Charles Barkley is confused. Recognizes there was racial profiling in Zimmerman case,

[Baitball Blogger]

but agrees with verdict.


Charles Barkley agrees with George Zimmerman verdict

Charles Barkley has never been one to shy away from controversy, and on Thursday he weighed in with his opinion on the George Zimmerman verdict.

“Well, I agree with the verdict,” Barkley told CNBC. “I feel sorry that young kid got killed, but they didn’t have enough evidence to charge him. Something clearly went wrong that night — clearly something went wrong — and I feel bad for anybody who loses a kid, but if you looked at the case and you don’t make it — there was some racial profiling, no question about it — but something happened that changed the dynamic of that night.”

Barkley added that because of the lack of evidence, he doesn't think that Zimmerman should go to jail "for the rest of his life."

“Mr. Zimmerman was wrong to pursue, he was racial profiling, but I think Trayvon Martin — God rest his soul — I think he did flip the switch and started beating the hell out of Mr. Zimmerman. But it was just a bad situation," Barkley said.



http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/nationworld/la-sp-sn-charles-barkley-george-zimmerman-verdict-20130719,0,4634082.story

[Hoyt]

1. Bartley must be planning to run for office, and need the bigoted gun lover vote.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. I don't see how convincing he will be if he can't show that he understood the basic

points of the case. A) The racial profiling argument was never allowed to be established. B) He would have done better to say that given the hamstringing from the judge that did not allow racial profiling to explain the stalking, he agreed with the verdict.

Maybe even not then.

[Little Star]

3. Screw him.

[TroglodyteScholar]

4. Sir Charles has always made an effort at addressing current events intelligently.

Last edited Sun Jul 21, 2013, 01:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Unfortunately, he's just not very intelligent.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. Well stated.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. Hmmm

" I just feel bad because I don’t like when race gets out in the media because I don’t think the media has a ‘pure heart,’ as I call it,” Barkley said. “There are very few people who have a pure heart when it comes to race. Racism is wrong in any shape [or] form — there are a lot of black people who are racist, too. I think sometimes when people talk about race, they act like only white people are racist. There are a lot of black people who are racist. And I don’t like when it gets out there in the media because I don’t think the media has clean hands.”


Well, yeah, folks of all color can be racist as I define it which is simply hating folks because they belong to a different race than you. However what does have to do with the facts of this case ? Do I think George Zimmerman is some latter day Joseph Paul Franklin? No.
I do think Zimmerman sees the world through a racial prism and saw some unarmed black kid he deemed as scary, recklessly followed him, then got in an altercation that resulted in the kid's death.

[notadmblnd]

6. Isn't he a basketball player?

Shouldn't he stick to what he knows?

[HardTimes99]

7. LOL. Seriously, though, Barkley has a right to his opinion, just like anyone else. However,

why that opinion gets any play at all on DU bewilders me, though. Who the fuck is Charles Barkley and why should I give a shit what he thinks or give his opinion any more weight than anyone else's?

[Baitball Blogger]

9. I posted it because it was given attention.

The next time Barkley says something that meets DU approval, it's good to remember what he said about the Zimmerman trial, just to balance it out.

[byeya]

13. Glad you posted it. It got play because Barkley has toyed with running for office and

he is famous...and often what he says is a hoot.

[HardTimes99]

16. No worries and not an attack on you whatsoever. I'm not an acolyte of the

Cult of Celebrity and don't worship on the altar of professional athleticism, but I also understand that I'm way out of the mainstream of the popular culture. But isn't DU, too?

[Baitball Blogger]

17. Maybe you should drop into the Lounge.

We seem in the mainstream of popular culture.

[treestar]

15. He is a black man giving out some of the white conservative line, so the media

will give him maximum attention. It is the Clarence Thomas Hermann Cain Effect. Conservative whites love for black people to be saying the same thing they are and they publicize it as much as possible.

[Baitball Blogger]

18. Not to mention that the Orlando Sentinel

seems to be posting articles that will downplay opposition to the verdict.

[Hoyt]

12. He is, but people have tried to back him running for office in Alabama. He was a republican at one

time.

In Alabama, anyone wanting to win a statewide position has to support bigotry and guns. So, he joins the typical Zman backer to garner votes in unlikely event he runs.

