In breaking news last night, the world discovered that a jury of six women decided to acquit George Zimmerman of all charges related to the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. The trial set off a national debate on the topics of race, self-defense, and guns. After the verdict, Zimmerman was released, and the criminal case was done. And that's where everything was left: one dead boy; one free man; two devastated families; and a changed world. Where do we go from here?
Well, where many people decided to go from the verdict was Twitter and Facebook. Numerous people took to their pages to either celebrate or condemn the verdict. But it was in the Facebook world that the inspiration for this blog took place. And it all started with a celebration ...
As I checked my Facebook page and noticed all the status updates regarding the trial, I began noticing some posts where people were actually celebrating the not guilty verdict. I also noticed many people liking the posts. I, even today, am not entirely sure these were likable posts, and I made myself clear on that. Whatever side of the case you were on, I found it inappropriate to enjoy the verdict. What is there to enjoy about it? I just don't see it. There is no way this case could have gone that would warrant a celebration in my eyes. And these posts came from friends. I opted to state my short opinion that it might be best not to celebrate what brought this case about and its end result. Some took my opinion well, but one did not ... and the battle began.
As I am known for my offensive commentary, I can see where my audience would be skeptical that my opinion was short and sweet. To clear my name, here is the post that started the next portion of this blog:
In anticipation of more and more posts that were clearly going to be divisive, I took the opportunity to openly state my opinion about the situation and make it clear that I am having serious character discussions of those that would celebrate such a tragedy, and I would prefer not to have to think badly of any of the people I know. Here is my post after this exchange (as well as a few similar exchanges with others):
I am aware of the #ZimmermanTrial verdict. Let me go ahead and state this now before people tarnish my opinion of them permanently by their posts: There is a dead child in this case ... and a verdict that shows that in the minds of six women he deserved to die the way he did. Yes ... a jury just said it was okay to take this child's life. None of us will ever know the truth about what happened. A verdict does not equal truth (e.g., Casey Anthony is running free today, O.J. Simpson was acquitted, the Scottsboro boys were convicted and later full exonerated). So before we dehumanize ourselves and start celebrating this child's death, why not take a minute and think about the bad taste that would be. And no matter what side of this case you were on, what good will come of you celebrating a dead child and man's life being forever tarnished by these actions? He will forever be labeled as a murderer regardless of the verdict. Sanford, Florida (rightly so from my memory of living there) will forever be associated with bigots and the awful way they painted both sides. Salvage your own trip to Heaven and perhaps keep it to yourself.
In a few minutes I have heard and read things from people that make me question their entire being. I actually have to question their very characters ... and it don't look good right now. With that said, let's all just sit back, allow both families the respect they deserve to absorb what just happened, and try our best to muster up some human decency to let the verdict stay out of mouths. And that's the only post I hope I have to make on my page about it.
Not that bad of a post from me, right? Certainly I have said worse to specifically named people. At the time I called out no names because it was more than one who had posted such things ... and it was people on both sides of the case. Why single any one person out when many were doing it?
One person, the law school graduate who posted the status update above, took it upon himself to reveal his opinion on my own Facebook page for all to see. His callous attitude towards not only the subject, but a person that is a friend, sparked a very heated discussion that involved many lawyers and laymen. Note: I refer to this person as a law school graduate now as opposed to last night because at this time he is an inactive bar member, therefore not authorized to hold himself out as a licensed-to-practice lawyer, although that could change at the drop of an active membership fee. I was not aware of this until after the exchange.
During the public exchange, this person decided it was better to offend than to discuss because he felt offended (by a post that never specifically named him). He even went as far as to question my capacity to analyze the trial from a legal perspective and I needed to "get over it dude!" I state for you Fine Printers ... I will not discuss the the case from a legal perspective because this has been done already, and even then I couldn't find a celebration in the outcome ... Does anyone remember our show The Fine Print of Self-Defense? I do, and that is all the commentary you will get from me on the merits of the case. Now we are in the aftermath of a tragedy. The jury has spoken, a life is over, and another life is forever tarnished. There's not need to say more than that. What I want is some peace among us all, and this person clearly did not want to seek the same. Instead, he asked for a conflict by continuing his disrespect and insulting the very history that is my own life as something trivial and unimportant. That, my listeners, brought me to this last statement to him before ending the friendship permanently (reader discretion advised):
Really Dustin? That's how you want to end all this by saying my posts are unimportant? No one cares about my opinion ... but yours is okay because it's yours? I didn't even call out that you were one of the people I was frustrated by until you decided to put your name out there for all these other Mercer lawyers to see. That's a sad day, and clearly I made the right decision in what I said because it revealed only one out of the many who made similar posts to be someone of bad character.
