Scans_Daily

"Nor can I accept that the details of Trayvon Martin's killing are irrelevant. "

Black boy wearing a hoodie is profiled as dangerous by a white man. Black boy is shot dead by said white man. White killer is set free by authorities when taken it at his word of "self-defence," meanwhile there's a black boy lying dead on the ground.

The point is there's nothing about this situation alone that doesn't make Trayvon a victim of institutionalised racism. None of the other circumstances can change that fact.

Nor can I agree that racism is the only factor, or indeed the only important factor, in the creation of such absurdities as the "stand your ground" and even the FCAT.

I never said that it was. But racism happens to be the topic of conversation here. If I were to go into details of all the other isms that prevail in Florida, I would (a) be derailing the conversation, and (b) I would be starting the snowball to an even bigger avalanche, and that's something we try to avoid doing on S_D.

Nevertheless, I do appreciate that you are thinking about it. Thanks for listening.