EXPOSED: The Smear Campaign Against Trayvon Martin

[moo]

Over the last 48 hours, there has been a sustained effort to smear Trayvon Martin, the 17-year old African-American who was shot dead by George Zimmerman a month ago. Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, said, “They killed my son, now they’re trying to kill his reputation.”

Thus far these attacks have fallen into two categories: false and irrelevant. Much of this leaked information seems intended to play into stereotypes about young African-American males. Here’s what everyone should know:

1. Prominent conservative websites published fake photos of Martin. Twitchy, a new website run by prominent conservative blogger Michelle Malkin, promoted a photo — purportedly from Martin’s Facebook page — that shows Martin in saggy pants and flipping the bird. The photo, which spread quickly on conservative websites and Twitter, is intended to paint Martin as a thug. As Twitchy later acknowledged, it is not a photo of Trayvon Martin. [Examiner]

2. The Sanford Police selectively leaked irrelevant, negative information about Martin. The authorities told the Orlando Sentinel this morning that Trayvon was suspended from school for ten days “after being found with an empty marijuana baggie.” There is no evidence that Martin was under the influence of drugs at the time of his death, nor would prior possession of marijuana be a reason for killing him. It’s unclear what the relevance of the leak was, other than to smear Martin. [Orlando Sentinel]

3. On Fox News, Geraldo said that Martin was dressed “like a wannabe gangster.” Bill O’Reilly agreed with him. The sole evidence is that Martin was wearing a hoodie. Geraldo added that “everyone that ever stuck up a convenience store” was wearing a hoodie. [ThinkProgress; The Blaze]

4. Without any evidence, prominent right-wing bloggers suggested that Martin was a drug dealer. Right-wing blogger Dan Riehl advances the theory, also advanced in a widely linked peice on a site called Wagist. There does not appear to be any evidence to support this claim whatsoever. [Riehl World View]

5. Without any evidence, a right-wing columnist alleged that Martin assaulted a bus driver. Unlike Zimmerman, Trayvon has no documented history of violence. This allegation continues to be advanced by a blogger on the Examiner even after the real reason was leaked to the police and confirmed by the family. [Miami Herald; Examiner]

6. Zimmerman’s friend says Martin was to blame because he was disrespectful to Zimmerman. Zimmerman’s friend Joe Oliver said that Martin would not have been shot to death if Trayvon had just said “I’m staying with my parents.” Of course, Zimmerman was not a police officer, and Trayvon had no duty to tell him who he was or where he was going. [NBC News]

The final part of the effort to smear Trayvon Martin is to link him and his supporters to irresponsible fringe groups like the New Black Panthers and marignal provocateurs like Louis Farrakhan. Threats by these groups are serious and should be investigated, but they have nothing to do with Martin or his supporters. The leader of the effort to associate Martin with these groups is Matt Drudge. You can see how he is framing the story today here.

Ultimately, whether Martin was a perfect person is irrelevant to whether Zimmerman’s conduct that night was justified. Clearly, there are two different versions of the events that transpired on February 26, the night Trayvon was killed. There are conflicting statements by witnesses and conflicting evidence as to who was the aggressor. Zimmerman has the right to tell his side of the story. But his opportunity to do this will come in a court of law after he is charged and arrested. In the meantime, Zimmerman’s supporters should stop trying to smear the reputation of a dead, 17-year-old boy.
Source (http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/03/26/452310/what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-the-smear-campaign-against-trayvon-martin-1995-2012/?mobile=nc)

Some members have already brought the smear campaign to this website of all websites. Here are a few of the thread titles
Trayvon Martin was Caught with Women's Jewlery and a "Burglary Tool" in Earlier Suspension
Trayvon Martin's mother files Trademark papers
Jesse Jackson Is Using The Trayvon Incident To Reinstate The Assultweapons Bans

Oh yes. They're watching you. They know exactly where you've been getting every single piece of information and who's writing it. Those tricks will not work this time so while you're busy circulating a smear campaign, #TeamTrayvon will be busy uncovering the TRUTH. Now black this out!

[onlyrp]

You need to understand, if people here don't justify Zimmerman, we're gonna start losing our guns and voluntary organizations like Neighborhood Watch. Most people in America are thinking of this in terms of race and guns, people here are particularly concerned about guns and voluntary watchdogs, because we're supposed to fear and hate the government.

[TheTexan]

^^ That guy is CIA

[NewRightLibertarian]

It doesn't surprise me to see known trolls here doing the bidding of Obama's propaganda campaign to use this death to race bait and get the lemmings on his side. Pathetic, but expected. This forum is under heavy attack from the government, and it has been evident for some time.

[moo]

It doesn't surprise me to see known trolls here doing the bidding of Obama's propaganda campaign to use this death to race bait and get the lemmings on his side. Pathetic, but expected. This forum is under heavy attack from the government, and it has been evident for some time.

