Obama is absolutely right that he could have been Trayvon at age 16. Those who note the vast differences between Obama and Trayvon are seriously missing the point. They had one thing in common- they were both black youths. And as such, no matter what their background or upbringing or where they live or how they act, they are subject to greater scrutiny, greater suspicion, and more harassment. THAT was the point Obama was making and it is absolutely 100% correct.
But if you reduce it to skin color, ethnic background or "race" then being as Zimmerman was a Latino/Hispanic with black heritage as well and someone with a "darker" skin tone to boot, what the heck is the point of bringing up the profiling at all?
Racial profiling is based on how somebody looks. Zimmerman would not be profiled as a young black man. I don't even know why you would bring it up.
I'm sorry did you just say that a hispanic with some "darkish" skin coloring (sad we're still reduced to this) would not and could not be profiled at all growing up and living in Manassas Virginia and Orlando Florida?
Why are we discussing the profiling of George Zimmerman? I feel like I'm in Bizarro World. Trayvon Martin is the one who was racially profiled. Obama was racially profiled as a young black men. Young black men get racially profiled all the time, every day of the week. Whatever GZ's background, he's not a young black man.
Ok 1:
Obama was racially profiled as a young black men.
You don't know that.
Talk about bizarro world, Martin's death is treated like a archetype for racial violence and murder in this country, and supposedly the reason that Martin came back and attacked Zimmerman (or whatever happened) is that as a young black man he was supposedly reacting to being pursued by this "crazy-a33 C****", but somehow Obama's experience growing up in wealthy multicultural suburb off the mainland in such situations is more valid or relevant than Zimmerman's growing up in the South????
To show you how stupid this gets, the fact that Obama's father was black makes him more "black" than Zimmerman whose grandfather was black. Somehow this racial equation makes Obama's experience more authentic than Zimmerman.
(2)
Young black men get racially profiled all the time, every day of the week. Whatever GZ's background, he's not a young black man.
So the fact that someone has been profiled themselves has no impact on whether they would profile others? I'd say it makes it a lot less likely.
And a young hispanic man being profiled is somehow less impactful than a young black man? Defend that.