By NICK CHILES
Attempting to take advantage of the same digital tsunami that made Trayvon Martin’s murder perhaps the country’s top news story over the past month, George Zimmerman—Trayvon’s killer—launched his own website yesterday to raise money for “living expenses” because of his “forced inability to maintain employment.”
Zimmerman’s site was introduced the same day that the special prosecutor assigned to the case, Angela Corey, announced that she wouldn’t use a grand jury to get an indictment against Zimmerman, instead opting to do her own investigation and file charges against Zimmerman if she deems them appropriate. Observers say charges could possibly come within days.
The existence of Zimmerman’s website demonstrates just how much the characteristics of the media and American society have been transformed in a few years with the growth of the Internet. It’s possible that Martin’s killing would never have received national attention without the Internet and social media. In fact, MyBrownBaby was one of the first sites to bring notoriety to the case. It started as a drip of coverage and turned into a flood.
And that brings us to Zimmerman. I can’t recall any other case in which an accused killer of an unarmed man has been able to go directly to the public to ask for donations for “living expenses.” It’s perfectly legal, but it just feels creepy as hell. In effect, Zimmerman is taking advantage of the chance to capitalize on the unsettling existence of citizens who feel he should be rewarded for shooting a 17-year-old black boy. I’m not saying that Zimmerman is making a special appeal to the racists of the world—but he’s surely not going to return any money that comes through Paypal sheathed in a white hood.
Zimmerman implies on his site that there are some shysters out there who have been collecting money supposedly on his behalf, but he hasn’t seen any of it.
“I cannot attest to the validity of these other websites as I have not received any funds collected, intended to support my family and I through this trying, tragic time,” Zimmerman wrote on therealgeorgezimmerman.com. “I have created a Paypal account solely linked on this website as I would like to provide an avenue to thank my supporters personally and ensure that any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defense, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment. I will also personally, maintain accountability of all funds received. I reassure you, every donation is appreciated.”
If George Zimmerman actually turns his new website into a profit-making venture fueled by the killing of an unarmed boy, I think many of us will be overtaken by a wave of revulsion and nausea. What a strange country we live in.
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Denene Millner
Mom. NY Times bestselling author. Pop culture ninja. Unapologetic lover of shoes, bacon and babies. Nice with the verbs. Founder of the top black parenting website, MyBrownBaby.
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nothing surprises me anymore. no. words.
Having a really hard time with an article from CNN (supposed to be non-biased, right?) written here http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/11/opinion/granderson-violence-race/index.html
It’s maddening. He compares a very recent tragic crime of “a white tourist being savagely beaten and stripped by a bunch of black thugs in Baltimore…”
I have no idea how he can compare the two crimes. The police didn’t arrive on the scene wondering what the white tourist had done to “deserve” his beating. The police didn’t take into consideration whether or not the kids beating this man were doing it in self-defense. They didn’t consider if the young men had judges as fathers.
This case will be prosecuted and handled in the strictest degree possible. In short, no matter how heinous this crime, the tourist will see justice.
Whereas in Trayvon’s case, without the collective outcry by many mothers and citizens concerned with basic justice in the country, Zimmerman would have gone home and lived out the rest of his life as if he had killed a dog on the street.
This article by CNN has me livid.
I can’t beleive people are donating money to a man that took a life in cold blood. Zimmerman had no right to declare his self judge and jury over Tryvons life and take his life. Wrong is wrong no one has the right to just take a life and then turn and ask people to give him money. I mean really donate money to a killer .. think people does Zimmerman really deserve your hard earned money after taking a young man’s life. All he can get from me is prayers may God have mercy on him for what he has done…