Egypt, Japan discuss economic ties, preparations for TICAD conference    Real Estate Developers urge flexible land pricing, streamlined licensing, and dollar-based transactions    Madinet Masr in talks for three land plots in Riyadh as part of Saudi expansion    Egypt's PM tells Palestinian PM that Rafah crossing is working 24/7 for aid    Egypt's Sisi pledges full state support for telecoms, tech investment    EGP inches down vs. USD at Sunday's trading close    EGX launches 1st phone app    Escalation in Gaza, West Bank as Israeli strikes continue amid mounting international criticism    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt, UNDP discuss outcomes of joint projects, future environmental cooperation    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    After Putin summit, Trump says peace deal is best way to end Ukraine war    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Jordan condemns Israeli PM remarks on 'Greater Israel'    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egypt prepares to tackle seasonal air pollution in Nile Delta    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt, Colombia discuss medical support for Palestinians injured in Gaza    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt's govt. issues licensing controls for used cooking oil activities    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Egypt's Sisi: Egypt is gateway for aid to Gaza, not displacement    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Obama Walks Tightrope In Reacting To Zimmerman Verdict
Published in Amwal Al Ghad on 15 - 07 - 2013

The acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin left President Barack Obama trying to dial down tensions on Sunday while reassuring supporters he still stands against discrimination and gun violence.
Obama called for calm as activists outraged by the verdict planned rallies and urged the administration to pursue civil rights charges against Zimmerman. On the other side, Republicans said he inflamed tensions by wading into the issue in 2012, when he said, "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."
"I know this case has elicited strong passions," the president said Sunday in a statement. "And in the wake of the verdict, I know those passions may be running even higher. But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken."
Critics charged that some of those tensions were of his own making: the president's willingness to comment on the case may have highlighted the racially charged nature of the trial.
"The president engaged in this and turned it into a political issue that should have been handled exclusively with law and order," Republican Representative Steve King said on Fox News Sunday.
The clearing of Zimmerman by a six-person jury in Florida has also stirred disappointment that justice may not be served and raised fears that unhappiness about the verdict could lead to civil unrest.
Critics contend Zimmerman wrongly suspected 17-year-old Martin of being a criminal because he was black, making it a civil rights issue. Rallies were planned for New York, San Diego, Sacramento and elsewhere on Sunday.
Zimmerman's lawyers argued he acted in self-defense the night of February 26, 2012, when he and Martin met inside a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
In the wake of the trial, civil rights leaders including Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Benjamin Jealous, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), urged the Justice Department to pursue federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman.
The Department of Justice said it is reviewing its options but indicated that its scope may be narrow given its ability to bring civil rights cases and limitations on the heels of the Florida court's acquittal.
"Zimmerman was not a state actor," said Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. "Much of the civil rights law only applies to state actors. This is a private individual."
Martin's family could bring a civil lawsuit for wrongful death or negligence, Levenson said. The Justice Department could conduct an investigation into whether local law enforcement officers treat people of color differently than whites, she said.
Even as Obama called for the public to respect the court's decision, he also sought to channel the emotion surrounding the case into support for efforts to strengthen controls over gun ownership.
"We should ask ourselves if we're doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence that claims too many lives across this country on a daily basis," he said.
Obama's campaign to curb gun violence after the Newtown, Connecticut, school massacre of 20 children and six adults in December was defeated when the U.S. Senate rejected a plan to expand background checks for gun buyers.
Source : Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.