[Baitball Blogger]

19. That's always good to know.

[disidoro01]

10. You

Can't silence a black man just because you don't like his opinion. I mean, don't we hear all the time how conservatives diminish African Americans?
What I read here was, he is unintelligent, he should stick to what he know (basketball). Do folks want to know what I heard in my mind? You really don't.

[ceonupe]

14. this fact is proven all over DU

many threads now about Black people on DU tired of the DU collective and Juries telling us how we should feel, interpret and view events. specifically events about our communities.


Should not be a surprise DU is not a place for African american voices or thought unless it 100% totes the established white liberal line. Even when lots of the polices pushed by many in power in the progressive movement wont/dont help our communities. We need school reform (not necessarily union busting but it gets tiring when the poor schools always get the lower preforming teachers and resources and no one cares until Charters and private options start wanting access to the funds the public system has been unable to educate our children with then all of a sudden they care about the shitty schools they let decay and rot over the last 20 years) Then if you even suggest that alternative forms of education outside of the NEA controlled public school system you are flamed here.

Look we are tired of being told to sit on our hands or that mother democratic party knows best.

[Baitball Blogger]

21. The most difficult thing to do in the Democratic party, is to reach agreement

on the methods of action. Objectives are not too hard. But when it comes down to sorting out the things that help us reach those objectives, it gets all muddled up.

For example, communities that are demographically black and/or latino may provide strong votes for Democrats, but the one thing politicians who represent these communities know is that the resources to do what's needed to improve conditions for everyone are often lacking.

Which is why we need to pay attention to where and how government money gets funneled out into the suburbs.

[ceonupe]

25. It's simple

Most school funding is local and up north east it's hyper local (very small local school systems)

The suburbs aren't in the city and often not in the same county as the city schools and are funded by diffent tax bases.

Some states constitution for providing education place the requirement on the state and poor school systems have used these state laws/constitutions to sue the state for additional funding.

Not all areas can be like NY and charge a commuter employee tax. And even with modern technology that may not matter as quite a few of my well paid friends work totally remotly.

Funding for schools is complex but the reality is no one out side of the hood cares about the hood schools until they are afraid the hood schools money may go private or out of the direct control of the public education power structure. You see for a parent that has seen 10-20 years of bad schools they aren't afraid to try other options because what they have has constantly failed. I know of many charters and public schools that are doing more with less even with high risk kids.

[Baitball Blogger]

29. I don't think this is a good place to defend Charter Schools.

When they fail, they fail miserably. Because no one monitors them, or there is no student testing to compare their effectiveness, by the time anyone ganders on that there's a problem, the school is going down in flames.

I did happen to participate in one charter school that was succeeding. What they demanded of the parents would not be something that would be viable to parents who worked two jobs and didn't have access to easy transportation. If you missed three pta meetings in a year, your kid was kicked out of the school, and every parent was required to volunteer time.

And, public schools in urban areas in Central Florida have a large budget. Large enough to attract the attention of good ole boy power brokers. At least, that is how it was in the past. Decisions do cross county lines. For example, a city commissioner of a suburban town, who offers his support to an embattled city attorney, may be rewarded with jobs from the school system which the city attorney also represents.

Follow the money and you may see why public money is going more to real estate construction, and not so much on the teachers and students.

[ceonupe]

33. You are right in some cases

Look at it this way

If a school has been bad for 10-20 years like most poor performing urban schools the damage is already done. Their obviously is little accountability in that system even if it is public because if there was improvement would have been made or new options tried. As it stands now those children are actively being failed by the current system.

I worked with one as a volunteer mentor (I had 2 young men that I worked with over a 2 year stretch as a key component like you said is having an active involved adovcate for the child these boys mothers were active but their work schedule prevented them from attending many functions and meetings that's another place the mentors stepped in to help) that was privately funded (an older persons estate who passed funded it)for the first 5 years it was open and focused on the most add risk and need students. Their results were amazing and now that the state has expanded charter schools they are funded by a combination of both private funding and public money.

This school is so effective many times judges work with teen offenders and get them enrolled there as their success rate is far higher than the publics alternative behavior school.

My point is while people debate charter vs public vs more funding vs ........ Urban kids are failing at an incredibly high rate many areas with less than 50% minority graduation from high school and the numbers for black males specifically are much worse.

