Jordan Davis, 17, once wore a hoodie in solidarity with Trayvon Martin. Months later, Jordan[1] himself was gunned down. Like Trayvon, Jordan lost his life to a shooter who claimed deathly fear of him, though Jordan never even got out of his car.
Michael Dunn, Jordan’s killer, claims self-defense at his murder trial, currently underway. He met Jordan and Jordan’s three young African American male friends outside a Jacksonville, Florida convenience store. Dunn disliked the boys’ “thug music” and asked them to turn it down. A verbal altercation about the music ensued. Dunn claims Jordan threatened to kill him and pointed a shotgun at him. The other witnesses say that Jordan argued with Dunn about the music, but never threatened him. No firearm or weapon was found.
What’s clear is that Dunn took his pistol out of his glove compartment and out of its holster, and fired ten shots at the teens’ SUV. One shot entered Jordan’s abdomen, severed his aorta, and killed him.
The trial presents the jury with two options:
— Option 1. Michael Dunn is truthful when he says Jordan pointed a gun at him, and thus his self-defense claim is valid and he must be acquitted.
— Option 2. Michael Dunn is lying about the gun. Therefore he is guilty of murder.
What seems to be beyond the limits of what our criminal justice system can handle is a very real third possibility: that Michael Dunn genuinely “saw” a gun in Jordan’s hand, though none existed.
Decades of research into implicit racial biases have demonstrated that many people, especially whites, see nonexistent weapons in the hands of black males. Social psychologists at the University of Colorado asked subjects to watch a video and then make a split-second decision to shoot when they perceived that the character who flashed on screen threatened them. In experiment after experiment—subjects were undergraduates, DMV customers, mall food-court patrons, and police officers—mistakes followed a pattern: they shot more unarmed blacks than unarmed whites, and they failed to shoot more whites than blacks who were holding weapons. Recounting the results of four separate studies, researchers wrote, “In the case of African-American targets, participants simply set a lower threshold for the decision to shoot.” That trend held true even when the participants themselves were African-American.
These disturbing findings support a growing body of research confirming that study participants are more likely to misidentify a nonthreatening object (like a cell phone or wallet) as a weapon when a black face precedes it, or that ambiguous behavior is far more likely to be perceived as violent when a black person is engaging in it.
Most of us think that one is either racist or one is not, and certainly that we are not. An accusation of racism is a serious charge and is often hotly denied. And yet the field of testing for implicit racial biases[2] opens up another possibility: that while we would like to think of ourselves as open-minded and egalitarian, most of us have subliminally absorbed longstanding and widespread cultural messages that affect our decision-making processes when it comes to sizing up African Americans.
And so racial bias festers, perniciously, under the smooth surface where no one admits to prejudice at all. Three-quarters of blacks say they have personally experienced race discrimination. And evidence of extensive differential treatment confirms that our unacknowledged stereotypes continue to mar the lives of African Americans, especially in our criminal justice system – the one place where everyone should have an equal chance at justice.
The real solution lies in talking about America’s sore spot – race – and owning up to our deep seated racial biases, especially when it comes to revealing who we fear. George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn surely harbored these biases, but you and I probably do as well. It’s easy to demonize these men, but much harder to acknowledge our own implicit biases that may be uncomfortably similar. But we can’t overcome them until we do.
We all should be sick of case after case of shootings of unarmed young black Americans. Since Trayvon Martin, not only Jordan Davis but Darius Simmons, Jonathan Ferrell and Renisha McBride all lost their lives due to suspicions, fears and outrageously wrong assumptions apparently based on the color of their skin. We do them a disservice when we duck the real issue and pretend that race had nothing to do with it. And we can’t advance toward equality without acknowledging and eliminating the scourge of racial bias that continues to cause the deaths of American kids.
[1] I call minors by their first name, adults by their last.
[2] Want to check yours out? Take the Implicit Bias Test.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Avvo.
45 comments
El-Ra Adair Radney
This is in response to Phil's unscholarly and non-credible reply:
Honestly, Phil, it's always the same reductionist and distorting narrative, 'because it was different races, the media is adding fuel'... this is what is referred to as a 'denial discourse'-buddy. In your skewed narrative, now whites can continue to commit acts of racism/ race-hate crime-violence, but it will always be the media faults.
