Trayvon Martin and Sanford, FL (or really, California)

Trayvon Martin had been on suspension from school the day he died.  Apparently, drug residue had been found on his person.  Also, allegedly, he had been suspended before.

It was unclear why he wasn't at home.  One news story claims he was walking to his father's neighborhood in order to stay with him and to 'stay out of trouble'.  Not sure why his father didn't just pick him up after work or whatever.

Unfortunately for him, he walked through the wrong neighborhood. He was shot to death by a local resident named George Zimmerman (a half-white, half-hispanic male).

Versions are fuzzy and contradictory. Zimmerman claims Martin attacked him so he shot Martin in self defense; Martin's family claims Zimmerman attacked Martin and shot him in cold blood as he (Martin) tried to run away.

Whether Trayvon Martin was actually a criminal or not is irrelevant to this point.  We have recorded audio footage wherein the police specifically tell George Zimmerman NOT to get involved or approach Martin.  They told Zimmerman that they (the police) would handle it.  Zimmerman didn't listen, got into a scuffle with Martin, and now Martin is dead.

This whole incidence, in my opinion, was a misuse of the so-called "stand your ground" law.  That law was meant to protect you if your life happened to be in danger. It was not meant for you to go looking for trouble, getting in over your head, and then claiming "self-defense".

If Martin had not been suspended he might still be alive. If Martin hadn't been involved in drugs he might have not been suspended in the first place.  If Zimmerman had just kept his fat ass away and listened to the 911 dispatcher Martin might still be alive.  And, assuming Zimmerman was telling the truth (we'll never know), Martin might still be alive had he not attacked Zimmerman.  There are lots of 'ifs' in this tragedy.

Predictably there were nationwide protests.

Even though the Trayvon Martin killing occurred in Florida, that did not stop residents all the way on the other side of the country in California from rioting.

Thankfully, these demonstrations were tame compared to those that occurred in Ferguson, MO and Baltimore MD for Michael Brown and Freddie Gray (respectively).

As if traffic wasn't bad enough in San Francisco - now you got some fat bitch 'sieg heiling' in front of your car, while a "creepy azz cracka" with a camera is trying to look inside your window.

A disgrace to punk rockers everywhere: A Crass fan trips and falls over his own Doc Martens in Los Angeles.

BART (bay area rapid transit) police car smashed in Oakland. The rioters "protesters" must have confused Trayvon Martin with Oscar Grant.  These people be racist and shit acting like all black people look alike - gnome sayin'?  Sheeeit.

Oakland

Not sure what the empty storefront did to deserve such a blatant act of vandalism. Or maybe he's part of Oaktown's Glazier's Union Local 169 out to create more jobs - but I doubt it.

Dogwood Restaurant in Oakland.  It's an uphill battle trying to bring some class and cash into this perpetually ghetto town. Gnome sayin'?

Is it just me, or is that a creepy-ass haircut?

Eric Garner and New York City, NY

Eric Garner did not deserve to die for what he did (illegally selling cigarettes).  However, because he was engaged in illegal activity, he attracted the attention of the cops.  And because he chose to be an idiot and argue/fight with the cops, they had to subdue him.  And no, that picture of him in a tuxedo does nothing for me.

Allegedly, he also had health problems.  Why would you get into a scuffle with the police? Lord knows.  Did he have a death wish?  Or did he wish to repeat that lame-ass scene in the movie "Crash"?  He's no Terrence Howard.

(I mean the movie is lame, not Mr. Howard)

In Garner's case, we can hear him saying "I can't breathe".  At the time, it would be hard to tell if he was just saying it to be difficult or to engage in hyperbole.  In hindsight, he was apparently being sincere.

The New York City PIG Police Department is one of the few police forces that I actually do have some prejudice against.  Just the stories I hear. Just some of the pictures I've seen of them. The arrogant scowls, the thuggish demeanor.  I'm still shocked by the story where they tried to have one of their own (whose father was also a cop) committed to a mental institution for whistle blowing.  I don't have respect for a force that does something like that.

I know not all NYPD are like this. I know there are some good cops, and I know cops all over the country have a tough job keeping our streets safe (and most of us will never realize how hard they have it).  However, In this case, they went over the line.

To the credit of the protesters (or maybe people were scared to riot in NYC), the demonstrations against pig police brutality in New York City were very civil for the most part. People made their point without destruction (at least, none that I saw).  That should be lauded.  If only all protests were like that.

Ironically, the small amount of ghetto behavior we saw came not from NYC, but from the opposite side of the country, in one of the bastions of higher education - University of California Berkeley.  Berkeley cops appeared to be just as ghetto, though.

Stonehenge, Spinal Tap? No, Berkeley Police

Bane wannabe giving the bird - "The police will survive as they learn to serve true justice."

Skate or get gassed, brah

All this guy needs is a cowboy hat and a colt .45 revolver. Yee Haw!!!!!!

 

I went to my physics study group and all I got was this lousy choke hold.

OMG you'll never guess what happened to me. There was this really mean jerky cop with a big fanny pack attached to his leg, swinging this scary axe at me or maybe it was a bat but what---ever. Like seriously Britney, he was so scary.  I thought I was totally going to die. Caitlin and Makenzie are going to FLIP OUT when I tell them . . .

This protester apparently tried to prevent people from vandalizing the local Radio Shack, and was beat up for it.  As they say, no good deed will go unpunished.

There were also "die-ins" (the lying down equivalent of sit-ins) at Grand Central Station in New York and the railroad tracks in Berkeley.

Lying down or sleeping on tracks or in train stations is pretty ghetto, or at least very hobo.  Not violent, just annoying for people who need to get home and feed their kids. But since none of the people engaging in this behavior appear to be 'parent' types, they have no idea.

New York City:

How much longer do I have to lie here

I hope they mopped the floors last night. But just in case, I'm showering when I get home. Know what I'm saying, dog? (gnome sayin' dawg?)

Berkeley:

Does anybody have any rope?  The Hooded Claw? Snidely Whiplash?  The Pace Picante Sauce cowboys? Anybody?