[Baitball Blogger]

40. Privatization vs. social justice

Here is the problem you'll find in places like Central Florida when it comes to charter schools. The people behind the school will not be trained or interested in social justice. What you'll find is a group of good ole boys in the construction business eager to get their hands on federal and state dollars. Once the construction is over they will hand it over to administrators who were probably hand-picked by their connections. These people are usually not educated in the kind of programs you're talking about. Chances are there will be a right-wing bent in the teaching curriculum. Just the kind of thing that minority groups usually tune out.

I would support your kind of school if the administration and teachers could prove that they understood the special requirements to help minority students succeed. I don't see that level of discussion around here, though I can't say that I have been following the issue of late, either.

[Kingofalldems]

34. Sounds like you agree with the republicans

No surprise but this is a site for Democrats.

[ceonupe]

36. Ding ding ding

We have a winner!


A swear democrats are going to TNT their own coalition when the "coalition" finds out the leaders really don't give a crap a about them their communities and their problems.

Keep it up the same demographic effects eating the republicans pie will be eating the liberal left that ignores the concerns of its "coalition".

Let's not forget we claim we are all for progressive ideas but the fine print reads as long as it does not hurt old school democrat allies even if that prevents the very progress progressives are supposed to be for.

People are waking up and are tired of the group think that has failed us for far to long.

How do you think it makes an African American male feel when the left dumps massive praise on the man responsible for the largest violation of black men's rights by way of policy in the last 20 years. Yes I'm talking about mayor Bloomberg and stop and frisk and how that leads to things like the trayvon Martin shooting death.


While you guys are acting like you understand the black experience you demonstrate you either really don't or don't really care when you fail to stand up for the minority community. The rule with blacks in the Democratic Party is the same for the Republican Party it seams. By that I mean down play your story never make whites in power uncomfortable, never address issues that effect your community directly and most importantly always tote the party line.

There is a reason black folk feel disconnected we vote politicians in and once they get there they find out the political system does not give 2 craps about black people until election time.

You may try to convince yourself things are different but as someone who has been black my whole life (lol) we know the truth and if the party does not start addressing our issues don't expect our support. If you get a chance talk to a congress person or state legislator from a poor urban area and get there take on it. You may be surprised to find out they will tell you they are lucky to get to name a street or park after dr king Jr and that's about it. Some might get to get a park built but they are expected to vote with the party on every thing or get totally frozen out.

And yes I am a democrat but you know it sucks to here your supposed fellow democrats call you a rethug or worse because you disagree with them on an issue. It's like you have to remind them that yeah back in the 80's when they were in their schools things may have been good while we remind them in the 80s public school for many inner city youths was more "lean on me" than "saved by the bell" and its only gotten worse. Why should we now believe you really give a damn vs what happens every other time.

[Kingofalldems]

38. An issue you say? I've lost count of how many issues

you disagree with Democrats on from Zimmerman to cheap labor at Walmart.

[ceonupe]

39. I don't agree with cheap labor at Walmart

I just don't belive that they way to solve it is the way DC was approaching it.

Notice it still ain't been signed yet.


We may have the same goal but differ on ways to get there. You are so caught up with people not having group thing and believing in your way you label anyone who disagrees with you as for the other side.

I remember a president that was roundly panned on here for that same for us or aginst us concept.

And on the Walmart issue I pointed out the law had huge flaws like Walmart can reduce store size or change format and not have to deal with the policy. It's exemption of other similar retailers because they have unions (but still pay many staff less than what Walmart would have to do)

And I will note how quite it will be when this board is full throated in its support for former Walmart board member Hillary Clinton (never mind she was on the board when the company moved away from US sourcing of products and her husband made China most favored trade nation) I'm young but not to young to remember our first Walmart and the proudly made in the USA banner hanging every where.

Not that I'm anti Hillary more than anyone else but I hate the faking that goes on and the willful lies people tell themselves on DU to go from oh so strongly supporting a position to support a politician who's life work shows you they don't stand with you on these supposed tightly held beliefs.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. I'm sure Barkley's opinions get far more attention than anything we have to say.