Don't you see how destructive that kind of thinking really is?This does not help what you allude to in your counter as the 'prospect of racial harmony'. You really only magnify the very problem you say you are attempting to resolve. But, I think otherwise, you are really disingenuous. You don't want to really see racial harmony, (or Blacks lives become more valuable by whites) you just want the uncomfortable feeling of being associated with 'the blame' because you are a white male--to stop.
You know nothing about the fundamental reality of race. Just like many whites who persist in this 'denial discourse' you hide behind a 'culture of un-acknowledgement' about America being a racist society-thus racism is systemic, adaptive and perpetual. It continues because whites benefit from it in sites of white power and white privilege. In this same sphere of privilege-power-dynamic, whites refuse to acknowledge how they benefit, and how those benefits continue to have dire consequences for the lives of Black people. Thus, the maintenance of white privilege-inversely causes the maintenance of the under-privileging of Blacks and other people of color.
Which means the deck is already stacked with racial bias and preconceived notions of Black inferiority and 'sub-humanness' long-before 'we' (Blacks) get to 'the encounter'.
You persist in the notion of Black people playing the race, which is actually a fallacy (an unfounded and unprovable belief). Blacks don't invent' racism. Racism started with whites, it continues with whites-predominantly and its up to whites to take responsibility for it and quit trying to use these fallacious framework of reverse psychology - (i.e. 'playing the race card') which not only blames the victim for being victimized, but attempts to coerce Blacks into accommodating [which is referred to as accommodationism] anti-Black racism, and thus support their own oppression and white supremacy. Which by the way Phil, is the biggest 'hustle or pimp-game' anyone could have ever invented (whites did this too-not Blacks).
You may not be aware of this-Phil, but your kind of mentality and the above reference to 'playing the race' continues to rationalize, or 'makes sense' of white privilege like it is the natural order of things, a God-sanctioned-ontology.
Moreover, it this irresponsible notion of playing the 'race card' leveled at Blacks and the media --- which you use to deflect every conversation about race and racism-that only reinforces racism. You really need to take some classes in Black/ African American Studies and/or on Race/ Racism and American Culture/ American Society---before you think (which reflects another aspect of white entitlement) that you have some 'white authority' to address these concern and issues... or understand what is really going on here.
Think of it like this if you have never had a monthly period or menstruation, how can you tell women about what they are experiencing or what the true impact of that experience means. Such in the case, when 'whites' attempt to have some authority on racism and tell Blacks they are playing the race card-when whites don't really don't experience racism predominantly, and furthermore it's very disrespectful, deceitful and self-serving for whites to assume this authority, when they are the ones predominantly, historically and on-goingly committing these evil acts of racism against Blacks.
You really need to stop mis-educating yourself and quit insulting the Black experience and the 'Black intellect' by blaming media alone for racism, it is another way of persisting in a 'denial discourse'.
Whites bring 'preconceived notions and self-determined racial biases/ white superiority myths about Blacks being 'worthless thugs and menaces to society' i.e. 'urban threats'--- to these encounters with Blacks, which comprises a phenomenon known as Negrophobia (fear of Blacks)... [see Frantz Fanon]... which morphs into racial hatred and contempt, and when the Black victim acts a certain-way (which is typical of human beings)... either in defiance' or when whites see guns-that are not there--- it causes some psychological 'break' for whites and they act out of this delusion-state of white and Black racial mythology, whereby too frequently, they feel they have the right to disposed of Black lives.
Did you not read Lisa Bloom's article-where she uncovered some root cause for 'this phenomena' of racial bias that festers at the gut-core of American consciousness? Did the research not exclaim that whites constantly shot unarmed Black males? But did not shoot unarmed or armed whites in the research study and experiment? Does that not register with you that whites have a 'historical problem' (vis-a-vis) --white racism/ anti-Black racism ---which they continue to ignore and blame Black people?
Even though Blacks and other people of color account predominantly for the countless lives being disposed of on the 'altar' of white supremacy and white privilege? Does that register for you and penetrate beyond your own attempt to 'protect' and vindicate your whiteness, due to your inability to feel comfortable in these 'spaces of historical guilt'?