Well, alright, never let it be said I don’t warn people before I sound off. If you really want to take it there let's take it there. One thing I won't ever allow is some trifling, sheltered, overprivileged, son of a bitch to call out my license like I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not that guy, and never will be. I don't have to reveal anything about my life to know what a lowdown asshole looks like. I don't care what your opinion is. What I said was perhaps we should all keep it to ourselves right now and let these families grieve all their many losses. If you have a problem with that go fuck yourself. Plain and simple. You don't matter to me enough to do much more than tell you my thoughts and leave it there.
How dare you think you can tell me to get over it as if this is some trivial concern to dismiss at the drop of a hat, and no one else can say it's not the proper time. Just because you are common bigot doesn't give you any domain over me. Are you really such a substandard human being that you think this verdict is something to jump up and down about? You know who jumps at a verdict like this? Usually a Klansman … do you have your white sheet on right now? That’s just how I feel about your reaction right now. If I need to grown up, you need to shut up.
Do I think my friends should now celebrate that I called you the equivalent to a KKK member? Absolutely not, because that would be in poor taste. But you don't understand what that means because you came right back on my page like the punk I know you are now. Who actually won in this that makes it such a celebration? Zimmerman? He's a marked man and forever tarnished by the experience. Martin? He's dead. Either of their families? They have to live with this forever too. And you say get over it like it's the thing to do. I suppose a person in your shoes wouldn't know any better, and I should be okay with it and let it go. I should probably just allow everyone in my life to have a good old-fashioned fish fry to celebrate this case, or celebrate that Zimmerman might be taken out tonight by some angry vigilante. But I can't do that and sleep at night.
I think you are a callous human being for even daring to celebrate such a thing. And I think you must be a fool to think you can convince me that all this is okay. Yes I am a lawyer, are you?! I have yet to voice my actual opinion of the case (and you'd be surprised what it is) because it is not my place to do so at this time. I thought we were taught a hell of a lot better than to enjoy a tragedy like this. That's not a Mercer lawyer in my opinion. What I said was let's be human and leave this alone for our own decency. I unfortunately mistook you for having it. I won't make that confusion again. You can go now. It sickens me the time I wasted thinking you were a person that deserved my kindness and respect as a fellow Mercer lawyer. You are nowhere near the caliber of person I had hoped you’d be from the education you received there. But I guess you can’t teach be something you aren't deep down .. a human being. I will give you enough time to read this response and then I am done with you. Whether you care or not isn't my concern ... you just don't matter to me any more than I apparently mattered to you before or after this. Clearly it wasn't at all by the way you chose to address my opinion versus the way I addressed yours originally.
Now I'm sure you recognize me. This was me in my classic state. If you don't like it, "@myTwitterName, so I know it's real." Otherwise, I've said what I have to say and meant every sentence of it at that time.
The most disturbing part of this exchange is that it was not with any of the laypersons that did what he did, but with a law school graduate, an inactive bar member. In my mind this is someone who was certainly trained better than the display he gave. In our very first episode, The Fine Print of Lawyers, we spoke about the high standard that is placed on lawyers. We are not just legal scholars, but counselors, and examples to the public. We have a higher responsibility to guide a better agenda in the layman's view of how law works. In my mind, rather than fan the fires of controversy, we should be setting the example by encouraging better use of our laws, and remembering the human factors of these situations. I was sorely disappointed by the conversation I had with this person, but I hope a lesson can be learned. I hold the law in high regards, and use this show as a way to bring the law to everyone. It is something that should be respected and discussed with integrity. Anything less by a servant of the law is a spit in the face of the very calling we all had. I don't stand for it.
In sharing this conflict with you Fine Printers, it is my hope you will see that underneath is the very lesson I wanted to impart: do not make a mockery of such a tragedy based on your views. None of us, not one of us, will ever know what really happened. The jury doesn't even know that. So we shouldn't celebrate a dead child, or condemn an acquitted man, right now. And out of respect for your friends who may disagree, try not to bombard them with your views on an issue that is already resolved. What purposes will it serve?
Continue listening to our show, and be sure to catch our archives. Your hosts, Bryan and Seterria, strive to entertain, but also to impart some wisdom along the way. Hopefully we have done that for the many. I, unfortunately, could not do so for the one, nor did he have wisdom to impart to me (if I could have been open to receive it).
~by Bryan Babcock
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