[Vision2020] Considerable buzz about award-winning movie, "Fruitvale Station."

[Ted Moffett]

Given the massive attention the Zimmerman trial has generated, it's a
surprising coincidence that a new film has just been released on the
controversial killing of Oscar Grant by BART police in the San Fransisco
area in 2009, which raised similar charges of racism, exaggerated use of
force, etc.

Tavis Smiley recently interviewed the director and the man who played Oscar
Grant in the film, which was shown on KUID PBS this morning.  They
discussed the Zimmerman/Martin confrontation, etc. in light of the issues
raised in their film.

It can be viewed here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/michael-b-jordan-ryan-coogler/
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I've followed the Zimmerman/Martin story and don't trust Zimmerman's
account... but I have no way of knowing for sure.

A lot of the debate about self defense and innocence strikes me as not
quite to the point about critical moral and social, indeed spiritual,
issues involved, regardless of the technicalities of the law, and the
Smiley Fruitvale film interview addresses this.

When I was a teenager I was in more than one fight where blood was drawn,
which according to law would justify my killing someone in self defense...

Zimmerman's injuries, which could have happened in a physical confrontation
with Martin that Zimmerman started, such as Zimmerman falling backwards to
the sidewalk or pavement while Martin was defending himself, rather than
Martin beating his head on the pavement, do not rise to the level that
justifies what amounted to the death penalty.

And there is no way I would justify shooting someone to death because they
punched me in the nose!

Zimmerman claims Martin was trying to take his gun, but I would not be
surprised that the truth was that Zimmerman had already pulled his gun, and
Martin was trying to avoid being shot...We will never know for sure... But
the behavior in this case is symptom of a society that has become or maybe
always was callous about extreme and inhumane punishments and responses to
conflict, that can be resolved without extreme likely deadly use of force.

Zimmerman in a Fox News interview:

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/07/19/george-zimmerman-says-killing-trayvon-martin-was-all-gods-plan

"I feel that it was all God's plan."

Puke!
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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
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