Aww you sound so disappointed. Here's a towel to wipe the egg off your face.
:(

[Indy Vidual]

We need 580 more threads about Trayvon Martin.
Do we really need 580 more threads about Trayvon Martin?
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/trayvon%20martin%20rally%20second.jpg

[NewRightLibertarian]

Aww you sound so disappointed. Here's a towel to wipe the egg off your face.
:(

Disappointed that the forum is being overrun by trolls? Not so much. Scum like you are easy to identify and neutralize.

[moo]

Disappointed that the forum is being overrun by trolls? Not so much. Scum like you are easy to identify and neutralize.

http://pull.imgfave.netdna-cdn.com/image_cache/1323062570885261.png

[squarepusher]

It doesn't surprise me to see known trolls here doing the bidding of Obama's propaganda campaign to use this death to race bait and get the lemmings on his side. Pathetic, but expected. This forum is under heavy attack from the government, and it has been evident for some time.

race bait who? what? I agree with Moo on this one

[AlexanderY]

Oh yes. They're watching you. They know exactly where you've been getting every single piece of information and who's writing it. Those tricks will not work this time so while you're busy circulating a smear campaign, #TeamTrayvon will be busy uncovering the TRUTH. Now black this out!

You're such a race hustler.

I mean just look at your prior post on my thread.


40,000 people at 1 rally
2+ million petition signatures
1 statement from the president
$10,000 bounty for his arrest which is set to increase to $100,000

after all that, he has not been arrested and nobody knows where he is?

george zimmerman has more authority than every single american in this nation right now and he is being fiercely protected. the PRESIDENT has stated to the ENTIRE WORLD that this is a SERIOUS case and zimmerman is still free? now they're trying to dehumanize trayvon from the shadows like the cowards they are by portraying him as a criminal who deserved to be killedfor no other reason than being a black man.

trayvon martin was lynched.

You've become the Al Sharpton of RPFs.

Why do you think this story attracted so much attention in the first place? It fits a particular narrative.

Initially, when the media picked up on this story, they probably assumed Zimmerman was white. (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57399800-504083/911-calls-released-in-trayvon-martin-fatal-shooting/)

The Media and the race hustlers went into full propaganda mode and practically canonized this kid. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/25/tracy-martin-trayvon-martin-dad-miami-heat_n_1378834.html)

Eventually, once people actually saw a photo of Zimmerman, it was obvious that he was not White (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017819414_zimmerman23.html), but the story was already blown out of proportion.

It's also evident that Trayvon was no angel (http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/26/2714778_p2/thousands-expected-at-trayvon.html), so why all the coverage?

The entire point of this story becoming popular was to push the agenda of racial victimization.

Black people kill black people everyday (http://news.yahoo.com/black-black-crime-widely-ignored-african-american-activists-190404331.html) in America's inner cities.

Over the St. Patrick's Day weekend 49 people were shot and over 10 were killed (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-03-19/news/chi-chicago-weekend-shootings-killings-violence-crime_1_shooting-victims-south-winchester-avenue-west-rogers-park). The vast majority of them being black (Hispanics amongst the remaining victims and perps).

Where is Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and President Obama? AWOL

Why? It doesn't fit the agenda.

There is an increasing trend of Black-on-White crime (http://www.wnd.com/2007/12/44988/).

Just a few weeks ago, not even a month, a White 13 year old was drenched in flammable liquid and BURNED (http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/05/3471164/police-investigate-burning-of.html). The victim was then told by the Black youths, "You get what you deserve, White Boy. (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/you-get-what-you-deserve-white-boy-13-year-old-set-on-fire-in-horrific-racially-charged-attack/)"

Where's the outrage, protests, and civil rights leaders?

Just three days ago, a White Mississippi State University student was murdered in cold blood by three black males. (http://www.starkvilledailynews.com/node/9539)

Last year, a white couple was shot "execution style" in the back of the head (http://www.tulsaworld.com/specialprojects/news/crimewatch/article.aspx?subjectid=450&articleid=20110920_450_0_Twomen973426) by a black man. The story only got local attention, I found out through a blog, and I certainly did not hear about it on CNN, despite how cold and gruesome it was.

Where was the press coverage? The civil rights leaders? No where to be found.

Again, it did not fit a particular narrative.

[dannno]

1. Prominent conservative websites published fake photos of Martin. Twitchy, a new website run by prominent conservative blogger Michelle Malkin, promoted a photo — purportedly from Martin’s Facebook page — that shows Martin in saggy pants and flipping the bird. The photo, which spread quickly on conservative websites and Twitter, is intended to paint Martin as a thug. As Twitchy later acknowledged, it is not a photo of Trayvon Martin. [Examiner]



Is this one fake too, or is that article meant to insinuate that several fake photos have been released so that a lot of people end up thinking it is?

http://www.wagist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Ax26X.jpg

[PauliticsPolitics]

Police (on and off duty) shoot people all the time.
Sometimes the policeman is stupid and kills an innocent person for crappy reasons.
Sometimes the policeman was threatened and has a legitimate reason for the act.
I do not know which was the case in this scenario, and it will probably be hard to determine.

