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If 28 Year Old Blackman Shot 17 Year Old White Boy In South Africa By Farouk Martins Aresa
Nobody knew how a 17 year old white boy died in South Africa but he was stalked and shot dead after a struggle by a 28 year old black man. How this case would be treated by the global village depended on which South Africa we were talking about. Apartheid South Africa or post-Apartheid South Africa would be the greatest influence on the jury. In a global village; no country with a law on life and death is immune to criticism.
Oscar Pistorius killed girlfriend was so repulsive on U.S TVs since United States is known to stand for life, liberty, and compassion. However, like other countries, it has its own reactionaries and extremists. They are so powerful, each time they prevailed; it sends shock waves throughout the world. The richest Country lives in a divided culture, justice and education. It gives many poor conservative countries false sense of comfort. If USA?
The number of white people in rainbow colors that came out demonstrating peacefully against a 28 year old man stalking and shooting a 17 year old boy to death is a sign of hope; but also a reminder that it is a continuous fight for justice that many thought they have won years ago. People tend to forget that majority of whites in United States still vote 60% conservative, relied on by Romney that could afford to write off 47% takers.
There is no other way to say it other than United State still has some work to do when it comes to the treatment of its minorities. Black men are becoming endangered species in United States. The odds against them are greater than any other minority or women. The civil rights they fought for or championed have not compensated them accordingly. They take that resentment out on themselves and suspicious of others as competitors.
The Country that elected its first black President, while we debated if there were ever few black Popes in the past centuries is admired and love by many of us. Indeed, one of the African leaders, Zik of Africa called USA, God’s Own Country until Kennedy was shot dead. It must be made clear that jurors are not angels brought down from heaven to adjudicate cases. They are one of us full of our divided personal prejudices and biases.
It was not brain logic to predict that a 28 year old man that shot a 17 year old boy would be set free in USA depending on his culture; it makes more sense to ask where and under what atmosphere. If it was in South Africa during Apartheid, it would be expected that a white man can shoot a black boy dead without even being charged. Today in South Africa, that shooter will think twice and be ready for the consequences.
United States is not any other country but one that pride itself on rule of law and justice. If anything, the judicial system in United States is even ahead in fair administration of justice that until recently did not trust jury with discrimination cases. The saying is that it is hard to get justice on earth and if you want one, go to heaven. It is the same justice system that freed O. J Simpson. Some claimed he beat them at their own money game.
When they say it is not about race, it is about the rule of law, do not bet your life. It is nothing but about race. It is not the fault of the system, it is the operators. Those who claim that the prosecution must connect all the dots to convict were asking for direct evidence which is not required. Indeed, circumstantial evidence is just as good or sometimes more powerful. Otherwise, no smoking gun, no conviction in any case.
So, no armed chair soccer player should blame the inadequate skill of the prosecution. Or should the defense team rejoice at their wisdom. Jury was split evenly at first vote, final vote could have been different. Jury with pre-conceived social bias could persuade others, especially when confused by the law to render any verdict. Call it deliberation. Even a judge, if she felt a case could have been decided differently by her, may not do so.
A verdict may not be set aside by a judge on the notion that it could have gone either way and would have preferred one way to the other unless the judge determined that the jury failed to exercise an honest and reasonable judgment in accordance with the controlling principles of law. But reasonable minds can disagree on that principle of law.
The reason South Africa is important here is the shift in what is justified when some ethnic groups were less respected than animal pets. We have to be careful here because if a cow is sacred in India or within the Fulani, killing a cow will bring repercussion that the death of a human may not incur. Well, those could be for economic reasons because of the pragmatic use of the cow in stable agriculture and production of milk and calves.
No one wants to confront race in USA. However, we must not love our dog or cow more than fellow humans. The reason we frown on cruel treatment of animals has more to do with progression of that cruelty to humans. A kid that mutilates animals will one day move on to humans. It was on that basis that Michael Vicks career was ruined when he participated in dog fight. Many have interpreted it as love of dog more than love of man.
Winning cases against black men in United States as plaintiffs or as criminal defendants if everything else fails is to claim fear. Fear of black men works everywhere even when used by their black women. This is why black mentors tell the boys to be gentler, kinder and act less aggressively. Just as assertiveness coming from a black or white woman is interpret with the B word, the same can be interpreted as aggression from black men.
General Colin Powell, a fine gentleman and a soldier advised black men to show cooler head when stopped by police even for no reason during Professor Louis Gate encounter in his home. Black men and women are now at a loss of what to tell their young boys when they are stalked or face life threatening encounter with grown white men that is not a police or identified security following them home. Lie down and die or die fighting?
As long as folks kick against diversity of mind and culture, refuse to reach out and touch; majority of jury will see race the only way they know: conservative perspective. By the time minorities are excused out of jury pool for personal and other reasons, Rodney King jury will remain in USA and only people rich enough to beat them at their game like O.J Simpson will make a dent. |