The smear campaign against Trayvon Martin - ThinkProgress has a good synopsis

[underpants]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/03/26/452310/what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-the-smear-campaign-against-trayvon-martin-1995-2012/


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.

[drm604]

1. What kind of human being smears a dead kid?

There's obviously some kind of organized campaign. Who does something like this? Why? It's disgusting.

[underpants]

4. We had a rainy weekend so I delved into this case

much like the Schiavo story it dissolved quickly

ThinkProgress missed the discussion chatter that is readily available.
The first memes went :
- his mother could not ID his voice on the 911 call (she did) in fact the eye witness said (understandably) that was clearly a kid yelling HELP.
- Zimmerman didn't HAVE to obey the 911 dispatcher telling him that "we don't need you to do that" - following Trayvon. No one ever said that Zimmerman had to obey anything.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. The same bunch of people

who think "it's time" to go after a sitting President's children.

[tooeyeten]

14. Why? I'll tell ya why

It's Florida, the Convention, and Rubio, and that's just for starters!

[Louisiana1976]

2. K&R

[one_voice]

3. Has anyone else seen the...

photo of Trayvon with a grill in his mouth? I've read it's photoshopped...does anyone know if it's real or not.

I'm arguing with someone over the article questioning whether Trayvon was a drug dealer--bullshit article by the way---and they posted that picture.

[nobodyspecial]

18. No, they aren't even him and originated at Stormfront

http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/sourcing_trayvon_martin_photos.php

[arthritisR_US]

5. Good synopsis, k&r! n/t

[Pryderi]

6. k&r n/t

[Ford_Prefect]

7. The efforts to smear resemble some tactics used against rape victims.

Past associations are presented in a damaging light. Provocative clothing and previous alleged behavior presented in context of the present crime are used to create a false appearance of complicity on the victim's part.

My question would be who is paying to steer public opinion? ALEC? The NRA? GOP Committee to Elect? Jeb Bush? Karl Rove's Hit Squad?

My feeling is that much more is behind this than cover for the local police behavior. I suspect something larger than the NRA is driving the widespread attack on Trayvon's reputation.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

8. Tweeted a few minutes ago..

"Something to avoid: O'Reilly Factor 2nite "Trayvon Martin media coverage. Is the liberal press championing the cause for their own benefit?"

They're going gangbusters tearing this poor dead kid's rep and his family apart. WTF is the matter with these "people"?

[socialindependocrat]

9. It's one thing the Repubs are good at - propaganda..

They twist, spin and lie in everything they do.

I'm sick and tired of all the lying.

They act lick this is a highschool debate they are trying to win.

The ends justify the means.

[rustydog]

12. And whose benefit is Orally going for commenting on this?

Scumbag

[groundloop]

10. Good post. One thought though regarding Trayvon's school suspension

The fact that at first it was reported that Trayvon was suspended for being tardy, and now it's reported that he had a trace of marijuana with him looks clumsy. I know that parents who have just lost a child aren't going to be too worried about public perceptions. I know that having a small amount of pot is pretty trivial. In my opinion the lawyer acting on behalf of Trayvon's parents should have been forthcoming with the truth from the start. In the great scheme of things this has no bearing on the facts of how Zimmerman killed Trayvon, but it certainly adds fuel to the fire for the right wing.

[Skittles]

13. omg an empty pot baggie!!

HE WAS A DRUG LORD!!!

[uppityperson]

21. See? That PROVES he wAS dealing because otherwise there'd've been some pot in there

BECAUSE it was EmpTY means he already SOLd it .

I'm SERIES!!!!!!!!!!11111

[tooeyeten]

15. if you saw Zimmerman's fake lawyer and pretend friend today

making the rounds, spreading faux information, it appears it's all about a white wash(no pun intended)

[Beartracks]

16. Well, SOMEbody has to start some lies, or else...

... how will conservative talking heads lead off interviews with things like, "SOME people say that Martin was a drug-dealer who assaulted a bus driver and was suspended from school. What is your response?"

Or some other such swiftboa... uh, "journalism."

=====================

[Uncle Joe]

17. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, underpants.

[judelle]

19. CHECK OUT FOX IF YOU WANT TO CRY!!! ( OR VOMIT)

Go to Fox news page. Read the comments. I cried. These people are SICK that is the only way to describe it. They would actually disparage ( with lies) a kid that got killed for no reason.. My number one question has always been "WHAT WAS TRAYVON DOING THAT MADE HIM SUSPICIOUS" I want all the so called Zimmerman supports to answer that for me damn it!!

[Cali_Democrat]

20. Do yourself a favor and NEVER read comments in articles, especially Faux News articles

It's bad for the blood pressure. Anybody that would smear an unarmed 17-year-old child who was gunned down in cold blood is obviously deranged.