Is George Zimmerman Not a Racist Because He’s Latino?  He Thinks So.

The audience that turned in tonight to watch the first televised interview of George Zimmerman on Fox with ‘Hannity’ and hoping for a Perry Mason moment of truth would have been disappointed.  Zimmerman was the most polished, humble, modestly remorseful murder defendant to be seen in a while. 

With his multitudes of ‘Yes Sir’ and self-portrayal as dutiful husband, neighbor, uncle, you have to ask yourself how he mustered the gumption to pull out a Kel Tel 9 mm and shoot dead 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on February 26th. 

Not until he mentions that he would do nothing differently and views all of this as “God’s plan” that you start to pause and wonder if he can make a case out of the insanity defense or at the very least ask God ‘what the hell was he thinking’. 

Even after acknowledging he feels his life is in danger, much like the sacrificial lamb, he still wouldn’t change a thing. No regrets, not the gun ownership, not the getting out of the car, not the pulling of the trigger.  NADA.

Hannity asked him point blank “Are you a racist?”  He firmly said no.  He further alluded that because of his ethnicity the racist label does not fit him.  Zimmerman says “[Police] assumed I was white because of my last name,”  but was actually raised by his Latino Mother and Grandmother.  He also acknowledges that English is his second language.  Zimmerman considers himself a Hispanic-American, noting all of this as a defense against charges of racism. 

National Council of La Raza had the best counter attack on this position sometime ago:  “The fact that George Zimmmerman is Latino is irrelevant to his actions.”  “Unfortunately, being Hispanic does not mean you aren’t capable of bigotry, of discrimination, it does not condone or preclude him from having acted in a discriminatory manner.”

A little known insight into George Zimmerman’s real view on race and racism was lost in the transcripts of the 150 jailhouse calls that were released into the public domain this week.  In those comments you hear George say:

“I think that honestly all of this could’ve been avoided if my parents would’ve given me a proper Hispanic/Latino name.”  He goes on to elaborate:  a name like “Jorge” instead of George would have been more helpful. 

Zimmerman must think that the 2nd degree murder charges are really veiled racism accusations, that if they would of known a Latino killed a black teen authorites would of just chalked it up to another killing in the ‘hood.  The discussion of race might of gone away if George was Jorge, but not the shooting of an unarmed teen and that is what may ultimately put him behind bars.

A little FYI to Zimmerman he needs to look at prison statistics to see just how many Latinos with Latino surnames are in prison with many making the claim they are in there because THEY ARE LATINO and not white. 

Zimmerman finishes the thought by sarcastically wishing his family “should’ve named me George Herbert Walker.” 

These comments give a lot of insight because these are not hearsay but his direct words said to a trusted family member in a vulnerable moment.  These are not attorney-rehearsed sound bites like tonight’s interview offered. 

The comments show how not very comfortable Zimmerman is in his dark skin and white last name.  It shows that he feels race determines, where and what you are in life and how you are treated.  It is called bias.  It is called racism. 

Equally skewed is Zimmerman’s perception that the very East Coast-Mayflower soaked name George Herbert Walker Bush will absolve all sins, it won’t let alone 2nd degree murder charges of an unarmed teen.

Published in Por Que

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