I don’t know what President Obama’s schedule is looking like for today, but I’m sure he’ll be making time to comment on the case of Shawn Tyson, the Florida teenager who was yesterday sentenced to life without parole for the cold-blooded murders of two young British men who were holidaying in the state.
I’m sure the president will want to share his thoughts on the tragedy, because he takes such a keen interest, in his capacity as bridge-builder-and-healer-in-chief, in inter-racial altercations – and in particular fatal shootings to which there’s an apparent racial element. And the racial element here is at least as much a factor as it was in the case of the Trayvon Martin shooting which has so exercised Mr. Obama, and probably more so.
Tyson was black, while his victims, James Cooper, 25, and James Kouzaris, 24, were white. The pair were gunned down after straying into Tyson’s predominantly black housing project, and while there’s no shortage of black-on-black shootings in such areas, it’s hard to imagine that two black men with no gang affiliation walking through the same neighbourhood would have been as likely to be targeted.
As reported in the Fox News story linked above, friends of Cooper and Kouzaris who spoke at the trial said they were “dissatisfied” with the lack of support or condolences from the United States government, and from President Obama in particular.
But I’m sure Mr. Obama will be swift to make amends, and will “insert himself” into this tragedy in a way that, according to the Washington Post, is “at once deeply personal and completely universal, and avidly avoids taking sides in a political fight”.
I’m expecting Mr. Obama to say that he can only imagine what the parents of Cooper and Kouzaris have had to go through since Tyson executed their sons, after making them beg for their lives, last April.
Perhaps he’ll even say that the two young men could have been, if not his own sons, then perhaps his younger brothers. They’re white, yes, but in every other respect they could have been his sons, or his brothers – and anyway, we’re all color blind these days when it comes to such matters aren’t we?
Or perhaps the president will take a more controversial line and, in the context of discussing the problem of gang-related violence in America’s black communities, deliver a compelling soundbite that will earn praise from America’s and the world’s media. Something like: “If I had a son, he’d look like Shawn Tyson.”
I’m confident that Mr. Obama will want to comment on this case. Because if he didn’t, some observers might jump to the conclusion that the leader of the free world was little more than a shameless, race-baiting opportunist who was more interested in firing up one of his core constituencies head of November’s election than in seeing justice done.
And that would come as an awful disappointment to his many adoring fans here in Britain – none more adoring than Prime Minister Cameron himself.
Mike McNally, you cynic. Our Dear Liar is trying to come up with the right words.
The Teleprompter in Chief is being prepped even as we speak …
Let’s remember that multiple witnesses said Tyson called the victims “crackers”. This is akin to white racists calling their victim “n****r” as happened in one successful case of self-defense by black roofing contractor Hygens Labidou, who used a gun (oh, my gosh!) to fight off two armed white attackers. This happened in Florida, too.
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/03/25/jesse-jackson-uses-trayvon-martin%e2%80%99s-death-to-restore-the-plantation/
Ah! The case I’d read about, but lost track of! Thanks!
You missed a critical factor in President Obama speaking to this case. The murders of British nationals directly impact US foreign relations, over which the President has sole responsibility.
I’m afraid that you in Britain will be disappointed. That’s what Barack Obama excels at: disappointing everyone.
It will turn into gun control issue with him.
It already is a gun control issue. A 14 year old brutally murders 2 men and receives a life sentence. Why, if only that 14 year old had a 3 day cooling off period, or had to pass a background check.
Vacation Brits being killed in Florida by teenagers is an annual event. We actually have a law that rental cars cannot have identifying bumper sticker or decals, because that makes tourists targets of thieves.
Back in the 90′s it was German Tourist getting killed. There were tips on how to avoid getting shot. Here is how you avoid it. Do nto go into the areas where there are 4 gerneations of takers wanting to take your money, your stuff and your life.
There was even a band named the Dead German Tourist. Nice to see that South FL cant clean it’s crap up either.
Obama is jerk off.
Sadly I seriously doubt Mr.Obama will take the time to speak out about the death of James Cooper and James Kouzaris. I may and could be wrong but the Obamas seem a bit racist to me. A man who calls himself black when he is actually Bi-racial should prove he doesn’t respect this WHITE mother enough to claim her side as his racial makeup too. He would never claim a young white man as like a son for the simple fact is he only cares for the Black people and he doesn’t even do that well. He as a President should care about all the people and not just one race. He was so quick to jump on the Trayvon Martin case and ignored the fact a young man last June was nearly beat to death by several young black men in Columbia, South Carolina. The man just got off work and was walking to his car when he was jumped and beaten for the “fun of it”. That cases didn’t even make National news. It seems to me that it is only “NEWS” worthy if its a “Black victim” against another race. In the Zimmerman case, most accusers want to call him white when it’s been proven he to is another Bi-racial human. When we see the “victims and Murderers” we only see Black vs. White and never for what is really is…a senseless murder. Until the American people get their heads out of their racist butts including our President then we will never function as a good Nation. We need to stop pulling the race card in every crime that is committed against another race. If they want a racial killing, James Byrd Jr from Jasper, Texas was killed because of his black race by three white men. These two young men were killed because of their race. The Martin/Zimmerman had nothing to do with race, nor should it be seen as that. My thoughts and prayers are with the Victims families.
“I may and could be wrong but the Obamas seem a bit racist to me.”
A “bit”?
Look into what was “preached” at the “church” he attended for 20 years. What his “spiritual mentor” thinks about whites.
I sure hope they aren’t holding their breath while they wait. Obama knows they can’t vote for him.
The President is a racist.
I don’t care about either of these cases, but you guys all prove that you either A) Don’t know what people are mad about or B) Only care about racism when you’re being affected or C) Actually are racist. As the first sentence states, this murderer was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Zimmerman is sitting in a house watching TV somewhere. That’s what people are mad about. They’re mad that there aren’t even charges and that he’ll probably get off with no charges. Think of all the possible charges there are (murder 1,2 manslaughter, negligent homicide, etc.), I don’t think any unbiased person could honestly say he didn’t commit one of those. I don’t care about the racial aspect in any of these, but they should both be in jail. It is clear that, at the very least, Zimmerman is guilty of negligent homicide.
Of course the obamanauts always point out that in this case the Tyson was arrested and tried. Like that makes it better: Obama only comments on pending investigations where the facts are not clear.
Barack Obama was raised at first by his white mother, after having been left by his black father who he never knew well. His white mother then gave him at an early age to be raised by his white grandparents in Hawaii where “Barry” grew up as a largely white boy. But now he defines himself as black, at least for census and political purposes. White or black, he is first and foremost a politician, a profession where principles surpass racial boundaries.
It is more likely that Obama will join up with the rest of the black racist bigots (again) and instead of offering any benevolent words for the victims, he will rail about how racist it is that another young black man is in jail for killing white people (who are expendable in his eyes) and he’ll have his fellow black supremacist, Eric Holder, demand that the killer of those two British young men be released and cleared of all charges and that his conviction be overturned. Barry is a race hustling grievance mongering bigot and if there is one thing he holds in lower regard than whitey, it’s the British. I wish I were wrong, but you know I am not.
Well said Zilla! I couldn’t have said it better.
I’m sorry about the tourist getting killed, but the attacker did get arrested and will spend his life in jail. Trayvon Martin’s killer is still walking around with the gun that shot Trayvon. I’m sure you can see the difference. By the way, the president made a remark only after being called upon by the media.
Antonio, I know you are too dumb to understand, but just because someone gets killed, that does not make the killer a murder. There is a thing called self defense. Our genius president, comrade obama, thinks he can see sanford so well from his house that he can say what happened.