Aftermath

(Editorial cartoon by Glenn McCoy and featured 7/11/13 at McClatchy DC.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Yes, McCoy's cartoon is a snide comment on the "liberal press" and its coverage of the Zimmerman trial.  The trial is over, however, and the acquittal verdict is in.  The conservative spokespeople have now had their chance to gloat and bloviate.  Everyone on all sides has an opinion on the verdict and what it means for race relations and gun laws in this country.

One of the more interesting and thoughtful pieces to come out is found in an op-ed written by Robin Abcarian for the Los Angeles Times.  In her column, she talks about the attempt by his brother to rehabilitate George Zimmerman now that he has been declared innocent.

The rehabilitation of George Zimmerman has begun.

Robert Zimmerman Jr., George Zimmerman’s older brother, has launched a one-man PR effort, showing up all over CNN, on NPR, even finding time for Breitbart, to extol his brother’s essential goodness and the wisdom of the Seminole County jury that exonerated him of second-degree murder or manslaughter in the death of Trayvon Martin.

At first glance, Zimmerman is an impressive family spokesman.

Calmly, articulately and sometimes sternly, Robert has defended his little brother in a way only a loved one can do. ...

And yet, he also appears to be sensitive to racial injustice. “I will say that Sanford had a history in its police department of having issues with race and equal application and equal access to justice in that community,” he told NPR’s Rachel Martin on Sunday. “I know that has nothing to do with George, but I can see where there were concerns, initially, that something may be afoot in Sanford. Unfortunately, the pegging of George as a white man was essential to get that narrative traction and get that ball rolling.” (The Zimmermans’ father is white; their mother is Peruvian.)

But Zimmerman is disingenuous when he criticizes people for injecting race into the story. In fact, he has done as much as anyone to racialize the case.

In numerous interviews, Zimmerman has subtly injected racial stereotypes into the case, echoing defense attorney Mark O’Mara’s line that Martin was not, as the prosecution portrayed him, a teenager armed with nothing more than Skittles, but an angry, dangerous young man armed with his fists, and a sidewalk.   [Emphasis added]

My only kvetch with Abcarian's analysis is that she failed to point out that "white" refers to race;  "Peruvian" refers to ethnicity.  That aside, however, it's clear that the big brother realizes that George Zimmerman is now walking around with a large target on his back.  I suspect George is aware of that as well.  Perhaps that is a punishment no one considered, at least no one who has had to walk around as a target the way young Black men have to.

In that regard,  I would urge you to click on this link to see just what that punishment entails.

And that is punishment indeed.