If one must wait for an event to happen, what better place than a blue sun-filled sky and the beautiful Sea of Cortez?
My wife and I are moving to Tennessee and should have left already. A last minute glitch at the Tennessee end has caused a delay, meaning, of course, that disgusting Murphy fellow is still around. We believe, hope, that the delay will only be a few days…he says with eyes looking up to the ceiling while his head nods! 🙂
The ‘waiting’ got me to thinking about, well, ‘waiting.’ Some ‘waiting’ is almost delectable in the anticipation it brings…like the arrival of kids, grandchildren, friends, or the big check in the mail and the pizza just ordered for delivery.
Some ‘waiting’ has fearful overtones, like… a car accident? a flight overdue? has a mistake been made? The nerves are edgy.
We ‘waited’ for the Zimmerman verdict. It was likely filled with anticipation, one way of the other. A young teenager, Trayvon Martin, had been killed in a housing project by this fellow, George Zimmerman, a hired neighborhood guard who presumably thought the teenager had no good intent in the gated community. After all, the teenager had on a hood and looked suspicious.
Words were exchanged. An altercation erupted into a killing, Zimmerman claimed he feared for his life and shot the kid. The details came out in a jury trial.
The jury heard the prosecution. The jury heard the defense. The jury heard about the entire episode, with witnesses for the prosecution and witnesses for the defense. The jury was made up of six people whom we must assume were good and honest folks. They listened to both sides of the case and returned a verdict of ‘not guilty’ by reason of self-defense. Justice was rendered. End of case.
Well, not quite the end of the case! There were demonstrations by angry people who thought justice was not dispensed properly, those who thought the black teenager was murdered, not killed in self-defense. The ugly word, racism, was used by some, whites being favored over the blacks…reaching back through the pages of our history to display something that seems at times so easy to use for the purpose of a few. ‘Waiting’ for a verdict brought us a reminder of a past that should be no more. Should we not have by now thrown away the race cards, gotten away from the skin color thing? After all, we have a black president, elected by the American people.
Those who don’t know about the Zimmerman case, those who might want to know more, can do their research. They can decide within their own hearts and minds how they feel about the ‘not guilty’ verdict in this case.
In the end, only George Zimmerman knows with specificity what really happened on that ill-fated day. I’m sure he will think about it throughout his life. It does not much matter what I think. A young life was lost. That I know. A jury of George Zimmerman’s peers voted unanimously for the ‘not guilty’ verdict. While we should certainly grieve the loss of a seventeen year old, feel great empathy and sympathy for his family and friends, we should also accept the fact that justice was fairly administered.
‘Waiting’ for a free and clear title to a property is not in the same realm as ‘waiting’ for a jury’s verdict on the death of a teenager…but it was there in my heart and mind…
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The Final Curtain 
Well said, Billy. Although the jury verdict freed Zimmerman, he’ll never be truly free. Be safe in your travels!
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Thank you, dear lady…you are so right, Zimmerman will never be truly free.
When we finally get on the road I shall endeavor to be alert and safe…it’s just so frustrating waiting for the Tennessee closing (the owner there is working out the glitch).
My very best wishes to you.
Billy Ray
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Good luck with your closing, Billy. Tennessee is such a beautiful state.
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I appreciated your post, Billy Ray (If you’re from TN you need the “Ray” added in all verbal and written converstaion.) I don’t know that we agree on the verdict. I do admire Trevan’s parents’ position after the trial. Of course, they didn’t like the verdict, but they accepted it and didn’t support the post trial repercussions.
By the way, congratulations on all your blog awards. I received one today and one some time ago. How can one let the world know one appreciates the honor of the award without going through the gruntwork of “qualifying” for it? The latter part takes away from the honor and, to me, puts it on the level of a non-money-making pyramid scheme.
And, with all that, as I am backing away with a shamed look on my face, I DO want to sincerely thank you for recommending me for a blog award. I know the spirit with which you inteneded it.
Thanks, Billy,
Jay
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Thanks, Jay, for your thoughtful response. There are many ‘moving parts’ in the case about which I posted and, as well, many different opinions.
The blog awards are very nice, and I am truly honored when receiving them. That said, I feel they can be too cumbersome in their requirements – If I nominate someone for an award, I impose no long laundry lists of things to do…it is a simple acknowledgement of the person’s good thoughts and writing…acknowledge, display the image on the blogs and be done with it. In fact, so far as I’m concerned, you can do that with your award.
My best wishes to you, Jay.
Billy RAY
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Drive carefully, BR. There’s no rush!!! This delay presumably means you have a couple of unexpectedly free days to work on your book, yes? 🙂
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Regarding those ‘unexpectedly free days to work on {my} book,’ the sad truth is I have done very little during these days of waiting for the Tennessee closing – I’m a tad over two hundred pages with “The Reluctant Savage” and I suspect it will not be a very long book! Months hence, when finally finished, you will be the first exposed to the book – pending your loud dissenting shouts otherwise! On the subject of books, how goes “Angry Ghosts?”
