Racial Violence - The Case of George Zimmerman - Essay Example

Racial Violence: The Case of George Zimmerman Introduction Racism is a negative attitude towards people based on the assumption that specific individuals or groups are better than or superior to others. Throughout human history, several groups of people have experienced harsh, unjust, and inhumane treatment due to their dissimilarities from the mainstream society. The dissimilarity has been largely based on race and hence it is correct to describe violence which is committed based on ethnicity as racial violence (Browne-Marshall 15). Racial violence is not like other types of violence because its primary cause is based on beliefs of superiority and hatred of other individuals or groups who are destined to be inferior due to their ethnicity; and due to their physical features like skin color. Racial violence takes many forms. It can be subtle as teasing or pushing and can be severe as murder, physical assault, and genocide (Browne-Marshall 15-18). This essay analyzes a recent racially charged issue—the case of George Zimmerman, a Hispanic guard who killed a young black man, Trayvon Martin, allegedly as an act of ‘self-defense’. This case is analyzed in terms of the causes and effects of racial violence. The Role of Race in Zimmerman’s Case Although racial violence is more obvious, other types of violence are similarly destructive. There is increasing number of evidence that continuous harassment negatively affects the health of its victims. It inflicts psychological and physical pain which is passed on to subsequent generations (Gruber 1573). Being constantly anxious or fearful because one is racially different and continuous harassment are root causes of poor self-worth and mental disorders. People who are subjected to racial violence usually accept or embrace an identity with the undesirable images they are assigned to. Resistance at times results in greater and more severe discrimination and violence (Bonilla-Silva 22). The belief that everyone is created in God’s image is hollow when the identity one embraces is that of a lowly, insignificant individual. The death of Trayvon Martin compelled Americans, once more, to confront the nation’s tragic history of racial violence. Nevertheless, possibly because the death of Martin evidently resembles the death of a huge number of young black men in the past and recent times, the debate over the issue seemed historically inclined. In other words, the treatment of the media of the issue transformed rapidly into age-old debates on racial prejudice; the debates focus on the characters of those directly involved, Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman (Yancy & Jones 30). Such focus on character tries to determine whether the incident is a case of traditional racism, that is, the racist killer murders the helpless victim. However, by placing emphasis on character, the dynamics of current prejudice is overlooked. Errors in decision making can distort worldviews and result in racial prejudices. This can take place because people’s minds have a tendency to create spontaneous connections between two aspects. Sadly, the human brain also creates connections based on stereotypes, like ‘violence’ and ‘black’ (Bonilla-Silva 59). When people are not determinedly engaged in stopping such connection such stereotypes can resurface in the mind affecting people’s attitudes and beliefs. Such errors can also take place because of self-anxiety, like one’s fear that other people might judge him/her based on an unfavorable stereotype (Bonilla-Silva 59-62). In such situations, the fear of being judged in terms of an unfavorable stereotype can normally encourage the actions or behaviors that a person tries to evade. It should be noted that this is a core psychological mechanisms for people of all walks of life (Browne-Marshall 42). Basically, this concept of error in decision making offers a perspective through which to appreciate how racial affinity can influence people’s attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions even without the traditional prejudice people tend to look for in widespread discourses of racially based subject matters. According to several critics, Zimmerman’s perception of Martin was profoundly influenced by racially based standards, just like how perpetrators of domestic violence are encouraged by patriarchy (Jonsson 1). The decision of the Sanford police to treat the case of Zimmerman lightly was also perhaps shaped by racially based assumptions (Gruber 1572). In such cases, the defendant’s actions and the actions of the state are without a doubt a breakdown of racial justice with very bad outcomes. Obviously, the normal response is to try to discourage racially charged crimes and dissuade prejudiced state officials from responding humanely by demanding rigorous trial (Gruber 1572). As stated by David R. Dow (Yancy & Jones 38): The tragedy of this case—and there is no other word to describe the killing of a young man who has done nothing wrong and nothing to arouse any reasonable suspicion that he had—is a product of the interaction between two insidious factors: racism and state-sanctioned aggression. The previous actions of George Zimmerman, as well as his own statements—“It’s raining, and he’s just walking around looking about… Now he’s coming towards me. He’s got his hand in his waistband. And he’s a black male (emphasis added)… Something’s wrong with him. Yup, he’s coming to check me out. He’s got something in his hands. I don’t know what his deal is… These assholes always get away” (Yancy & Jones 38-39)—provide a strong proof that racial stereotypes are involved in the incident. There is a question of whether inability to prevent racial violence is much dissimilar from direct or actual involvement. Governments have at times revealed failure to discourage certain dominant groups from harassing or attacking marginalized minorities. When such occurs questions can be made regarding the likelihood of manifold domains of bigotry, incompetence, dishonesty, and corruptness (Gruber 1574). If a government is really incapable of controlling the actions of mainstream groups in its territory, it is incompetent. If it dishonestly claims that it cannot regulate the unruly dominant group it is biased, unethical, or both. If it in fact promotes violence it is, in all probability, both biased and crooked (Gruber 1574). It could be that the distinction between the actual promotion of violence and deceitful admission of failure to control reveals merely the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed, and the real effectiveness of the government, instead of the level of corruptness. Conclusions Racial violence has been profoundly embedded into the American society. History shows numerous incidents of racial violence, such as lynching, and how victimized the people of African descent are. The causes of racial violence are stereotypes and lack of awareness. Its effects are varied, ranging from physical to psychological. The Zimmerman-Martin case demonstrates how racially charged attitudes and beliefs are still alive in the American society. Works Cited Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo. Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America. Lanham, MA: Rowman & Littlefield, 2013. Print. Browne-Marshall, Gloria. Race, Law and American Society. Thousand Oaks, CA: Routledge, 2013. Print. Gruber, Aya. “Leniency as a Miscarriage of Race and Gender Justice”, Albany Law Review 76.3 (2013): 1571+ Print. Jonsson, Patrick. “Trayvon Martin Case: Sparks of Racial Violence Appear”, The Christian Science Monitor (2012): 1+ Print. Yancy, George & Janine Jones. Pursuing Trayvon Martin: Historical Contexts and Contemporary Manifestations of Racial Dynamics. Lanham, MA: Rowman & Littlefield, 2012. Print. Read More