Jury Acquits Zimmerman on the Facts, Society?

Late last night the jury in the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin 2nd Degree murder trial announced that they found George Zimmerman not guilty based on the facts of the case. In listening to the morning shows, the narrative is not about the facts rather about the social aspect of this tragic event. While the Justice system worked, many are pushing for the Department of Justice to levy criminal charges against George Zimmerman on violating Trayvon Martin's Civil Rights.

The NAACP wrote to the Department of Justice(http://dailycaller.com/2013/07/13/naacp-calls-on-obama-admin-to-pursue-civil-rights-charges-against-zimmerman/), "The most fundamental of civil rights - the right to life - was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Maritn. We ask that the Department of Justice file civil rights charges against Mr. Zimmerman for this egregious violation."

Rev. Al Sharpton said on NBC's "Meet the Press"(http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/07/breaking_news_sun_rises_in_the_east_and_al_sharpton_comments_on_zimmerman_trial.html)," The trial happened. The verdict came in. It does not exhaust the legal options of this family and the bigger community of civil rights. We now have a position on the books in the state of Florida where an unarmed teenager who committed no crime can be killed and the killer can say self defense." Rev. Sharpton is accurate that an unarmed teenager was killed in Florida but Rev. Sharpton ignores the fact that Martin was seen by an eye witness of Martin atop Zimmerman throwing punches prior to the fatal shot from Zimmerman's gun. No one is denying that Zimmerman shot and killed Martin. The jury took the facts presented and made a decision based on that while part of society is not.

If the Department of Justice moves forward with Civil Right violations in this case it will be a political solution and not one based on the facts of the case.

Sunday News that isn't being reported

It is Sunday morning and instead of sleeping in I was up earlier to read the various media outlets I do every Sunday. Nearly every site I read had articles about North Korea, Gun Control debate, Budget debate, Tiger Woods debacle at the Masters, and Governor Dayton's Budget mess. Then I came across an article on slate.com - http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/04/12/kermit_gosnell_the_alleged_mass_murderer_and_the_bored_media.html

I had heard Sue Jeffers discuss Dr. Kermit Gosnell on the Saturday Round Table show she has as I took my oldest son to Trap shooting practice - believe it or not but it is a new sport for his school this year. North Dakota Governor recently signed legislation that enacted some of the most restricted laws in regards to abortion. That, and other states looking to do the same thing, have received plenty of media coverage.

When it comes to abortion I don't view abortion as the responsible thing to do but recognize that it is a personal decision that ought to be left to the individuals and their doctor. The only roll the government is to have is to ensure the procedure is safe. Granted it is only safe for the mother as the child will not be safe in the end. But I digress.

Dr. Gosnell is being charged with murder for the method used to complete the abortion process. Here is the grand jury report: http://www.phila.gov/districtattorney/pdfs/grandjurywomensmedical.pdf An Epic Failure exists here on several levels.

The first level of failure starts with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The clinic run by Dr. Gosnell is Women's Medical Society that started by in 1979. Per the grand jury findings, Governor Ridge decided to stop auditing and inspecting abortion clinics in Pennsylvania because it would be "putting a barrier up to women" who seek abortions. Really?!?! Even after several reports of violations by Dr. Gosnell including one that he performed an abortion on a 14 year old female that was in her 30th week the Pennsylvania Department of Health did nothing.

Dr. Gosnell method of abortion for those with child beyond the 20th week is to induce labor and when the child is born - alive - is to "snip" the spinal cord. Ironically the way the Department of Health in Pennsylvania brought the murder charges to Dr. Gosnell is by their raid to look for prescription drug misuse by the clinic.

The second level of failure is various watch dog groups that look for violations of civil rights. Nothing from NAACP, ACLU, NOW or any other watch dog group over the disparate conditions that white clients had versus minority clients of Dr. Gosnell. During the raid it was noted that the clinic was in horrible condition - stench of urine in the air, non-sterile equipment, blood soaked linens, etc. Despite the horrible conditions, Dr. Gosnell did attempt to give white clients better rooms in the clinic because Dr. Gosnell believed they be "more" apt to report the clinic than minority clients.

The final level of failure is the media. Very little investigative journalism has taken place and likely little will. Reporting on a doctor that performs abortion in conditions that Dr. Gosnell did and as late in the term has he did would not promote the Liberal ideal of abortions or the women's right to choose. As troubling as this sounds, I am all for the women's right to choose but women need to assured the choice is not going to kill them too.

Perhaps going forward more coverage of this issue will take place but I am not holding my breath. We will be more focused on gun control that will not stop the needless deaths that took place at Sandy Hook or any other place.

“He was trying to get elected”

Sen. Byrd was laid to rest last Thursday after a long service to his country in the Senate. Many notable politicians, including Obama, Biden, and former President Clinton, came out to show their gratitude and honor the late Sen. Byrd. Now, we have been discussing the KKK, NOI and NAACP mission and push for their own agenda's based on race. In the latest update to the KKK website, which I posted previously, displayed their understanding that violence will not get their agenda push forward. Former President Clinton said in his eulogy for Sen. Byrd, "He once had a fleeting association with the Ku Klux Klan, what does that mean? I'll tell you what it means. He was a country boy from the hills and hollows from West Virginia. He was trying to get elected. And maybe he did something he shouldn't have done come and he spent the rest of his life making up. And that's what a good person does. There are no perfect people. There are certainly no perfect politicians."

President Clinton is correct that Sen. Byrd, who led the filibuster of the Civil Rights Act, ties to the KKK was foolish but I am not so sure he spent the rest of his life trying atone for it. Sen. Byrd voted against and attempted to block the confirmations of Clarence Thomas and Thurgood Marshall. While no one will deny Sen. Byrd's fondness and knowledge of the U.S. Constitution but let's be honest about the man. For President Clinton and President Obama to overlook Sen. Byrd's connection to the KKK because of his long service to the nation is a slap in the face to everyone that fought for Civil Rights. To say it was okay for Sen. Byrd to have ties, and they were very strong ties, to the KKK in order to get elected displays an attitude of our current political state of mind.

How many minorities out there believe that it would be okay for a man or woman to run for office on the sole basis of saying anything to get elected? I know this is America and we all have the right to hold our own views and say our own opinions but for two Presidents of the United States – one anointed the First Black President and the other actually being the First Black President – to wash away the sins of a man because "he was trying to get elected" is ludicrous. Thomas and Marshall were not the only non-white confirmations he voted against. He also voted against Condoleezza Rice. To say he made strides that overshadowed his racist start in politics is intriguing since this is the same man that used the term "white nigger" in a 2001 interview with Tony Snow. While his run in the Senate and the good he did for West Virginia is remarkable, I struggle with the notion for two presidents to forgive a man of his sins because "he was trying to get elected." Does no one else see the hypocrisy here?