Twitter exploded with responses from emcees after George Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter in shooting and killing Trayvon Martin.
One emcee that provided a measured, extensive response was Immortal Technique, who began his discussion by drawing comparisons between the ZImmerman case and the OJ Simpson acquittal, specifically for the sharp racial divides it caused.
George #Zimmerman admittedly killed Trayvon Martin, but has been found not guilty of murder.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
I told you all a week ago that #Zimmerman would be the new OJ. And now he is.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
As much as people told me this case wasn’t about race. I see the opinions being sent to me sharply divided along racial lines. Very sad
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
I for one always thought that pushing race too far in this case might have a negative effect. The prosectors fumbled just like with OJ.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
Tech then questioned what would have happened if Zimmerman and Martin’s roles had been reversed.
Really, we have to think about it. Someone child died. Over nothing. And the question will always remain in my mind….. wait.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
If Zimmerman, was a big fat black man, and Trayvon had just been a skinny white kid from FL with a bag of Skittles, verdict the same?
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
In his discussion, Immortal Technique revealed that he would never advocate violence as a response to the verdict, and that he kept an open mind during the trial. But, again, the questions about role-switching remained.
I’d never advocate a race riot. The 3 sheeple that hit me asking/implying that, unfollow & dont have any kids for the good of the human race
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
I never closed my mind to the possibility that Zimmerman was innocent. Only because I wanted to view this case from an unbiased perspective
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
after the initial news. I took a step back from the media which made it all about race. I asked myself. “There is no denying he killed the
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
child, but what if he didn’t mean to?” What if he sincerely didn’t mean to kill the child, and he’s innocent of murder. I then asked myself
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
if you believe that in your heart. If you’re one of those people that thinks, “I believe him. I think he didn’t mean to do it.” Then what
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
would have happened if a Black man/woman did the same thing? Would you believe them? Would you think this brother didn’t mean to kill him.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
Here’s the problem with your line of thinking. Here’s where it starts. Obviously, if the roles were reversed they would not be believed…
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
Immortal Technique then made a sobering comparison between the Zimmerman case and that of Marissa Alexander, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2012 after a judge rejected her stand your ground defense for firing a warning shot into the ceiling.
“You said already Technique.” I know, I know young learner. But here is it. I don’t need hypotheticals. http://t.co/b5rADk4nHL
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
The article below me is about a woman who was battered by her husband and fired a SHOT INTO THE WALL. She’s serving 20 years, don’t sit here
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
and tell me that racism doesn’t exist or that people who bring up racism are race baiters. No… You’re the coward who can’t deal with the
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
reality that racism is real. http://t.co/b5rADk4nHL There it is for you. As for trial. I could write a book about they did wrong, and I’m
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
even a lawyer. The bottom line is this.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
A child lost his life needlessly, and the killer said they “wouldn’t change a thing” http://t.co/x8qvVpMgjV This made it hard to believe him
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
And that’s what this case was always about. The evidence was always muddy. It was about who you believed. Trayvon was dead he couldn’t tell
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
his side. But those of you who believed Zimmerman was innocent, cannot tell me if the roles were reversed it would be the same. Because
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
at the end of the day you’re not stupid. You’re just stubborn. And wrong. But not according to the an all white-all jury in Southern Georgia
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
as my friends call Florida sometimes. I am saddened by this case. But also shocked.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
While we’ve all been distracted by this trial. This government has been busy sabotaging the freedom’s that we have. That’s sad too.
— ImmortalTech (@ImmortalTech) July 14, 2013
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