“Anderson Cooper didn’t mince words with this questions during the interview:
AC: You know, a lot of people believe race played a factor in this. Form what you know about George Zimmerman, do you believe race played a factor?
Taaffe: Absolutely not.
AC: Why do you feel so strongly about that?
Taaffe: George is not a racist. He was just performing his duties as watch captain. Whether it be African American, Latino, Asian, or white, he would’ve done the same thing. He would have appropriate the person, asked him “What’s your business here?” and if he had just answered him in an appropriate manner, “I’m just here visiting. My mother’s house is around the corner,” and be upfront and truthful, there wouldn’t be any problem.
Out of all the things that have been said to defend George Zimmerman, that rationale by Taaffe ranks as the most offensive defense I’ve heard throughout this four-week long tragedy.
The idea that Taaffe believes its Zimmerman’s place to question a young black male because he appears to be “out of place” is seeped in the racist, patriarchal notion that black bodies are the possessions of whiteness. It’s seeped in the belief that people of color are not autonomous and deserved to be treated like children and criminals when whiteness judges our appearance to be suspect.
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Anyone who says that race didn’t play a part in a situation is either lying or doesn’t have a clue about human tendancies to stereotype, presume and prejudge.
Any yes the Trayvon Martin tragedy is over a year old, but prejudice happens every day and as long as there are lessons to be learned, we will continue the conversation.
See on newblackwoman.com