Boyz in the Hoodies

We have been reading of events in Florida, where a Latino man on a neighborhood watch shot a young black man, ostensibly in self-defense. Americans are outraged by this form of vigilantism, which is why filmmaker Spike Lee sent to his 200,000 followers on Twitter, the home address of the responsible party.

Or so he thought.

However, the Edgewater Circle address Mr. Lee re-tweeted out is not part of the gated Retreat at Twin Lakes where the shooting took place and where Mr. Zimmerman lives. The area is not even a gated community ... Elaine McClain told [The Smoking Gun] that she and her husband were “afraid” due to the online linking of her address to Zimmerman. “We’re keeping everything locked,” she said. McClain added that the couple was particularly unnerved by a letter mailed to them at their home. On the envelope, she said, were printed the words “Taste The Rainbow,” the slogan for Skittles. Martin was carrying a pack of Skittles and a can of ice tea when he was gunned down by Zimmerman.

At last report, the McClains were staying at an undisclosed hotel. Wanna guess where they should send the bill?

Even the President himself is indignant that this entire affair has become overly political, if he doesn't include the Congressional Black Caucus members standing up in front of the podium the other day wearing hoodies and carrying signs.

It is wrong for parents to have to bury their children; children should have to bury their parents. That's the way it should work, and when it doesn't, we are left wondering how this could be. Sadly, getting his name copyrighted will not bring him back. Further, and as a rule, neighborhood watch volunteers should never, NEVER be armed, no matter what the guns laws in their state allow. They effectively give up those rights when they take on such duties, especially when the 911 operator tells them not to pursue a subject. Last but not least, it would benefit an entire generation of young men of color, if they were to lose the romance over the "gangsta" look, pull up their pants to their natural waistline, wear a belt, and lose the bad-@$$ attitude. You're living in the suburbs now, junior. Your parents have "overcome," and you're on your way to college, reaping the benefits for which they have worked so hard, and for which your grandparents suffered in ways you could not begin to fathom. Deal with it.

All that said ...

Until the investigation is over, we really don't know the whole story. It won't stop guys like the Reverend Al Sharpton, who make a living by sticking their noses wherever there's a race card to be played. But if the press is going to use five-plus-year-old images of the two parties involved, to make one look more scruffy and the other more young and cherubic than either has been lately, we probably can't count on them to tell us anyway, don't you think?

Or don't you?