Why isn't this murder?

[kentonio]

Deadwood is the greatest show of all time (yes even better than The Wire), and no one needs to apologize for watching it.

Sorry you went 1 step too far. It's amazing but nothing is as good as The Wire.

[a.kitman]

I lack the skill to pick the winner but iam enjoying every second of my short comeing. And as a drunkard i have a man crush on calamity jane.

[a.kitman]

That was going to be the next area of discussion had kitman actually provided evidence emergency services are staffed by real police.

I would imagine it would vary by jurisdiction but "not much" would be a common answer.

its funny your waiting for someing I never claimed. for some reason i keep imagen your ******* beeing fondled by a unicorn. i have not been able to properly look a porn since.

[PLATO]

CNN is really trying to bring out the race issue calling Zimmerman a "white" Hispanic.

[giblets]

why is CNN giving this story such a ridiculous amount of coverage?

Spoiler:

[Hauldren Collider]

I guess crimes that are tinged with racism make for good television, at least to CNN's audience.

[Al B. Sure!]

CNN is really trying to bring out the race issue calling Zimmerman a "white" Hispanic.

Some news outlets have referred to him as a "light-skinned Hispanic", terminology that I have never seen before in news media and is actually pretty bizarre. He's consistently described as white, light, or other terminology that you rarely see next to Hispanic in the media (and outside of the census)

I think it's because among those who get outraged about things, Hispanics are below Blacks on the hierarchy of sacred minorities... and gays are above Blacks, for that matter (cue Roland Martin, Isaiah Washington, Tracey Morgan). Bizarrely enough, I think white women are the most holiest of sacred cows above even gays, as evidenced by the Rush Limbaugh controversy (really? After all these years, calling a white chick a slut is what takes him down?!)

Let this be a reminder to Hispanics that they can claim to be minorities all they want, but if they are in conflict with a sacred cow on the levels above them, they become plain old white folk and members of the oppressive class.

[loinburger]

There is an admittedly remote possibility that the "unarmed 17 year old" aspect is elevating the dead kid's sacred cow level.

[Al B. Sure!]

There is an admittedly remote possibility that the "unarmed 17 year old" aspect is elevating the dead kid's sacred cow level.

But why is Zimmerman getting described so consistently as white or even light-skinned? I've never seen Latinos referred to as white in the media. In the census, of course, but the media, especially those types who get outraged by things, always insisted on Hispanic minority-status... until situations like this, apparently.

[Al B. Sure!]

Hispanics: Part-time minorities in the US since 1776.

[Dr Strangelove]

But why is Zimmerman getting described so consistently as white or even light-skinned? I've never seen Latinos referred to as white in the media. In the census, of course, but the media, especially those types who get outraged by things, always insisted on Hispanic minority-status... until situations like this, apparently.

Actually about half the hispanics in the US self identify themselves as white. The way the US government treats it "Hispanic" is a culture, not a race.

Hispanics can be white, black, native american, mestizo, mulatto, zambo or even asian. Hispanic is a culture. The term is usually reserved for Latin Americans. White people settled in Latin America, the people of Argentina and Uruguay are almost entirely of European descent. The Spanish and Portugese imported lots of African slaves, in fact the vast majority of the trans-Atlantic slave trade was destined for their colonies. The Spanish caribbean islands particularily have large black populations. Of course there were large number of Native Americans in Latin America also, most accepted the main stream Spanish or Portugese society. The majority of the population of Columbia, Peru, and Boliovia are of Native American ancestory. Then there are the blends -mestizos (white and native american), mulattos (white and black) and zambos (native american and black). According to the government of Mexico the Mexican population is 12% white, 15% native american, 3% black, and 70% mixed, mostly mestizo. Interestingly, though 75% of the Hispanics in the US are of Mexican ancestry, 50% of American hispanics identify themselves as white.

So, yeah, a hispanic person can be white. In fact overall about 1 out of 3 of them are.

[giblets]

Hispanics: Part-time minorities in the US since 1776.

What? I don't think there were very many "Hispanics" in the US back then.

[Al B. Sure!]

Actually about half the hispanics in the US self identify themselves as white. The way the US government treats it "Hispanic" is a culture, not a race.

Hispanics can be white, black, native american, mestizo, mulatto, zambo or even asian. Hispanic is a culture. The term is usually reserved for Latin Americans. White people settled in Latin America, the people of Argentina and Uruguay are almost entirely of European descent. The Spanish and Portugese imported lots of African slaves, in fact the vast majority of the trans-Atlantic slave trade was destined for their colonies. The Spanish caribbean islands particularily have large black populations. Of course there were large number of Native Americans in Latin America also, most accepted the main stream Spanish or Portugese society. The majority of the population of Columbia, Peru, and Boliovia are of Native American ancestory. Then there are the blends -mestizos (white and native american), mulattos (white and black) and zambos (native american and black). According to the government of Mexico the Mexican population is 12% white, 15% native american, 3% black, and 70% mixed, mostly mestizo. Interestingly, though 75% of the Hispanics in the US are of Mexican ancestry, 50% of American hispanics identify themselves as white.

So, yeah, a hispanic person can be white. In fact overall about 1 out of 3 of them are.

I know this. But I'm talking about the media and activists. Go find me liberal activists who don't harp on the minority status of Latinos.

I personally consider Latinos (and by Latinos, I mean the type I encounter: Puerto Ricans, not Mexicans) to be white. It's very telling to me that an outlandish Cuban character like Ricky Ricardo could be portrayed in the racist 50's as married to Lucille Ball (and Desi Arnez was married to her off screen, as well) and having a child together. It tells you something about how white Latinos were not seen as minorities, even in the Jim Crow 1950's in the midst of the Mestizo movement and the emergence of Latino consciousness in America.

But it is the activist type that always characterizes Latinos as 'brown' and as 'oppressed' and as 'minorities'. These same people though are characterizing Zimmerman as white.

Like I said, part-time minority.

[Al B. Sure!]

What? I don't think there were very many "Hispanics" in the US back then.

As long as there was 1 Spaniard in the American colonies, my point is valid. Hispanics were seen as white, as far as I know, until the Mestizo movement of the early 20th century.

Like I said, part-time minorities. That applies in this case based on circumstances, as well as in historical transitions of perception.

[Al B. Sure!]

There's some evidence as to the reason Trayvon Martin was suspended. He received a 10 day suspension for apparently striking a bus driver, if comments on his twitter are to be believed.



He also sold or distributed weed: