Geraldo is being excoriated all over the internet for a stupid remark. Yup. I listened and thought ” You idiot!”
But is he? If you listen to all his remarks instead of just a sound byte, he speaks to an issue that our young people need to think about. Geraldo said he has bellowed at his own kid for wearing baggy pants hanging off his butt and a hoodie. Why? Impression. Mind-set. I have had the same hissy fit with my granddaughter about walking aound Manassas with a short skirt and low cut tops. It borrows trouble.
The world is full of dirtbags. Let’s not give them reason to act out because our kids refuse to listen to common sense. If you don’t want people to think you are a thug, don’t dress like one. If you don’t want males to think you are looking for action, don’t show a lot of skin. Why can’t they just make common sense pills to give our off-spring.
On the other hand, hoodies are in style. All sorts of people wear hoodies. Young people particularly like black, gray or white hoodies. Its the style. Wearing a hoodie is no reason to get killed. Perhaps Gerlado’s words might be better taken if he had waited a couple of weeks. What he has to say in important. Its important for minority youths in particular but its important for all kids to hear. All young people are vulnerable, not just minority kids.
Make no mistake, the wearing of a a hoodie didn’t kill Trayvon Martin. Extremely poor judgement on the part of a person who was allowed to carry a weapon is what killed. I think what Geraldo might be getting at is that lots of people have very poor judgement. Let’s do everything we can to help improve their judgement. It is a shame that only a sound byte of what he has to say is being heard. That really isn’t what he said.
People who wear baggy pants look like bums. We wore baggy pants in the army because they were more useful that way, not because we are trying to be cool. Baggy pants make it easier to wear weapons and ammo.
Anyway, nobody should be shot for wearing baggy pants.
Starry, I agree with you. The point he is making is because of preconceived ideas, it is a good idea not to dress the part, for your own safety. There are nuts out there.
Unfortunately, people are clipping out one sentence he uttered rather than listening to his message. The one sentence makes him sound like an idiot. The entire paragraph makes much more sense.
Do you get the impression that Geraldo is expressing something he feels between him and his kid/s almost as much as commenting on the Zimmerman case?
Not sure what you mean, Slow. I think every one of us who has raised a teenager who wasn’t of the perfect mode has some sort of hole in his or her heart and a there but for the grace of God go I over this situation.
I can see my grown son in a similar situation as a teen. It takes my breath away.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Just when you thought that nobody could take this tragedy and smear poop all over it, I give you……the left!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZLmSunUEag
Ladies and Gentlemen……..the left:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZLmSunUEag
Ref #5: I love it, Mitt Romney says nothing at all, and THAT’s dangerous! Wow, with logic like that keeping your mouth shut can even get you in trouble with the left. They just love to hate, and we’re the ones to watch out for………….right. Such BS.
Geraldo is absolutely right. If you don’t want people to suspect you, then don’t give them reason to. Perhaps the best thing to do is to take all crime reporting off the airwaves, then we wouldn’t have this wealth of information about what criminals typically look like, and therefore we could just suspect everyone equally. This includes little old white ladies with canes. Ever been hit by a cane? Damn dangerous individuals they are!
Why didn’t she just come right out and say that being conservative is “dangerous”? If this happened a year or two ago, I’m sure she’d find a way to blame the Tea Party or “militant right-wingers.” Or maybe she could just shut up, mourn the loss of a young life, and wait for the facts to come out. That woman is a disease.
@SlowpokeRodriguez
I dislike Geraldo being sound byted. I do think he has something important to say, as a parent. SA, I am afraid kids won’t heed our warning. My gdaughter will continue to wear what I consider fluzzy clothes and my grandson will wear a hoodie. So will every other kid because it is the style. Here is the problem. If every kid in the world stopped wearing hoodies tomorrow, they would all find something else to identify them as a kid. Kids are vulnerable and there are people out there who wish to harm them. Minority kids are probably more at risk.
But…what Geraldo as a parent says is important and an example of a parent willing to do anything to keep his kid safe. His son already said he was ashamed of his father over hoodies.
I absolutely do NOT think that Trayvon Martin was killed because he was wearing a hoodie. George Zimmerman obviously had a burning desire to be a cop. for whatever reason, he wasn’t making the grade. So he played cop and he didn’t know the rules and now a boy is dead.
Had Zimmerman been arrested, perhaps things wouldn’t have come to a head. But he wasn’t and things have definitely come to a head.
@Emma, Slowpoke, SA, et al
Karen Finney makes some solid points. She is a black woman who has some experiences that neither you nor I can ever have. I really don’t feel she is speaking for the left. I don’t think there is a left or a right on this issue. A kid is dead who shouldn’t be dead.
Sure, she has a point, but only if it’s true that there was a racial motivation. We simply don’t know that yet. I hardly think that if I went for a nighttime stroll through an Anacostia neighborhood, that someone wouldn’t be saying that I was asking for trouble. And I’m pretty sure my death wouldn’t be all over the news
I would put it on moonhowlings, Emma. But that probably isn’t much consolation.