[ceonupe]

11. what did he say that was inaccurate?

i mean come on

one side always leaves out Zimmerman Profiled on false assumptions based on primarily race trayvon


the other side always leaves out that Trayvon assaulted George (we dont know if that was because GZ hitting him first or pissing him off or because he was scared we dont know why but we know George had injuries no matter how small and Travon only a gunshot wound really)


Charles spoke the truth about the incident. Most importantly about how hte media plays these types of cases up specifically for the ratings. I still remember many news sources calling zimmerman white for days until photos and more details came out. The media had its trial of the summer and fanned the flames on both sides very well.

The problem is trayvon was a child (17) acting like a child and Zimmerman's extremely poor choice and false assumption (which are shared by many in this country unfortunately) set in process the events that led to his death.

[Baitball Blogger]

23. If racial profiling had been allowed, this would have been elevated to a hate crime.

[ceonupe]

24. The problem is racial profiling is not against the law

I am a black male painfully aware of this since about age 9.

Do I think it's right no

Do I like it no


But until racial profiling is against the law i understand more weight will be placed on my reaction to the profiling than the perosn doing te profiling. and even then it will continue unfortunately.

[Baitball Blogger]

26. That is incorrect.

There are areas that are designated high crime areas where stop and frisks are allowed, but racial profiling in not legally sanctioned as a sweeping law enforcement tactic.

Zimmerman said that those guys always get away. What guys could he mean? Obviously, black men in hoodies. What else did he have to judge Trayvon?

[ceonupe]

27. Those rules are civil not criminal

And don't apply to civilians

Trust me this is my life no matter how successful I become at least once a week I'm reminded I'm a scary black male that needs special attention. (In a store, in a office, at a park, on the road driving.......)

And in most cases the racial profiling rules apply only to the government based on civil rights cases.

[notadmblnd]

31. No, he didn't speak the truth. He spoke his opinion based on what LEO and media put out

The only person's word we have in regards to GZ injuries is GZ. Why everyone buys into GZ's story is a mystery to me.

GZ was not arrested for 44 days. Who even knows how long it took for authorities to begin questioning witnesses?

A car ran a red light last year and plowed into me totaling my car and kept on going. In the twenty minutes it took for the police to arrive and ask what happened, I had doubts myself about what actually happened.

I do think there is data from studies out there about how unreliable eye witnesses actually are. So for people to take GZ at his word (especially since the cops were totally on his side) is beyond me.

The prosecutors failed TM and his family horribly. And what is really sad, is that people like Charles Barkley buy into it and then open their mouths hoping to influence others with their lack of knowledge.

[cthulu2016]

22. Racial profiling is legally irrelevant to the verdict.

Legally. Irrelevant.

What was in Zimmerman's mind is legally irrelevant to the self defense case. It is a reasonability standard, not a state of mind issue, so his prejudices are irrelevant to the case.

His state of mind would be relevant to a choice of murder vs. manslaughter after self-defense were rejected by the jury, but self-defense is an equal defense to both of those crimes so Zimmerman's state of mind never came into legal play.

[Skwmom]

28. Zimmerman had superficial injuries. So the use of deadly force was NOT warranted.

Barkley is an idiot. They should have asked him if he would be afraid of a 5'11" 158 lb kid.

He must watch fox news.

[Zoeisright]

30. Barkley has the brains of a turnip.

If that.

[bluestate10]

32. When did Trayvon Martin have the right to self defense?

Was he supposed to keep running home and possibly lead a person home that would hurt him and his family? Charles Barkley has never struck me as a deep thinker and his statement proves the point, again.

[Rex]

35. Could that switch be someone pulling a gun out and threating to use it?

Whatcha think Mr. Barkley? The fight or flight response kicked in and Martin turned into a crazed berserker?

No, easier answer - Zimmerman shot Martin in order to restrain him for the cops. They were both standing there facing off against each other. Then BAM! I don't think it was until that point, he realized he murdered the kid. Then the CYA started and he got all the lucky breaks.

Your confusion is because you cannot see the easy picture.

[XemaSab]

37. And which witnesses testified to this?

Miss Jeantel? The neighbors? The police? The crime scene investigators?

What was the evidence that this happened?

Blood spatters? Ballistics? Clothing analysis? The 911 tapes? The layout of the crime scene?

You're welcome to your own interpretation of the facts of the case, but inventing your own story that isn't substantiated by any evidence or witnesses is just silly.