That's not what I said. But that's what you think I said. And that's part of the problem. You couldn't even read that brief passage and not look at it from your point of view.
Oh well then please, do explain. I'm all ears.
That's not what I said. But that's what you think I said. And that's part of the problem. You couldn't even read that brief passage and not look at it from your point of view.
Solid comments by Rico and Ph.
Agreed with the above, but I do find that the quote by Rico is a problem with all society today. If a friend can not point out the facts to another friend, how is the media suppose to do this properly? If they are true friends and know you are not racist why should they mind listening to your point of view of how the FACTS are listed? I was socializing and working with a lot more black friends during the O.J. trial and discussing the facts after the innocent verdict was given I think changed a lot of minds to what really happened.
I think discussing facts, and again I have no idea what facts were wrong by Rico's friends, is the best way to help communicate racial differences. Again, I am talking about friends trusting friends, not a public chat room.
"Some of their posts were either factually or legally incorrect. However, I made no effort to "correct" them because its not my place to tell my friends how they should feel"
"discussing the facts after the innocent verdict was given I think changed a lot of minds to what really happened."
Could you elaborate? It sounds like you're saying that as the correct white guy, you convinced your black friends that the system didn't work in the OJ case enough the prosecution did a poor job presenting their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
I'm sure my post wasn't clear enough, but my whole point was that I realized my black friends were just "venting". They weren't inviting me or anyone else to engage in a debate with them, and I'm sure they weren't in the mood to debate so soon after the verdict. Correcting facts is too easily construed as "gloating". They wanted to vent and I let them vent without interference (other than an occasional private message to the effect that I understood their anger, even if I didn't fully understand). And arguing with any friend on a heated topic, especially on how they should feel, is poor form in my opinion.
(And I want to admit and explain that I act differently on this board because we're basically anonymous, and debate here is more of an intellectual exercise. You guys are virtual entities behind a username, and not real-life friends. I have respect for PH's views although I don't know him in person, so I engage him in debate occasionally with the assumption that he won't be offended. As a matter of fact, his comments since last weekend have been more in the realm of rational debate, and not "venting" - I would say that BKF was probably venting about his deeply held political views so I left him alone.)
Good clarification. We've all let our wife vent instead of offering facts and we've all resented when people didn't let us vent instead of offering facts and advice (why don't you just root for another team?).
I think a jury of 5 or 6 white women would have been much more sympathetic to a 17 year old kid more similar to their son or brother
I still don't know why it's a big deal that Martin was wearing a hooded jacket in the rain.
I think a jury of 5 or 6 white women would have been much more sympathetic to a 17 year old kid more similar to their son or brother
I still don't know why it's a big deal that Martin was wearing a hooded jacket in the rain.
I thought it was important that Martin fit the description? The description was just clothing?
In my mind, yes, though I'm not him. As someone said on one of the other threads, I tend to think any profiling was likely more about age than race. If you see someone walking in a residential area in the rain in the evening wearing a hoodie, regardless of whether or not you can see them I think most people's initial thoughts would be that it is a teenager. Black kid, white kid, asian kid, why is he walking in the rain where teens have been burgalrizing houses?