previously reported . Most “good kids” ,when frightened because they think someone is following them , sprint for home , instinctively . They make a beeline for safety when feeling threatened , especially by a stranger .He had plenty of time and cover of darkness , he could have easily, easily , made it home .
He decided otherwise , and whatever it was in his experience that brought him to that decision ,it served him ill. His attitude was revealed in his statement calling George a “creepy ass cracker” It is entirely possible he waited in the dark , checked out George and figured he could take him . He could have been much more of a predator or confrontational , than anyone has speculated , because the media continues to portray him as an innocent young kid. I think he was well past being an innocent young kid . YMMV
The more I think about it the more convinced I am that Rachel Jeantel was egging him on and telling him to kick GZ’s ass.
I have that feeling too , that there was more to that conversation that we may never know .She was either goading him on , or she was taunting him for running away , calling him chicken or some other instigation , but the decision to confront George was ultimately Trayvons . He had to be open to persuasion , and he was the one calling George a cracker , so he and Jeanel had shared attitudes .
Only the NSA knows what happened in that phone call.
That’s the other thing about adolescent males, if a woman eggs you on, it’s then impossible to back down else you’re weak.
As you get older they quit egging you on and start making you dress funny and hold their purses and other forms of ritual humiliation. Then one day you find yourself buying tampons and realize you are completely whipped.
That gives new meaning to the term “whip-kisser”, don’t it?
Hence the comedy gold of Sam Kinison.
oh, myiq, i once sent my husband to the local yarn shop to ask one of the knitting ladies to untangle my project for me. i have never been able to decide whether that was more or less emasculating than sending him on a tampon run. in my own defense, i was in the middle of a PPD-induced nervous breakdown at the time and whatever the hell had gone wrong with the dress seemed like the end of the world.
Too bad they didn’t break her down on the cross examination? She hardly appears to be Trayvon’s “type” for a girlfriend, drug dealer? Maybe she goaded him into robbing GZ to get the money? Hell, she’s probably dumb like a fox and played stupid Blinglish games on purpose.
He had gone home but probably hadn’t gone inside. GZ likely walked past the rear door of his unit while on the phone, when returning to his car. TM was probably watching, and as the klown sez, being egged on by RJ.
That doesn’t make any sense, considering the home was at the other end of the T, and George never walked down it. Agree, however, with the speculation that Trayvon likely was egged on, and chose to confront GZ.
The one thing that the state’s case has given me doubt about is TM’s actions. I now believe that he was probably stalking GZ, not the other way around.
And how there was nothing suspicious at all about someone trespassing between buildings at night while covered up.
At first I thought they were holding up a window, say what ? Do they usually display clothing like that, like a sports hero’s jersey? Bet Jamie Foxx would pay millions for that 😉
It was huge! Of course all clothing looks larger when pressed flat and why so many garments look awful on a hanger. It is made to be three dimensional. My grandmother had layed out the pieces of her dress she had cut out from a pattern across the biggest bed in the house. My grandfather walked by and said “Is that a new bedspread?” Needless to say she was furious.
Just occurred to me, if you are familiar with that fable:
ABC news says Morsi is under house arrest and Muslim Bro leaders under travel ban
http://weaselzippers.us/2013/07/03/breaking-egyptian-tv-says-morsi-under-house-arrest/
What in the world does that have do with an important murder trial?
I don’t believe we’ve ever had a single thread here at TCH that stayed on topic. It’s the way we roll.
TY 🙂
LOL
Someone forget their /sarc tag ? 😉
{{sarc}}
Cruz is a dear friend of a dear friend and I am becoming a big fan of his big … chutzpah.
I keep seeing conflicting stories, but didn’t both Trayvon’s parents give up on him ? He was in Sanford because he was on a school suspension? Then, they cashed in. This is an interesting refresher on how it stopped being “just a local crime story”.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57412417-504083/trayvon-martin-shooting-a-timeline-of-events/
So no, Trayvon didn’t have to die that night. Just wondering if the jury acquits GZ, can the Judge overrule them ? She doesn’t seem to like GZ very much, just a hunch.
She could throw out a guilty verdict but an acquittal is forever.
Now they just have to make up stories about Sarah actually being the President. Can’t wait for the movie, ugh.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/sarah-palin-novel-fiction-93700.html?hp=r7
They can’t quit her. Now if they could get at their real internal issues and why they can’t quit her, that would be interesting.
They are grasping at squirrels to distract from the horrendous Obama presidency. See, they say — look at how much worse Sarah as POTUS would have been (never mind that the guy who actually ran in the top spot — John McCain — is STILL fucking alive, assholes) — be grateful and eat your peas that Obama deigned to be POTUS.
LOL
Funny.
VM our worlds are colliding — I know Kurt IRL! And completely flove him because he is funny as hell.
Omg – that’s so cool!
He’s a hoot. Some don’t like him because while he does hold the views he appears to hold, he also does such a deadpan tongue-in-cheek extremist “I am your worst nightmare RWNJ” to the anklebiters that it’s freaking hilarious to see.
The best over-the-top “let me be just as evil as this person is assuming me to be” comedy is done completely straight, so that the person never even catches on that you are mocking them by aping THEIR stereotype of you. Kurt is genius at that.
This article by Dana Loesch made me think of wmcb’s comment downstairs ….
http://www.redstate.com/dloesch/2013/07/02/hail-satan-another-reason-why-i-left-the-left/
😉
related
Amen, votermom!
Yep. 🙂
A conflicted one?
When the baby is big enough to (theoretically) survive as a preemie, her choices should be adoption or keeping her/him.