Indeed, I shall drive carefully with my precious cargo on board – Julie and ‘George’ the cat (whose screeching will be quelled by ‘kitty cocktails!’
Always my best, my friend.
Billy Ray
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…Billy, this is probably the first piece ANYWHERE that I’ve seen on the case that steps back and does a simple non-judgemental overview of what supposedly happened…. I try to keep away from any issues on my blogs that could be offensive to any party (impossible , I know… there’s ALWAYS somebody who won’t like something I write),.. but like any human being, I also have my views on the case ,, as I do on many other issues … whatever happens, a life is gone ,, and the remaining life and HIS family’s existence has altered also completely, and probably not for the better … at my time of life, more and more I wish I had the capacity to impact others’ actions, but have come to realise, that I can only truly influence MY OWN.. I’m NOT a religious man, but believe I have a spiritual element that keeps me centred (no hocus-pocus stuff, y’understand… just a belief that a Higher Power helps me in my own life IF I’m prepared to help myself.. ) … I LUV YOUR WURK, Billy … well done , that man ::)))
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There’s only one Seumas Gallacher and it somehow hurts that I shall never have the pleasure of meeting you, sharing a chatty lunch with you and JD. That said, it has been my sense (since discovering you) that you are a man with a ‘spiritual element’ and a man who grasps as much as anyone can the world around us. Thank you so much for being a cyberspace friend and for sharing your witty wisdom in your thoughtful prose. I’m so happy (and pleasantly envious) that you and John have the pleasure of each other’s company now and then.
Just as a side note (unless aging is making me repeat things already written), there’s a hamlet just north of London that bears the name of Chetwode. That small picturesque spot is where my family roots are planted. My wife, Julie, has genealogy as a hobby and tells me that ‘Chitwood/Chetwode’ goes back to the tenth century – and through some of England’s kings (my ‘grandpappies’ far removed). Julie and I visited Chetwode in 2007 and it was quite an emotional experience for me. If you’re ever in the area give a flip of the hand and that Gallacher smile… What the hell, we’re probably all related!
All my best to you…
Billy Ray
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Like Seumas, I don’t like weighing in with my opinions. It’s not my country or my laws. It sounds as if the jury couldn’t have found any other verdict given the law of the state of Florida. What I would say is that it sounds as if the boy had no ill intentions whatsoever. At the very least this was a tragic, grotesque mistake. Perhaps what people should be focusing on is the law that allows vigilantes with big guns to make these kind of ‘mistakes’ with impunity. Looking at it as an outsider, this is the kind of law that gives power of life or death to some very unsuitable individuals. A boy is dead who shouldn’t be, who wouldn’t be if Zimmerman hadn’t had a trigger to pull.
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Thanks, Jane, for your response…
Yes, indeed, it is a tragedy! A young man is dead. The testimony in the trial was rather insistent that the young hooded man was on drugs and confronted the man who was on security patrol in the gated community where other crimes had taken place. Guess there are many ways to look at a case like this, but, you’re right, it’s difficult to see how the jury could have reached any other verdict based on Florida law. It appears certain it was not a racially motivated incident and that the young man was severely beating the security man. So, ‘self defense’ was the determining factor. The prosecution presented a weak case while the defense brought forth credible witnesses and had the better overall legal performance.
Only Zimmerman can know what truly happened.
My best wishes to you.
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Seumas, is right, so allow us to applaud a wonderful and unbiased post. Something journalists now-a-day’s just can’t seem to produce. I worked in law enforcement for close to twenty years before beginning my writing career with my daughter, who was studying journalism; and what I know about law, could be placed in one tiny thimble. LOL. What I can attest to is this: The law, as imperfect as it is…is, a good foundation for what we as Americans believe to be a fundamental foundation for good living and governing by its people. However, the law was created and set in place by humans. And humans aren’t infallible. Our forefathers, were however good men with passionate ideas and fervent love of country and countrymen.
I heard a statement made, after this case, that Florida was going to burn for this decision. As a seven generation Floridian, who now resides in North Carolina (Smoky Mountains) I couldn’t help but wonder. Where was this righteous indignation, when they found Casey Anthony innocent of murdering her daughter? If ever there was a victim who deserved to be fought for; deserved men to take to mic’s and speak passionately about the abuse of children; to spawn debates on what we as a nation must do to stop this kind of crime. surely this little girl was the one! I whole heartedly agree with you Billy Ray, “Justice was fairly administered.” The justice system, isn’t perfect, but it is what we deem the best legal process by which to govern this land. It makes mistakes and it makes history bringing home justice to those who seek her out. But, at what point do we throw those regulations out the window and begin making threats to bring our own justice if we don’t get OUR own way? Perhaps instead of hating the system, and the jury and everything else that stands against what you believe to be the rightful decision and justified end. We should attack the prejudice with which this case has spawned on both sides. Intriguing post Billyray! And we look forward to stopping by more often and reading your insightful posts.
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Such a thoughtful and genuine response… Thank you very much. Hope you drop by occasionally for my blog posts. My very best wishes.
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