I am more suspicious that this particular story is being pushed so hard at this point in time (by both sides of the coin.)
To me it seems like a concerted effort (by who?) to affect a political climate.
That is my take away.

[papitosabe]

race bait who? what? I agree with Moo on this one

you don't see the race card here? if it was a white or hispanic guy being killed, it would have just been local news and you would not have a million man race card march... i'm latin, and I see the race card being way too much... yea, there is legitimate instances, but not as much as is portrayed...at first I sided on the kid not knowing all the info...unless zimmerman's accts, witness accts, and the kids history are made up, then I believe the guy may have been defending himself..

[NewRightLibertarian]

race bait who? what? I agree with Moo on this one

Ya know how Obama is actively working to destroy the Constitution? He and his minions are using this to push gun control and score political points with his guilt-ridden, overly emotional dumbass followers

[AlexanderY]

BTW, I too would like justice and national outrage for that 13-year old white teenager that was drenched in flammable liquid, burned (http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/05/3471164/police-investigate-burning-of.html) and told "You get what you deserve, WHITE BOY (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/you-get-what-you-deserve-white-boy-13-year-old-set-on-fire-in-horrific-racially-charged-attack/)" by black youths.

[dillo]

Is the information about him being suspended from school for having jewelry in his backpack that didn't belong to him? Have you read his tweets from his account that got quickly destroyed after this got media coverage? Have you read the facebook conversation where one of his buddies says he needs some marijuana?

Look for all I know this kid was a good kid that just posted random shit on social media sites (I do all the time). However this event seems to be underlined by what actually happened that night. Until more information comes forward it is irresponsible for people to put bounties on Zimmermans head and act as if this is some sort of racially motivated crime. The only living person that knows any of that is Zimmerman, let the legal system do its job, if that fails then you can call for more action.

[Luciconsort]

wonder how many more shitty laws the gubment can cram through the congress and get signed while everyone argues about this.... American's ish de craziest peoples.

[thoughtomator]

I am more suspicious that this particular story is being pushed so hard at this point in time (by both sides of the coin.)
To me it seems like a concerted effort (by who?) to affect a political climate.
That is my take away.

I agree... maybe after Fast & Furious blew up they needed another event to push the gun control agenda? Or perhaps it is to distract from certain other events they'd rather not much attention was given to?

[PaulConventionWV]

BTW, I too would like justice and national outrage for that 13-year old white teenager that was drenched in flammable liquid, burned (http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/05/3471164/police-investigate-burning-of.html) and told "You get what you deserve, WHITE BOY (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/you-get-what-you-deserve-white-boy-13-year-old-set-on-fire-in-horrific-racially-charged-attack/)" by black youths.

From the article:


The boy’s father said Monday that whatever the motive, no one had the right to harm his son.

“I don’t know whether it was racial or not,” the father said. “But it was wrong.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/05/3471164/police-investigate-burning-of.html#storylink=cpy


If only people would listen to this guy and think, "You know, that makes sense." The motive for attempted murder is absolutely irrelevant. If someone is trying to kill you, they either hated you or loved you in the wrong way. Either way, you're just as much of a sicko as if you had done it because the guy was a certain color.

[AlexanderY]

Actually, I realized I did make one error.

The link about the "execution style" double murder of two white college students by two Black males (http://www.tulsaworld.com/specialprojects/news/crimewatch/article.aspx?subjectid=450&articleid=20110920_450_0_Twomen973426) was incorrect.

I updated the correct link in this post and I'll update the link in the original post I made.

[otherone]

1) Interesting...last month BO was the champion of underdog women everywhere.
2) This month, he'll be the reincarnation of MLK.

[Bruno]

It appears what is being exposed is the smear campaign against Zimmerman, and the false portrayal of Martin by the media and those wanting to exploit the situation for their own causes.

[Brett85]

What about the smear campaign against Zimmerman? He's already been convicted by the media before he's even been tried in court.

[Tonewah]

I think it’s obvious that this is an attempt to divide us, even more deeply, along racial lines. The truth is that we will NEVER know all of the details of this incident. He was a minor, which will keep a lot of the facts from coming out.

When I first saw this, I was enraged by the seemingly callous behavior of the police. The news has been running old pictures of the boy, looking VERY young, and he DID have a very youthful face, even at almost 18. I identified with him, as a kid, carrying my Skittles and a soft drink home from the corner store. If some strange 30-something man had been intimidating me, I would have tried to fight with all I had.