It is your mentality, whether you want to accept this or not that actually reinforces racism. Your reluctance to deal with it boldly and truthfully. The media is just half of the problem, your mentality constitutes the other half! This is about race -every time something like this happens-Phil! The racial hierarchy of privileging white over Black in America that maintains what you persist in: the hegemonic lie, about how deeply encoded and systemic race and/or racial bias informs, moves us, gives us motive, influences and sanctions all of our multiple ways of people activity and behavior!
Lisa Bloom is qualified to discourse about this critically and accurately-Phil, but you are not. Like many whites you just have a reactionary opinion that is not only a-historical, but has no credibility, because you don't like the discomfort that historical guilt puts whites in,and especially whites males in-when it comes to the fundamental reality of race in America.
Moreover, you have to be living under a rock, or your head in the sand to not know Michael Dunn has already been outed through his own admission that he is a screwed up, bigot or racist, which verifies his actions as evil and sinister-Phil. He explodes the myth that white people don't know better, they are just functioning out of racial ignorance, no Michael Dunn knew quite well that he had enough contempt for Blacks to think they he could disposed of the life of Jordan Davis and get away with it. Hence, his other admission: "I don't believe this is happening..."
I just hope I can save somebody like you before your mentality takes its inevitable course, because I am interested in saving the Black life, or person of color's life -that may be potentially disposed of by the same dangerous ideas you foster-that frequently lead to the same dangerous actions that Michael Dunn manifested.
Ultimately, Phil racism as we know it in this country and mostly globally is anti-Black racism, and it is a 'white problem' stemming from an oppressive white psychopathology, which became foundational for the rationalization storm of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and African diaspora colonization, and has continued to reassert itself in ongoing social-cultural, political and economic engineering [for the 'unacknowledged' motives of white privilege] to the point, where it is, regenerative, adaptive and systemic. Therefore, Phil ---it is whites who must 'get over it' and take responsibility for it, not Blacks!
Onyx69
In response to the profiling comment:
Profiling” is a self-protective mechanism of humans when they learn that members of a certain group are responsible for a multitude of actions that form a predictable pattern. Profiling a group means one has learned to predict dangerous behavior by the appearance of members of a group that consistently behaves in a dangerous and threatening manner, hurting other humans.
Okay, we've used your Webster's definition of
Racial profiling. So in that case whites should be viewed as genocidal, thieving, murderous, evil, power hungry, money hungry, lying ethnicity with God complexes and a false sense of entitlement. That about right?
Racial profiling is a bunch of BS and should not used by anyone!!! YOU NEED PRAYER!!!
Phil
ok Im really getting tired of ppl throwing out the race card excuse everytime something like this happens. yes it is a tragedy & my prayers go out to him & his family. but the media is to blame here ! they blow stories like this up because it will cause a stir & they know it. just because of the different races involved. so here come the News media hyping up this story adding fuel to it. i swear i hate the media. honest to god their nothing but scumbags looking for ratings & they know if they turn it into a racial thing then the story blows up. ok how come the media never cares or carries coverage when everyday kids are getting shot out there all over the U.S. & yet they dont report it because it could be black on black. so they dont care cause Thats not gonna spice up their ratings. Thats all the media cares about is ratings & they pretend to give a sh*t about this kid ? ok why dont they care about all the other kids getting shot out there everyday ? think about it , the media puts their spin on it & says its racial cause it was a white person this time that did the shooting. they drool over stories like this cause its gonna garner them attention & Thats all they want. they dont care who gets shot , white, black, Chinese, korean. they dont care. they only care about ratings. i swear they are nothing but scumbags the media all the time hyping stories up adding fuel to the fire. ok Mr . news man why didnt the story of the kid that got shot the other day not receive the attention that this story is ? some1 lost their life right ? but they dont care to report on it because its not juicey enough for all that coverage, but now enter the race card & they know their story will blow up. it happens everyday across America & they could careless about reporting on it tho cause it wasnt a white person that did that shooting. all they want is the dirt to stir up controversy & anyone with half a brain knows this !! its bullshit*t !!! look the guy that did the shooting is guilty as Hell, case closed. i dont get how thers even an argument about it. hes guilty , Thats it , lock him up , case closed. move on. but the news media cant allow that to happen cause they want the juicey controversy to spice up their news ratings with stories like this. if Thats how its gonna be then every shooting should get coverage like this. not just ones that are gonna raise eyebrows because of the bullshit*t the media puts out there. I'll say it again. the news media are nothing but a bunch of scumbags ! cause if it was a black person that shot a white person or black on black or white on white, this story would be over already & you would hear no more reporting on it. & everyone knows Thats the truth !
