Justice for Trayvon Martin

By now, I'm sure all of you have heard the sad details of the Trayvon Martin case. This case hits home for me. Not only because my heart genuinely hurts for the pain that his family must be feeling, or because of the gross injustice that still has yet to be rectified, but also because it happened just a few miles from where I lived for years in Altamonte Springs, FL.

This could have happened to anyone that I know. It could have been you; it could have been me.

I'm not going to spend time preaching about racial injustice; it is America's big white elephant in the room (pun intended), and will probably never be eradicated in my lifetime. I'm not going to preach about the ridiculousness of George Zimmerman's claim of "self-defense," when he CLEARLY stated to the 911 operator that he was following the unarmed 17 year old. I'm not going to preach about how if the roles were reversed, and a black man had shot an unarmed white child, imprisonment wouldn't even be a question; and half of Sanford would be calling for the death penalty. Nor will I preach about the great danger of Florida's Stand Your Ground law, and how the term "self-defense" can be incredibly subjective. No, I'm not going to preach.

Instead, what I will do, is give you the opportunity to review the evidence for yourself. If you haven't done so already, take the time to listen to the 911 calls, and then read the Florida Statutes that relate to the use of deadly force in self defense and the use of deadly force in self defense by an aggressor. THEN make an educated decision. If you agree that this man should at the very least, be arrested and brought to trial to face a jury of his peers -- sign the petition. Better yet, contact Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and DEMAND JUSTICE for Trayvon! Their phone number is: 866-966-7226. You can also fill out the contact form to file a complaint or inquiry.

Excerpts of the 911 calls:
You can also read a full transcript of George Zimmerman's initial police call here, along with an examination of whether he used a racial epithet, as some listeners have suggested.
(Source) 

Florida Statutes that relate to the use of deadly force in self defense and the use of deadly force in self defense by an aggressor:
776.012 -- Use of force in defense of person. -- A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if:
(1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily    

harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony; or

(2) Under those circumstances permitted pursuant to s. 776.013.
---------------------------------
776.041 -- Use of force by aggressor. -- The justification described in the preceding sections of this chapter is not available to a person who:
(1) Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony; or
(2) Initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself, unless:
(a) Such force is so great that the person reasonably believes that he or she is in imminent danger of death 

or great bodily harm and that he or she has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger 

other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or

(b) In good faith, the person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to 

the assailant that he or she desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.

Listen, I don't presume to call myself an activist. I'm not one of those people that watches horrific YouTube videos and starts ranting and raving about things I really don't know much about, or protests because Brad and Angelina are doing it. But I DO know the difference between right and wrong... and I am concerned about the scary precedent this case could set, and the racially tense direction our nation is headed in. Most importantly, I do remember pledging my allegiance to the flag of a nation that promised "...one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all." We can't bring Trayvon Martin back. But we can unite and demand that he receives his justice. As I write this, The Million Hoodie March is taking place in New York City's Union Square (incidentally coinciding with the United Nations International Day To End Racial Discrimination). Put your hoods up, people. Look in the mirror. Ask yourself if YOU look suspicious. Then do the right thing and demand justice for Trayvon Martin, who could have been anyone's son or brother. Again... it takes a village.

Do I look suspicious?

Roots Rock Reggae

The hubs and I just recently returned from our first trip to Jamaica, where we celebrated our third anniversary (still together!). We flew into Montego Bay, and then made the hour or so drive through the back o' bush to Negril, and then through even more bush aaaaalllll the way to West Bumba, otherwise known as Little Bay (a stone's throw away from Bob Marley's house). We wanted a trip where we could just unplug and unwind, and get away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. The views were a-mah-zing; Jamaica is such a beautiful country. We had a blast, but I was very happy to get back home! After all, there's only so much rice and peas and rum girl can inhale without worrying about her figure. Here are some pics from our romantic little rendezvous in Jam-Rock...

As you can see, the water is crystal clear, the sunsets are breathtaking, and even the shanties have so much character and life. It really was a beautiful trip, and I'm happy to have Jamaica as the first stamp on my new passport!

Manger Avec Moi

Hellllloooo my darlings! I know, I know. It's been waaaaay too long. But I was on vacation for a week (vacay pics to follow), and I had several bracelet orders to fulfill. And now I'm back... isn't that really all that matters? I've been trying to cook a bit more, so I thought I'd jump right in with some tips from your resident gourmet goddess... That's me, in case you missed the memo. Let's dish:

1. Love fresh garlic? I do. I put garlic in everything, and not to keep the vampires away... I just love it. I used to buy the jar of minced garlic, but then noticed that the cloves themselves are so much cheaper. But peeling and mincing every time you want to cook something is SO annoying! Well, I have the perfect solution for you. You'll need a food processor or chopper, but it's a cinch, and keeps ready-to-use fresh garlic at your fingertips. Buy several cloves of garlic, peel them all at once, throw them into the food processor, and chop to the desired consistency. When done, scoop all of the minced garlic into a freezer bag, and run your hand over it to flatten (make sure to get all of the air out). Pop into the freezer, and you're done! Now, anytime you need some fresh garlic (which is almost always for me), all you have to do is break off a chunk, and throw it in the pan! I've been cooking out of the same bag of garlic for at least a month now. Totally worth it, and still cheaper than buying the pre-minced!

2. This tip is for my readers who live in apartments or have limited yard space, but want to have a go at growing their own herbs and veggies. You know those big, multi-purpose plastic bins? They're not just for storing sweaters during the summer! You can use them as your own little garden boxes on balconies or decks, and plant all kinds of goodies to have readily available when you're having a Julia Child moment. Make sure you buy the larger ones that are at least 8-10 inches high, so your plants have room to grow. Also make sure you use a good quality potting soil, plant the seeds no more than 2 inches below the surface, and make sure they get plenty of water and sunlight. We have a patio deck that gets great sun, so I recently started my own little garden. So far, I have scallions, chives, and Italian flat leaf parsley. Basil, cilantro, dill, beefsteak tomatoes and bell peppers are next on my list. This is the perfect planting solution for people with limited space.

Scallions and chives!

3. For those of you who do not have a meat thermometer, here's an easy way to tell if your meat is fully cooked: touch it. Press down on it with your spatula, and see how soft it is. If it is firm and presses back... It's probably done. You don't want to overcook any meat, because overcooking causes meat to dry out. Also, don't forget to rest your meat for at least 5 minutes after cooking! Just remove from the pan, place on a plate, and tent it with some foil. This process allows for the meat to reabsorb all of its yummy natural juices, aka FLAVOR.

 Well, that concludes the tips for the day. Check back soon for more from the REAL Atlanta housewife! xo