Yes, it means her choices narrow as time goes on, but that is what happens in life. Nobody can dither indefinitely and expect the world to stop on their convenience.
Otherwise we end up with the post-birth abortion – parents should be allowed to kill their kids if they get to be too much trouble. That’s how it was in many earlier cultures. (Actually not too long ago – Hansel & Gretel is based on this)
And for those of us who read trashier fare than fairy tales, “The Grounding of Group 6” covers similar ground (the 16-year post-abortion): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grounding_of_Group_6. I loved this book as a middle schooler. Cannot imagine why.
Anti-Obama banners in Egypt
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2013/07/15-photos-from-tahrir-square-protests.html
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/07/egypt-military-slaps-travel-ban-on-president-morsi-and-top-islamists-video/
egyptian military slaps travel ban on morsi and top islamists
arrests members of the muslim brotherhood
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/07/breaking-egyptian-military-takes-over-state-television-station/
military takes over state TV station
You really are becoming a master of the 140-character zinger.
http://weaselzippers.us/2013/07/03/breaking-egyptian-tv-says-morsi-under-house-arrest/
morsi under house arrest
Without army support, Morsi’s goose is cooked.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/07/03/Report-Morsi-taken-from-presidential-palace-to-military-base/UPI-43551372830618/
morsi taken to military base
Pate time. 🙂
Is there halal pate?
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/World+News/Middle+East
this site has up to date news on Egypt
Watching on FOX!!! 🙂
Oh wow. RCP has an article describing Cornell West saying:
Under Obama, gays gain, while Blacks are being “pushed to the back of the bus.”
Snort! Ok, the irony just cracked me up. 🙂
Well, after all, Barry is just HALF white …
And our question from day 1: what in his history ever made you think it would be otherwise?
http://www.americanthinker.com/video/2013/07/bill_ayers_student_speaks_out_as_hardcore_conservative_gop.html#.UdQeKtkjaTU.facebook
this is a must see
This appears to be a live feed of events in Egypt:
http://rt.com/on-air/opposition-rally-egypt-morsi/
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/07/farce_ensues_as_rumor_that_snowden_was_traveling_with_bolivian_leader_proves_false.html
how to win friends NOT
Too funny!!!!! Watch as testimony at the Zimmerman trial is sabotaged on skype.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/skype/zimmerman-trial-skype-bombing-756390
BAHAHAHAHA! BOOM!
OT
Whoa, Nelson just had a meltdown in the courtroom and was overtly hostile to the defense over Crump trying to hide from a deposition.
Saw that…..she was pretty rude and unprofessional.
She can order Crump to appear sooner than Sunday—if she chooses not to, we’ll know she’s manipulating things.
She has a schedule! Don’t F@ck with her schedule!
Yippy dawg, aka shorty on the stand. LOL. I’m short; I can say that.
http://weaselzippers.us/2013/07/03/obamas-2013-air-force-one-bill-at-24-million-6-5-million-for-africa-alone/
backtrack and meeeschele’s prison furloughs costing US taxpayer a bundle
Egypt’s army statement is expected within an hour, according to an army spokesman – @AJELive
just because we need a small break
http://nation.foxnews.com/2013/07/03/marines-stun-judges-americas-got-talent
and a 2nd just because
http://129.164.179.22/apod/ap130703.html
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2013/07/01/increase-in-illegal-crossings-prompts-honduras-to-open-consulate-at-texas/
very interesting
It’s official – the army took power from Morsy in a coup. No bloodshed yet.
http://weaselzippers.us/2013/07/03/mooch-my-husband-needs-time-to-be-off/
and we need time off from him
He is always “off”. Although it is obvious to see why neither moochie or minnie actually spent any significant time working real jobs. They are the kind of coworker everyone else hates. Come in late. Leave early. Take three hour lunches. Need “mental health” days every week from all the pressure of doing absolutely nothing. Take credit for everyone else’s work. Then demand a raise and more vacays.
Yup.
Jeeee-sus Christ. Did nobody tell these folks that presidenting is hard? Did they not see what 8 years of the job did to Clinton’s looks?
Just as I thought. It will be Shep Smith bumped for Megyn.
LMAO
LOL!
http://directorblue.blogspot.ca/2013/07/15-photos-from-tahrir-square-protests.html
photos from tahrir square that msm will never show
Is this an open thread?? cause.. 🙂
Every thread is an open thread around here.
🙂
We’re threadbare, and we like it that way.
I gave up on trying to keep threads on topic a long time ago. I think the record for an OT comment was under two minutes.
The best comments are the ones linking to something I linked to in the post. I always want to reply “Did you READ my post before you commented?”
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/07/03/Miami-Dade-officials-appeal-calm-Zimmerman
this is a sad statement for an American city
The Other McCain: By God, @SarahPalinUSA Is Right!
http://theothermccain.com/2013/07/03/by-god-sarahpalinusa-is-right/
From Steven Crowder for the 4th
thank you
http://weaselzippers.us/2013/07/03/poll-more-americans-view-blacks-as-racist-than-whites-or-hispanics/
this is something that is rarely talked about
I’d say Trayvon Martin would be alive today if Zimmerman didn’t have a gun. George Zimmerman would probably be severely beaten and probably disabled. Some people would prefer that outcome because they think committing a criminal act does not make one a criminal. Look at that “a person is not illegal” BS. Assuming Martin was caught, he might be tried as a minor. If somehow he got a felony conviction, it would affect the rest of his life and make him less employable and possibly turn to crime as a career.
Trayvon Martin’s life was over when he started beating another man, regardless of the outcome.