unknown
Regardless of what people opinions are there was no reason for Mr Dunn to confront this young man about his music, all he had to do was park away from that vehicle . he was not too scared to walk up to the young men vehicle nor turn his back to go back to his car to get his gun and shoot this young man not one but ten times, but just like zimmerman he got away with it and he has not had much luck nor freedom since the trial. no wrong will go undone.
william
It's so disingenuous to say these guys were shot because of "loud music, wearing a hoodie, or shopping at Walmart" They instigated, or failed to de-fuse, situations where the other person was clearly angered, angered, or suspicious. How much better all these situations would have ended had the "victim" simply turned down the music, explained who they were and why they were in the neighborhood, and not instigated a fight with a stranger. The person shot , in short, is many times the one who could have turned a tragedy into a simple confrontation, but chose not to. We should teach our children better….
what ?
I must apologize,
I took a moment and reread the article with out the use of the words black and white,
and after removing all the race cards from the story..
my old white backside found a murder , a straight up murder ,
but if a majority of you believe shooting someone to death because you don't like rap?..is ok.
then that must mean that it would be ok to react the same way to those metal head songs... or that dog whooping country noise , and heaven help those fools with the old Italian songs or the drunk Irish tunes and my personal favorite...gospel followed by classical .
I am ashamed to call many of you my fellow Americans . those of you with the mind set to see the red of blood that was spilled for a song....? I applaud you all and embrace your fellowship in this melting pot of Americans
and for you poor scared people. Fear means flight RUN!!! don't go for a weapon and return to kill what you disagree with ..that's called murder.
floridian
This was never a stand your ground case and failed the litmus test to be tried as one. He did not have to flee, which is legal. However returning to his car, opening the glove box, unholstering his pistol then returning to fire eliminates any chance that this was stand your ground.
This was a heated exchange that escalated to the point that he intentionally left the confrontation to acquire a weapon with the intent or implied intent to so great bodily harm.
Just because the law is on the books does not mean it applies to every shooting.
realistic
Sure you are Jon, why don't u lead the way...
jon
*Need
jon
Im white by the way
jon
All whites are scum they think they are the better race they neen to go back to europe and stay there i hopy he gets life
realistic
The real solution is to stop airing news shows that show black criminals performing crime. If black crime was taken off the tv, every other race would forget that it happens, blacks would become the new whites, and profiling would be useless. The fact that black criminals commit crimes isn't the problem, we need to stop publicizing it. Whites in newsrooms are the real bad guys, reporting facts that make black criminals look like black criminals. Come on guys, report the real stories, like black youth groups growing by leaps and bounds, black crime is slowing, inner city slums have adopted peaceful protests, 100's of single black mothers turn down welfare for the betterment of all, and Jesse Jackson fighting for all races equality. Oh wait, that stuff doesn't happen. Plain and simple: black civic leaders need to admonish black crime, clean up their own back yard, and take resposnability cor their bad apples. Blaming "whitey" simply makes them look defeated, and for all the black law abiding citizens, your #1 goal should be condemning the small percent of black thugs and criminals that cause profiling to be a legitimate tool. Like it or not, let me drop off a few black law abiding citizens in a very "dark" part of town, and they will profile too. Guarantee.
Jimmy Edwards
To all the ignorant uneducated racists in this thread, where did you read dunn was approached by Jordan. How in the world can you feel threatened by a carload of people but yet you approach them with a demand /request.
The only one that had authority to make them turn their music down was the store owner and the police not dunn. Anyone that defends him is void of any human compassion and in my opinion, kind of low in intelligence (definition of most racists.).
Love your post @disheartened
DiamonDiver
Those kids don't have the right to listen to overly loud music. It is common courtesy to not provoke a confrontation. Do not underestimate the part these youths contributed to this incident. If they had turned down the music there would have been no fatal confrontation.
Transplant
The shooter can get up to 60 years for 2nd degree. Give it to him without parole. Let him rot.
