UPDATE: An eyewitness, who allegedly saw the entire incident has come forth with details that support Zimmerman's claim.
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/state/witness-martin-attacked-zimmerman-03232012
As tensions and anger continue to rise in the aftermath of the killing of Florida youth, Trayvon Martin, President Barack Obama, chimed in on the tragedy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/obama-trayvon-martin_n_1375083.html?1332513416&icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D146021
The death of this 17-year old black teen has ignited a nationwide fuse. Young Martin was gunned down by a zealous, Spanish-speaking minority neighborhood watchman––who has yet to be held accountable for the slaying–– and could pit two of the President's major minority cultures against each other.
Yes, it's true that the President, while slow to jump into the fray and comment on the matter, really had no other choice but to weigh in on this explosive issue. Pressure was mounting for Obama to say something, as many in the African American community were voicing strong vexations against him for not using his bully pulpit in support of this cause in the same manner which he came out to support Ms. Sandra Fluke, a white woman, in her recent contraception controversy in February.
As the President of all the citizens of this nation, Obama will need to walk gingerly as this controversy plays out, and may not want to wade into this fray any further. That may be difficult because as a black man, and the first African American President, he should know how Blacks––particularly black males–– and the law have continued enmity... and been quicker on his game.
I look for President Obama to make some visible overtures and meaningful concessions to the black community for his brazen oversight of coming out the gate on this so slow––since he has basically ignored them for the bulk of his three years in office–– lest he risk losing this needed base in his re-election bid.
But in the President's defense... perhaps because he did not grow up in a black neighborhood, but was raised by, and hung out with white folks all his life... he may not truly have understood the severity and seriousness of this teen's killing because he had no Black reference point as a teen growing up in Hawaii.
But... the President did step in and hopefully his comments can help tamp down what could spiral into 1970's-style disorder in America. It's always better late... than never.
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