However, he was not a diminutive child, as has been portrayed. It has now come out that he was 6' 3", an athlete who was reportedly a football player and had a history of violence. He was on suspension from school and was temporarily staying in a racially-mixed neighborhood in which he was an unfamiliar person. Other members of the neighborhood watch, who happen to be black, have come out in defense of Zimmerman, and eyewitnesses corroborate his side of the story that the kid was violently attacking him.

None of this is grounds for execution, however.

There needs to be transparency into what occurred that night, but, when something negative about the kid comes out, his parents will claim that it was wrong for that information to be released, due to the fact that he was a minor. As much as I feel for the parents, I don't think parents are the most unbiased about their child's behavior. I know my parents wouldn't have believed some of the stupid stuff I did as a kid.

The police really messed this up. By not bringing the guy in and having an investigation that lasted more than a few questions, they opened themselves up to criticism. True, they may have found out enough information to satisfy themselves that it was self-defense without that but it obviously wasn't enough to satisfy the public. Something like this you could give to the DA, who could bring it to a grand jury, if they thought they had enough evidence, and they could either true bill or no bill him. You could have released him on his own recognizance in the interim.

[xFiFtyOnE]

I wonder if this would be a big deal if the media would have said that Zimmerman was Jewish/Hispanic, instead of saying he was white. And yes, I know that both hispanic and jewish can be considered white but it's not the usual type of white that the liberal media loves to vilify. I don't really have an opinion on whether the kid deserved to be shot, until more facts are released. But I'm allready tired of seeing the media coverage and the rallies and other BS, just beating the drums of endless racial division.

[jmdrake]

You need to understand, if people here don't justify Zimmerman, we're gonna start losing our guns and voluntary organizations like Neighborhood Watch. Most people in America are thinking of this in terms of race and guns, people here are particularly concerned about guns and voluntary watchdogs, because we're supposed to fear and hate the government.

I assume you're being facetious. If not then there is something that you need to understand. Attempts to justify Zimmerman are the fastest way to losing gun rights and neighborhood watch and stand your ground laws. That's because people in the middle who might be persuaded to be pro gun are going to look at this result and say "Oh my God! Exactly what the liberals were warning us about came true! Florida is becoming like the wild west with vigilante justice ruling the streets. Big federal government please save us!" I'm already convinced at this point that the Florida stand your ground law at least needs to be amended if the author of that law doesn't think it applies to the Trayvon matter but the police apparently do. That in itself proves the law is flawed.

[jmdrake]

In that picture I see a skinny kid who's not really "hard" trying to play cool like the rappers he sees on MTV by showing some fake gold teeth. He reminds me of my nephew who was never a gang banger by any stretch, went through a "stupid" phase where he was trying to dress the part to look cool, is thankfully out of it and is now an engineering major. What do you see?


Is this one fake too, or is that article meant to insinuate that several fake photos have been released so that a lot of people end up thinking it is?

http://www.wagist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Ax26X.jpg

[silverhandorder]

In that picture I see a skinny kid who's not really "hard" trying to play cool like the rappers he sees on MTV by showing some fake gold teeth. He reminds me of my nephew who was never a gang banger by any stretch, went through a "stupid" phase where he was trying to dress the part to look cool, is thankfully out of it and is now an engineering major. What do you see?

Did your nephew have a racially charged twitter as well and friends that can't spell? Just saying everything added up this guy isn't exactly a paragon of innocence him self. I don't care who is right or wrong in this. I am tired of real life trolls like Moo. I hope majority is just as fed up as me.

[jmdrake]

Did your nephew have a racially charged twitter as well and friends that can't spell? Just saying everything added up this guy isn't exactly a paragon of innocence him self. I don't care who is right or wrong in this. I am tired of real life trolls like Moo. I hope majority is just as fed up as me.

Do you hang out on a forum where people have at times posted racially charged statements? Yes.
Do you have friends who sumtimes sometimes misspell? I raise my hand.
Your point?

Edit: I just browsed threw through Trayvon's tweets. I fail to see the "racially charged" part. :confused:

http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/26/the-daily-caller-obtains-trayvon-martins-tweets/

Ignorant? Yes. Misogynist? Maybe. Racist? Are you kidding me? Because Trayvon called himself "nigga"? You're kidding me right?

Edit: There goes my bad spelling. (I type "threw" when I meant "through"). I guess if you get shot by a neighborhood block captain this thread will be cited in his defense.

[cajuncocoa]

IMO, which doesn't count for much, these stories coming out about TM are not "smears" but are character references that negate the propaganda set forth by the msm that TM was a 12-year old angelic Boy Scout who stepped out to get himself some candy during the halftime of a basketball game. THAT DOES NOT MEAN HE DESERVED TO BE KILLED BY ANY MEANS, but is an attempt to change the perception that has most people believing that it's not even possible that TM could have done something to provoke GZ.

[iGGz]

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