Pete
Are statistics racist? Consider this:
[Source- 2011FBI Report on solved US murders] FBI report states that of the12664 solved murders in 2011, 52.4% were committed by Blacks, 41.6% by Whites. The same report notes the population for the US in 2011 was 12.6% Black, 72.4% White. So, while there are six times more Whites in the US than Blacks, Blacks are mudering more people than Whites are....hence Blacks are murdering at a rate of 6 times more than Whites.
[Source - 2011 Chicago Murder statistics 1991-2011]. Report states the following - Murders by Blacks 76%, Whites 4%, population ratio for Chicago 32% Black, 31% White. Therefore, while the population ration of Blacks and Whites is about equal, Blacks murder at a rate of 19 times that of Whites. (4 x 19 = 76).
The statistics show Blacks commit violent crimes GROSSLY disproportionate to their numbers. Maybe this is why people are more prone to fear Black people when confronted by them.
Pete
Are statistics racist? Consider this
Juanita
@poppa pump. Just another racist coward. He can say all these racist things behind a computer but never face-to-face to real black person. People with these racist beliefs feel empowered with a gun but they are really cowards bigots!!! They should feel ashamed to called fat a$$ George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn heroes for killing unarmed black teenagers. These men are cowards!
Juanita
@Concerned. There is white and white crime too. For you to make a ignorant statement like that is so stupid. According to the FBI, over 80% of serial killers, rapists and pedophiles are WHITE MEN. Jordan Davis NEVER got out of the car. Michael Dunn started the confrontation and shot 10 bullets into a car full of teenager. He's a sick racist man and should have been convicted for killing Jordan too. In America a white life and more value than a minority one especially if you're black. Racism is Alive and well in America.
Black-on-Black Crime You Say? White People Kill Each Other Just ...
http://www.yourblackworld.net/2013/07/black-news/black-on-black-crime-you-say-white-people-kill-each-other-just-as-much-as-black-people-do/
White People killl Each Other Just as Much as Black People Do ... Statistics show that 84% of White victims are killed by Whites and 93% of Black victims are killed by Blacks.
Kimberly
On the stupid comments from people like poppa pump (really)
As a mother and grandmother of black boys and men. It is clear that we must keep raising our beautiful children to always keep one eye open for the blue eyed devil. (Dunn)I thank god for the white people that get it. People can be scary sometimes no matter what race. Ignorance doesn't have a color. May we all keep our loved ones close an safe an most importantly educated...
disheartened
You are only called savages by the ignorant and hateful. Unfortunately, there seem to be quite a few of those around.
disheartened
A teenager was shot to death by an ADULT over loud music at a gas station! The kid had every right to listen to his stereo and to refuse turning it down when told to by Dunn. Dunn had many choices at his disposal in responding to being told no, but as an adult, going back to his car and pulling out a gun and shooting him seemed like the most logical response? Seriously? When we start to make excuses for this complete lack of sense we are circling the drain, people. And all the horrific racial comments on this post; what is wrong with you people? Color has nothing to do with character.
Jesse
First off police shoot unarmed people ALL the time. The model taught by FLETC and state law enforcement training agencies is Means, Opportunity, Intent.
If you genuinely believe a weapon is present or someone is reaching for a weapon and they signaled somehow they intend to do you harm. Then that satisfies current use of force guidelines.
It is called totality of the circumstances. Also if my wife who is 5'5" and 120 pounds is faced by an unarmed threat my size of. 6'3" 240 pounds she is justified to use force.
Lastly the title of this article is extremely biased unarmed people of ALL races get shot crom time to time. Declaring racial prejudices with not being part of the case is highly unethical and borders on libel.
Now Dunns story does not add up at all. I have no problem with him leaving the scene but as soon as he got home he should have called 911 for police backup. There are so many issues with his story on other notes that certainly leaves me skeptical of his testimony. Obviously we do not know how he did during the REID interview but there will be a lot emphasis put on that.
George Zimmer
Unarmed black man? Now that is a rarity in that part of town.
Salsassin
By the way, I have no idea what type of music they were playing. But if it was Gangsta Rap (not just rap or hip hop) then it would have actually been "Thug Music". It is music intended to elicit a sense of being tough, powerful, etc. It is also a type of music that does make people more confrontational. Adrenaline.
