The headlines are screaming with significance these days, and I’ll readily admit my disconnect from reviewing the various nuances of the Trayvon Martin shooting out of an abundance of necessary time management. But something has been on my mind that might help perspective.

George Zimmerman never met Trayvon Martin.

George Zimmerman never met Trayvon Martin; at least not the Trayvon Martin the media has introduced people to.

George Zimmerman never met the 12-year-old pee-wee football player who was described by his teacher as “majoring in cheerfulness”.

That “child” was never in the life of George Zimmerman. The child yearning for Skittles and Iced Tea the media describes, was never present on the night of February 26th 2012.   So who did George meet?

George Zimmerman met a six foot two inch, 160 lb, young man.

George met a 17-year-old troubled teenager who was missing any substantive adult in his life to understand him, engage with him, monitor him and deliver guidance to him. George met the outcome of two detached and divorced parents who choose to view their son, Trayvon, as a task. A task to be managed.

George met the legally dependent son of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin.

George also met the step-son of Alicia Martin, whose husband, Tracy, Sybrina’s ex and Trayvon’s “dad”, was having a long-term affair with his now pregnant girlfriend Brandi Greene.

George met the son of a father whose chosen decision, while in a guardianship of his son because of a 10-day third time school suspension for drug possession, was to leave him unsupervised in the home of his girlfriend, and her 12-year-old son, Chad; while he and Brandi went to a downtown sportsbar for dinner.

Indeed, George Zimmerman met the 17-year-old outcome of unsupervised, undisciplined and unguided parenting.

George Zimmerman met a 17-year-old young man who railed against rules and authority, frequently used drugs, engaged in a drug lifestyle, followed the drug and hip-hop culture and enjoyed the machismo of urban street fighting.

In short, George met “Slimm”, aka “No_Limit_Nigga”.

Understanding that difference, that essential difference, between the Media-Trayon and the ‘real-life Trayvon brings you to a greater understanding of why there is such a disparity in people who are viewing the story.

Likewise, Trayvon never met this guy, his father, Tracy Martin, with the clasped praying hands neck tattoo who wore silk suits and neckties. That person never existed in Trayvon’s life, only in his death.

For Trayvon Martin his father, much like his mother Sybrina, was a “friend”, an “ol boi”, a street-wise elder who was more comfortable talking “pussy” than “math and science”. For Trayvon his mentor(s) were his peers, his peeps or his crew of self-identified similarly minded gangsta wannabe’s.

The “Ol Boi” was handy for crippin’, and part-time parental appearances, but if given a choice between a ten minute lap dance and a 10 minute homework check, well, nuf said…. Bring on the twerkin’ baby.

Such was the understanding.   And so it was.

So Trayvon never actually met this Tracy Martin of media lore. Nor did he ever meet the fictitious Sybrina Fulton,  Mom-type person, the media describes.

Trayvon knew a woman named Sybrina who dispatched him regularly, and watched his comings and goings; somewhat.

But he never met the woman who drove him to school everyday.   How could he? He died in February having been late/absent from school 53 days in a school year that only began the previous August.

Trayvon knew a woman named Sybrina who felt he was essentially uncontrollable; but also a woman who allowed him to look for something to eat in the morning – if there was time; and Trayvon also knew a woman named Sybrina who never drove to Sanford after finding out he was killed – she stayed home – until it was time for a press conference at the law office of Natalie Jackson.

Priorities.

Trayvon never knew a parent who knew of his Twitter account, nor did he know of a parent who monitored his on-line social media activity.

Trayvon never even knew a parent who even knew about his girlfriend “dee dee”.

Trayvon never knew a parent who understood how important it was for him to get some “good head”, or “loose ass pussy”; these people -one might call parents- were completely unknown to him.

No-one, well no substantive adult, knew of the “Lean” drinking or “Blunt” smoking, let alone the MMA street fight clubs.

So, given this, given all of this, is it any wonder why the public are not able to reconcile the differences between what took place, and what the media is describing?

I mean, is it really surprising things seem disconnected when you converse with anyone about this case?  Even the people being eloquently described in the media as relations have never actually met each other.

So how could anyone expect an unattached observing public to actually, honestly, and reasonably understand who the characters are, and how their behavior might not align with the truthful script.

It’s almost like a Trademarked Hollywood Movie Story or something.

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