Nah, I’m Good, Just Chillin

In recent weeks I’ve been reading about the death of a young man walking down the street in a safe gated community in Florida. I read how his presence was so imposing and his actions so threatening (with Skittles and iced tea) that he lost his life as a result of his heinous actions and intimidating presence. In the wake of the loss of his life, there’s been outrage, uproar, national outcry and finally an FBI probe. It’s been a while since I posted (life happens), but this one really pulled me back into reality. It’s one thing to get pulled over for DWB, as another friend of mine experienced recently in his Porsche, but this kid was walking while black. Too often, as a community, we’ve postured ourselves in a laid back, chilling position and not gotten involved. We look at the news, comment on how horrible something is, then we lean back and chill again. As long as we remain in chill mode nothing will change…then it could happen to you.
What took place here is an indicator of several other issues. You see this man, moved to this ‘gated community’ to put his family in a place for greater opportunities…because he’s made a few dollars and wanted something better for them. He didn’t want his kids growing up in ‘the hood.’ Sadly, as we saw when Tiger won the Master for his first time, when OJ got acquitted and countless other examples that could be mentioned, your race is still your race regardless of status, zip code, friends, or elected office. This kid lost his life, not because he was a hooligan, miscreant or even a ‘wanna be’ thug [from the mean streets of a gated community], but because an overzealous, idiotic bigoted moron decided it was his way to get 15 minutes of fame. It’s ludicrous that Zimmerman is still walking the streets, even laughable that he’s still breathing. What he did was at the worst murder, in the least man slaughter. They may be able to argue that he didn’t premeditate it so it wasn’t murder, but it was definitely the senseless loss of life for foolishness and he ought to be brought to justice for the life he took.
I’ve heard some argue about the law that was enacted in Florida recently about being able to shoot someone if you feel in fear of your life. However, this is not in any way in play here. There’s no way any defense attorney can argue that this idiot was in fear of his life especially since he was following the kid even after he was told by the 911 dispatcher . I’m personally in favor of a law of this sort due to the times I’ve seen, read and heard of folks being sued by someone they shot who had threatened them, harmed them, etc. We can’t throw out the baby with the bathwater in these types of cases. What needs to be established is whether or not there was an imminent, actual threat to this idiot’s life by Trayvon Martin…the child has was following…the child he was told the police would handle…the child that was screaming for help immediately prior to being shot to death…the child whose only weapons were Skittles and iced tea. Zimmerman needs to be arrested; charged and sentenced…Trayvon’s family deserves that justice...as soon as possible.

It’s just my opinion but I’m not wrong!

What’s the big deal?

Recently the Texas legislature voted that in order to vote in the state of Texas you need to be able to prove that you are who you say you are and provide identification. Democrats are arguing that requiring people to show picture ID is equal to voter suppression. This is ridiculous!!! Help me understand why it's an encumbrance to show ID in order to vote when you have to show ID to buy beer, watch some movies, etc and so on. I'm sitting here watching this idiot on the news harping on the fact that one of the acceptable forms of ID is a passport. She said, "How many people who work at McDonald's go to Europe every year and have a passport?" She further argued that having to show a birth certificate to get a state issued ID will cause some people to simply not vote.

Let me make myself perfectly clear, I totally agree that everyone who is seeks to exercise their right to vote ought to be required to establish their identity by producing identification when they show up to the polls. What's the alternative? Having my brothers and sisters come to Dallas to vote for me from Louisiana when I run for mayor? Having a son vote for his parents after they are deceased? Having felons votes even though they lost that right when they were convicted of their crime(s)? Having folks who aren't citizens enjoying yet another right of those of us who are citizens (along with all the others they already enjoy)? Arguing voter disenfranchisement, which is just code word for later calling it racial discrimination, is crap!!! Arguing that it's a hardship to have identification is crap!!! Arguing that you shouldn't have to have ID to practice such an important right we have as Americans is ludicrous!!! It's a right I practice whether the vote is for president, mayor or dog catcher, that's how important it is to me. It's just as important that mine counts for something. Having others enjoy that right who might not be worthy of that right makes mine worthless. So…if you want to vote, have a voice in your community, shape the future of your city, county (parish), state, and country then you need to get a driver's license, state issued id card or a passport. If you can't prove who you are, then you don't need to vote, plain and simple... stay home and complain about what's going on in the community.

It's Just My Opinion, but I'm Not Wrong!!!