Salsassin
This article doesn't take into account that racism is a specific belief that one race is superior to another. Implicit biases based on experience conditioning don't have to come from racism. You can have situational implicit biases that don't revolve on racial beliefs. If a member certain group has a higher chance of being dangerous in the street, then you will react accordingly, regardless of how you perceive that group innately. We do that with clothing, not just ancestral looks (incorrectly called race). There is plenty of statistical evidence that shows that violent crime is perpetuated at a much higher rate by African American criminals, vs others. This clearly doesn't mean violent crimes are perpetuated more by African Americans. All African Americans are not criminals. But until one can establish if a stranger is a criminal or not, in any situation where a quick decision has to be made on what type of alertness is needed, alertness levels will be higher with groups that have higher risk of being part of any criminal activity than not. The same can be said of age, gender, size, clothing, ethnic affiliation (which phenotype and clothing tends to be a quick substitute, when nothing else gives cues) body language, facial expression, etc. Usually, it is a mixture of all these cues that determine your subconscious alertness level. That is how we survive. If not we would have to be in heightened alertness at all times and would die of a heart attack or we would have to have it completely lowered where we would be constantly open to attack.
open minded
Its sad that a child life ended. whether he be black or white. how very ignorant people are. u sit here ranting. if it was your child u would want justice or u would seek to get it. At the end of the day if u have children it makes u worry about the company they keep. i am multi racial so racism is ignorant to me. but fairness and justice shouldnt be.
Big J
Poppa Pump- Just like half the other racist morons on here, you need to educate yourself. ALL of man migrated from Africa, not just black people. You need to remove your head from arse and put into a book. Every time I read a racist uneducated rant like yours, I am more ashamed to be white.
Kyle
Uhg.
Kyle
Why do many whites feel threatened by black folk? One reason is because black folk play "knockout" against whites. My few friends have been robbed by black folk. Even Jessie Jackson said he tightens up more when black folk are around him, but does not around white folk. That is usually where the problems occur and that is sad. MLK Jr. introduced living a life of dignity and honor. A code we all shoild live by. Open your Bibles today amd start reading reading the Word of God. <
White Voice
THIEVES*
White Voice
Poppa pump, if there was a "Back to Africa" movement, it would probably begin far beyond the theft of Africans forced by the hand of NonAmerican Europeans, transported to a land that even White people didnt originally come from. With that said, if there was a " Christopher Columbus, stay your ignorant ass in Europe" movement, there probably wouldnt be the abundance of White European Theaves and Savages running rampant spreading disease to the original dwellers of this land. And quite frankly, if we had stayed our white asses where we came from in the first place, you wouldnt have African Americans to complain about at the fault of White Slave owners, Slave rapers and savages.
jessix
'Scuse me ... but if unarmed young black teens stopped raping, mugging, robbing, and shooting people, they wouldn't be "profiled".
What's the definition of "profiling"?
"Profiling" is a self-protective mechanism of humans when they learn that members of a certain group are responsible for a multitude of actions that form a predictable pattern. Profiling a group means one has learned to predict dangerous behavior by the appearance of members of a group that consistently behaves in a dangerous and threatening manner, hurting other humans. Learning to profile a group is no different from learning your mathematics lessons in school. A + B = C.
Every day there is another story about a pack of 2 to 4 UNARMED young black teens who beat up and rob a single white person, who is often older and less able to defend himself. What am I expected to FEEL when a group of young black (unarmed) teens (A), approaches me (B)? I expect they are up to no good (C) and I'd better protect myself.
AM I supposed to believe that every delusional "Liberal" person, confronted by the same wolf pack of unarmed young black "youths" DOES NOT FEEL THREATENED? It may be normal to want to think the best of everyone, but not when one consistently hears and sees the worst, and instead of adapting to the threat, holds on to the delusion that nothing is wrong.
If I were on that jury I could not convict Mr. Dunn of any form of murder. WHY? Because I know what I would feel if one of 4 black youths approached me, mouthing off and cursing at me, while his 3 friends watched the action from the safety of their car. My experience over the years tells me I'm in BIG TROUBLE and I'd be concerned about defending myself. More often than not such a black teen will attack the innocent person standing alone, and he is soon joined by his friends.
