and if my aunt had stones she would have been my uncle. rev. rivers,what blacl leadership are you talking about? the only kind of leadership i see in this city, state and country country, be it black, white pink yellow or whatever color, is the non-existant kind that wants to keep things exactly as they are. otherwise, if say god forbid, people of all colors of good faith were able to have open honest discussions without pols or media around there'd be a whole lotta so called psuedo leaders of all types out there looking for a new career. ma

What this 'incident' has brought to the forefront is the propaganda of racism against the Caucasian race by the largely Left media. There were so many aspects of this case which media either deliberately chose to ignore or over which it obfuscated, and now we have a writer overlooking the most glaring aspect of the percentage figures of crime by 'blacks' in this country, that of the race of the majority of their victims, who are largely Caucasian.

Rev.Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson have done nothing to help the black community, the only jump on when a crime is committed by a non black. These two are the biggest racist and hypocrites.

Good piece, Mr Rivers! Apparently the previous posters have opted not to actually acknowledge your thesis, or perhaps just don't read very well.

A very good column. Unfortunately, it is the race baiters in our society-Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson who use episode like this for their own grandstanding. It is a horrible, tragic death. Mr Zimmerman was a complete idiot. But it was NOT a racial crime as the race baiters want it to be. The crimes against whites that have followed, however, as a "payback for Trayvon" were 100% racial hate crimes. Sharpton and Jackson have been the instigators of black on white crime. NEW PARAGRAPH: This will not end well. The prosecutor has overstepped her evidence in charging him with 2nd degree murder. He will likely walk, setting off race riots like we have not seen since Rodney King. She was under pressure, and buckled. Zimmerman should be punished, but this is going to Lacy Peterson redux. A lesser charge would have all but guaranteed a jail term. This charge will lead to a finding of "not guilty", unless a plea deal can end this sooner.

What a coincidence that racists like you, Richmond12, and caroe would be trolling so early here on the Globe. And where is your Islamophobic friend Ozark?

Then tell me what they have done for the black community, NOTHING. I AM FAR FROM BEING A RACIST, i think the black's in this country have been suppressed and kept from advancing, it's a shame.

If you read the column you would know that the vast majority of murders committed by black people are committed against other blacks. Not against whites. It makes me think that you had better check your own bias before posting.

If Zimmerman was black he would have been arrested on the spot regardless of any stand your ground laws. And please stop referring to Zimmerman as a neighborhood watch volunteer. He was not a part of any organized watch group. He was a lone neighborhood wannabe vigilante with a gun whose lack of judgement and control, as shown by his past record, endangered the entire community, not just defenseless teenagers in hoodies.

I think this column serves as a good reminder that inner city blacks could be doing a lot more to improve their lives. True, there is still racism -- witness the current Bruins tweeting contretemps. However, racism doesn't prevent black parents from disciplining their children, pushing them to do homework, etc. And those are not endeavors which demand a lot of money -- just personal commitment and self-discipline.

Great article. Why are we even reading about a crime in Sanford Fla.