How NOT To Get Justice

I didn't watch even one minute of the Zimmerman trial.  I must confess, I'm not a trial junkie.  I don't like watching them, I'm not interested in them, and I really don't like sitting on jury duty.

But I do know that certain high-profile trials don't always go the way that the general public thinks it should (see Simpson, O.J.).  The George Zimmerman acquittal appears to be another such case.  However, I'm not writing this entry to say if the jury was right or wrong.  As I said, I didn't watch the trial, so I'm in no position to second guess the jury.  I am writing to comment on what happened in Oakland, California yesterday.  Protesters of the verdict blocked freeways, broke windows, attacked news reporters and vans, and generally got up to no good.  They blocked a freeway, for goodness sake!  Are you people nuts??

And for what?  Do you folks think that protests will get the decision reversed?  Do you imagine there will be another criminal trial?  That's called "double jeopardy", for those who just want to have things their own way despite what the law of the land says.  When O.J. was found not guilty of his criminal charges, they didn't hold another trial of the same kind.  Instead, the families of the victims tried another tactic, and filed a civil case against Simpson for wrongful death.  That succeeded, and bankrupted Simpson, as well as put him on the path to a prison sentence for other crimes.

If the family of Trayvon Martin want to file civil charges against Zimmerman, more power to them.  If people want to try to amend Florida's laws to require a 12-person jury, go for it.  If you want to hold a peaceful rally to promote more understanding among people, or try to get some of the handguns out of private citizens, you are entitled to do so.  But if you just want to protest and get loud because you don't agree with a verdict, and you want to destroy the property of people who had nothing to do with that verdict?  No.  If you want to block the freeways and roads and verbally assault people just because they are driving in the area?  I don't think so.  If you want to assault news reporters who are only there because you are causing trouble?  Go directly to jail.

In any case, protesters need to understand that nothing will change by you getting violent.  The only thing that will happen is that another innocent person will be injured or killed.  Some of you will go to jail.  Some may commit crimes and go to prison.  What will you accomplish?  Nothing.

You want to protest?  You go right ahead.  But don't hurt others; don't destroy property; and don't expect positive results from you cussing out the police.  It isn't going to work that way.