This scenario happens over and over again, day after day in the major cities across the USA. Anyone who denies this reality has a few screws loose. Mr. Dunn may have been so terrified that he could have "seen" a weapon that was not there. I say this because it happened to me, a super rational person with little imagination. I swear I saw a knife in the right hand of a person who was knocking at the door of a house when the person next to me was hysterical and shrieking that person was going to come in and kill her. I can still "see" that non-existent knife whenever I recall the picture from 30 years ago. There was no knife. The visitor was no threat. The woman who shrieked had a guilty conscience.
The human mind has extraordinary capabilities, but the #1 concern of any organism is survival. I wouldn't have believed Mr. DUNN if I hadn't experienced a similar fright ... both myself and the person who was a threat to me are white.
A threat to one's safety is just that - a threat that must be reckoned with and neutralized, no matter the colors of those involved.
BTW ... there is NO SIMILARITY between Zimmerman's case and Mr. Dunn's shooting. Those who say they are similar are guilty of pre-judging all by the actions of one. Isn't this what profilers are being accused of? When profiling, there are numerous similar instances that make up a predictable pattern. George Zimmerman was attacked by "unarmed" Trayvon Martin. Dunn was only threatened.
Laurie
Did it ever occur to any one that perhaps Trayvon Martin was "standing his ground", that maybe he was fearful for his life? He was not breaking any laws, and yet this gun toting guy who out weighed him was following him. Why wasn't it Trayvon's right to stand his ground and try to stop a man that he was afraid of?
poppa pump
Another victory for the "stand your ground law". Congratulations to mr. Dunn for doing the right thing. Whatever happened to the "Back to Africa" movement.? Why is this plan not been implemented? Instead of filling our jails with animals,deport them back to where they came from. Sounds like an excellent solution to finally eradicate this stain on society.
Jenna
I believe that most white people are on the side of the teens in this case. (And at 1st I typed "most people" because thats what came to my mind, it isnt about race to me, but the world has made it about that, so I went back and typed "most white people"). It isnt hard to see that this man had no fear, he was just angry at music. Weve all been there, uncomfortable because someone pulls up with their music blaring, curse words galore, and you're sitting there with your child, or maybe not, maybe you just find it repulsive. But you go away, why confront someone that is already displaying that they have no respect for others, especially when its over something you can remove yourself from. They were at a freaking gas station, people are usually in & out in 5 minutes or so. This wasn't a neighbor blaring their music next door for hours that you hear in your house all night. That's a situation you confront & you do it by calling the cops & letting them handle it. Loud music is disturbing, but it IS NOT a life threatening situation. And this man didnt have to say a damn thing, he could have kept his mouth shut & left. He is completely in the wrong. And he deserves to be convicted of murder. The Trayvon case is way different. We DONT know exactly how that went down. We know that Zimmerman followed him, but that's not a terrible thing, Trayvon could have went on home, or stopped at an apartment and told someone he was being followed. But from what we are told, Trayvon decided that he was going to go back and confront this man & hit him. That may be a lie that Zimmerman told, but a lot of the evidence supported that claim. That case was harder to lay guilt on Zimmerman because while many feel he shouldn't have followed him, more felt that trayvon didn't have to attack. Even a woman being followed cant turn around and attack or shoot that person. She doesnt know what the person is up to unless they attack her, or do something that clearly indicates hes coming for her, nd THEN she can defend herself. Neither case should be looked at as a race issue, because whether or not race was in the mind of Zimmerman or this man, SOCIETY should remove race by making it known that certain behaviors are unacceptable REGARDLESS of race. There are common sense & basic rules of how to react with society, lessons to be learned from ALL sides of each case. One of the main lessons that applies to ALL sides is "don't walk into a bad situation, you don't know what the outcome could be". Zimmerman walked into a bad situation when he followed someone he already thought was trouble, alone & in the dark. Trayvon walked into a bad situation when he looped back to confront Zimmerman instead of going home or seeking help from someone in the apts. Dunn created a bad situation when he confronted someone about music when all he had to do was leave. Jordan didnt really confront anyone, but the lesson here would be that you should respect others, which includes not forcing others to hear your music. Meaning, blare it on the road, but turn it down when driving through a neighborhood, apt complex, or pulling into a parking lot. Not doing so, is a lack of respect for others & it could lead to a confrontation. Not that a confrontation is right, but neither is disrespecting the world around you. However, disrespecting the world around you with your music IS NOT A REASON TO BE SHOT AT & MURDERED. Dunn is in the wrong, and he deserves to be punished at the highest level. Once you get the basic lessons down, then race is dealt with, and it is dealt with by society showing that those "basic rules of society & how you treat, & respond to, others" apply to EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF RACE. That teaches everyone that race isn't a good enough reason to be suspicious of (zimmerman), be scared of & attack (martin), demand respect from someone that is playing music you dont like & then confront & kill them (Dunn), we don't have a race lesson to learn from Jordan, but our lesson should be that we all need to "respect others around you". I hate even putting a lesson there, because his music, regardless of the disrespect, isnt a reason for an assault/murder. However, respecting others is important and it should be somewhat of a discussion amongst society & something we all need to start doing.