It appears that Zimmerman jumped to conclusions because a black kid was ‘hanging out.’ That’s one of those quantum leaps…..That’s one of those situations where I am just not going to comment. If I see a black kid walking down the street wearing a hoodie I probably wouldn’t even notice. Lots of kids walk past my house. If a kid looking like an inner city thug of any race walks down the street I am probably going to keep an eye on them. I don’t think hoodie = thug though. There are just ‘thug’ looks. To me it doesn’t have much to do with race at all. I have known thugs of all races.
I saw Captain Tutko on MSNBC this afternoon. He said that George Zimmerman violated every rule of the neighborhood watch program.
Here, as some counterweight to Karen Finney:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/03/newt-calls-obamas-trayvon-martin-comments-disgraceful-118518.html
Of course, I think of the 17-year olds that die every single day as a result of gang violence. Thousands of young men dead from gang-related violence, and we are focused like a laser on this one particular guy. Not saying it’s right or wrong, just interesting.
I’m a little confused….whatever happened to the slurs Zimmerman made? I haven’t seen any of the news outlets really run with that. Was it faked? I’d have thought there would be no end to the coverage?
@Emma
Oh, yes, it would be in the news allright. Question would be: What on earth was that suburban white (I’m assuming you’re white) woman doing in Anacostia? Out slumming?
The local Patch would have you on the front page, for sure. Kind of a crummy way to get in the papers, though.
I just saw the news, and a witness stated that he saw the two fighting with Trayvon on top of Zimmerman, and it was Zimmerman who was yelling for help. The guy actually took pictures during the fight, and later turned them over to police. This may be the second time that uncle Al will get a chance to apologize to someone, but don’t hold your breath.
SA, are you saying that Trayvon was stalking Zimmerman? Interesting. I would hope that Trayvon got a chance to fight back. SA, his father lived in the community. He was just there. He had every right to be there. Why was Zimmerman messing with him? Zimmerman was told NOT to follow him.
I might fight back too if someone I didn’t know was stalking me. You would to.
Re Zimmerman
911 told him that he didn’t need to pursue Martin, but pursue he did.
Interviews with some of his neighbors on the radio, showed that Z. was too eager a watchman; a frustrated cop who had made some 50 calls to 911
at different times.
@punchak
yea he had all these calls into the police over stupid stuff. Those things were brought out by Captain Tutko. Punchak, Captain Tutko used to be the Manassas City Chief of Police. I probably shouldnt be calling him Captain. He has a different job now. He heads up National Sheriff’s Association. I will try to post his segment on tv this afternoon.
From Chris Tutko:
“There is no reason in the world to carry a gun for Neighborhood Watch,” said Chris Tutko, a retired police chief who now directs Neighborhood Watch for the sheriffs’ association. “It gets people more into trouble than out of it.”
A manual published by the association for its “USAonWatch” program makes that very clear.
“It should be emphasized to members that they do not possess police powers and they shall not carry weapons or pursue vehicles,” the manual states. “Members should never confront suspicious persons who could be armed and dangerous.”
Moon, why in the heck are you attacking me as if I concocted the information I got from the news? For God sakes, it is possible that Trayvon isn’t totally innocent in all of this. Everyone snapped to the conclusion that Zimmerman chased him down and shot him in cold blood. Maybe, just maybe, there’s more to the story. And how did you get the notion that I said Trayvon was stalking Zimmerman? You’re starting to sound like a reporter making things up. We will all see more evidence in the future, and if it flies in the face of all these demonstrations then so be it. Like it or not, we are suppose to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Lynch mobs orchestrated by those trying to make this racial need to take a deep breath.
I hardly ‘attacked.’ Geez. I just find it interesting that some news station now has Taryvon now stalking Zimmerman.
I didnt say YOU said it.
The fact remains that you have an unarmed kid lying dead. How on earth could we now be blaming the victim? Zimmerman had no authority and no business going after him. If he got roughed up, good.
What news station has Trayvon stalking Zimmerman? I’ve yet to see that. The news said that they were fighting, no mention of stalking what soever, but you keep using the word stalking for some reason. The witness said that Trayvon was on top of and beating Zimmerman when he first witnessed what was going on.
I use the word stalking because he was following him. Zimmerman was told not ot do that. @SA
“Sanford police say Zimmerman was bloody in his face and head, and the back of his shirt was wet and had grass stains, indicating a struggle took place before the shooting.” This is a quote, not from me.
Another thing, we all probably had this vision of Zimmerman running after Trayvon with gun drawn. I seriously doubt that Trayvon would have attempted fighting with Zimmerman while looking at the business end of a gun. More than likely Zimmerman confronted Trayvon with gun holstered, a fist fight ensued, and Zimmerman was getting the stuffing beat out of him. That’s when things turned for the worst as Zimmerman pulled his gun. This is just my guess as to what may have happened. That doesn’t make Zimmerman innocent of starting the whole thing, but perhaps that may be why his claim of self defense is holding water with the police. Just saying.
@SlowpokeRodriguez
I heard it again tonight. Why keep repeating it? It is what it is.
@SA, I heard he had a bloody nose and blood on the back of his head also. To me that means his victim fought back. Again, where is the weapon of the kid? There isn’t one.
Maybe, just maybe Zimmerman isn’t totally stupid. Maybe he didn’t pull a gun in the first place Maybe he did it after he got in over his head.
Would you let some dude you don’t know detain you? I might not have a choice now but if I were 17 years old I sure wouldn’t. I would run, right, claw, whatever it took to get away. That is the human instinct.
SA, I expect your scenario is probably fairly accurate. It might explain why he wasn’t arrested.
What makes no sense to me is why the cops didnt try to find the parents via that cell phone. They kept him 3 days until his dad found him. I think part of the rage at Zimmerman is also at the Sanford Police Department for simply not appearing to give a crap.
I think it’s sickening that the President (once again) used the power of his position to comment on this incident and (once again) inject race into the discussion even before all the facts are known. How is Zimmerman supposed to get a fair trial after that?
I would think it sickening if he or any other president didn’t comment on it. The Martin murder has consumed the nation and is a game changer of some sort. I am not sure how or what.
How can race be ignored?
Actually Obama said, “to figure out how this happened.”
Your intense dislike of the man is showing again.
Yep, it’s all about hating Obama. Otherwise, I have no valid opinions. Check.
Come on Moon, yes the president should have made a comment given the nation’s focus, but the comment should have been one of supporting the legal process, and not one of further fueling the racial hatred that is underlying most of the outrage. He is by no means a nation builder of even THIS nation. He is a steadfast divider. He IS the president, and all that he utters must be as the spokesman for the Nation, and his personal views can come later in one of the many books I’m sure he will be writing after he is no longer president.
How on earth do you ignore the fact that Trayvon Martin was black? As white people, we just can’t will past racial tensions away.
SA, I never went to public school with a black child in the south. We are still evolving in our venture as a multi-racial country. We haven’t arrived yet.
I don’t know what President Obama said that has you all so riled up. I thought he was rather circumspect so as to NOT make matters worse.
You and Emma seem to want to ignore some basic facts that are very relevant to most of the country.
“How on earth do you ignore the fact that Trayvon Martin was black?” If I truly want to approach a situation and not be racist, then I must ignore the fact that Trayvon was black. That is what MLK wanted us to do, but clearly that will never happen. Therefore if one considers race at all, then the issue becomes somewhat racial, and when it does then we get people demonstrating in the streets. How does this ever end? You’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. Not that it means racism was automatically involved, but that is exactly what most people have concluded.
It is just obvious when a tape is played where the perp is heard calling the victim an effen coopn that race might be in question.
I didn’t make up the rules. Someone else did. Reverse it. What if you had a black neighborhood watcher shoot a white kid who was armed with a can of ice tea and a box of skittles. The shooter was never arrested and no one tried to find the white kid’s parentss.
Meanwhile there was a missing persons on the dead white kid. Do you really think the black shooter would be out walking aound?
Are you referring to O.J.?
YOu know when a Cosby said the same thing they tried to crush him.
Who is THEY? Do you mean Bill Cosby? I know that some blacks were offended by what he said. His opinion. He is as entitled as the next guy.
@Second Alamo
I wasn’t thinking of OJ. Are you asking me if I think he was guilty? Yes. Is he where he should be now? Yes.
I don’t think OJ walked for any reason other than wealth. But that’s just my opinion. He shouldn’t have. I don’t see the cases as similar.
@Moon-howler
Professional left? The black community? Take your pick.. He didn’t go according to the script and people hate(d) him for it.
I think he’s right. I also think that any of my people that walk around with visible tattoos, pants off their ass, certain haircuts, etc do themselves a disservice. And when they blame it on ‘whitey’ (especially when they do it in espanol) they come off as ignorant.
I hate to disagree with Moon on Geraldo , but I listened to the whole interview and he IS an Idiot
Look beyond the grandstanding that Geraldo always does. I think he is a blow hard. I do think he is right about encouraging our kids to not put themselves at risk because there are people out there in the world who would do them harm. I think his timing was off and inappropriate for now.
2 months from now, if he wasn’t grandstanding, he needs to revisit the issue of how kids present themselves. The nicest kid in the world, trying to fit in, can put him or herself at risk with the wrong person.
Hoodies, short skirts, body piercings and tattoos, stiletto heels all throw a kid into a stereotyped image with the wrong person. So, look at where you are going before you chose your wardrobe. Put simply, a short skirt might be cute at the neighborhood bbq (depending on who your neighbors are). Not so good if walking in the seamier part of town. Don’t encourage folks to go to the baser part of their instincts.
I stand by a broader message being in his overall grandstanding, if you can ignore the Geraldo part. (I remember his earlier TV gigs.) Just to clarify I don’t think the hoodie had a thing to do with the shooting.
“I stand by a broader message being in his overall grandstanding, if you can ignore the Geraldo part.”
I agree with MH here.
Think about this statement.
If you want a good job you dress to impress.
Really, that’s what Geraldo is saying. People perceive you based on how you dress and carry yourself. If you look like you are the type to cut my yard you’ll probably be treated that way by society.