Jaszeophre’
"Black savages" people like EUROPEAN AMERICAN are the reason I question why me, my sons and millions of men who look like me put our lives on the line defending this country. We've fought side by side with white men in every theater of war this country has ever known. Still we are called savages. Two of my sons are officers in the very military that protects these shores so people like European American can lay his racist head down at night. One of my sons is a minister. He prays to the same God for the ssalvation of the very country that breeds men who think like this guy while we watch every other nationality from afar take advantage of the very freedoms that me and my sons fought for on the battlefield. I can't express the anger boiling inside of me when I read comments like that. The gall this guy has to call our young men "Black savages". That's the same lies his forefathers told themselves when they wiped out entire nations of Native Americans. These blogs are not racist BS sir, they're the rantings of a BS racist.
Concerned
You do not feel threatened by anyone if you approach them, you do not feel threatened when you turn your back and go to your car to get a weapon. You don't feel threatened after you commit a killing and multiple attempted killings. You don't feel threatened after you committed a horrible crime and did not report it. This is not stand your ground. This give people with guns the right to kill. Turn the table if this happened in reverse the outcome would be different. No one should have a right to kill and use the stand your ground unconstitutional unallowable to any respected human I will not accept calling this a law. We love our children and respect their life. The answer is not they kill each other. I watch the news you have killings of all nationalities. The point is none of this is right are acceptable. We need to come together and get rid of the real issue. HATRED
Annoyed
Apparently it is open season on black unarmed teenagers in Florida - This Dunn guy belongs under the jail. Shame on the DA’s office for not mounting a better prosecution, shame on the Zimmer case, and now is the time to rally to repeal the stand your ground law.
EUROPEAN AMERICAN
The warped , twisted , biased and unethical liberal media . Continues the BS stories about the poor " African - American " " victims , everyday . While ignoring the white victims of these savages and the horrific and horrendous crimes committed by them , everyday . They are the most disrespected group of people in this country . They have no respect for themselves and certainly not others . How many black women have been raped by white men !? How many white women have been raped , tortured and murdered by black savages every year , thousands . NEVER of any of these have ever been front page news .
tom
No, we should call it "Another Middle Class Gansta-Wannabe Bullies The Wrong Guy" trial.
joe miller
I am very familiar with this court case. The shooting of an unarmed black kid happens 100 times everyday across our country. Once in a blue moon the shooter is not another black person. Racism is the least of a young black boys concern....his biggest predator by far is another young black male.
DaveYoung
Teenagers and adults who flagrantly disrespect strangers have culpabiilty in the outcome of the altercation, regardless of who is armed, who is unarmed, and what color they are. Life is not guaranteed.
vickie gordon
I need help I was a victom for 6years 44years age now that im doing better I want to sue my x step dad for the things he did to me when I was 8years old
Gillian Amas
Vicki,
I am very sorry to hear that. Avvo does not provide legal advice directly, but the attorneys who participate on Avvo do when questions are posted in the forum. Answers are usually received within the first day or two of posting, but all questions are open to answers from attorneys for seven days.
Here is the link to both the Q&A forum and the legal knowledge base:
http://www.avvo.com/ask-a-lawyer
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I hope this is helpful.
Kindly,
Gillian