You've probably heard by now that George Zimmerman and DMX are set to fight.
You know George Zimmerman? The guy who
shot and killed an unarmed black teenager walking in his own neighborhood? Who
then went free for six weeks before finally being arrested, was tried and
ultimately acquitted last year? Whose lawyer took an ice cream selfie with
his kids after the court victory? Yeah, that George Zimmerman.
Oh,
and DMX. AKA Earl Simmons, popular rapper in the 1990s and early 2000s of It's
Dark and Hell is Hot fame? Super classy? Yeah, him.
They're
gonna fight. It will be a "celebrity boxing match" backed
by celebrity boxing promoter and crappy person of the year Damon Feldman.
Originally,
Zimmerman wanted to fight Kanye West, pretty much because he's a bigger deal
right now and it would guarantee more viewers. But oh well, he'll have to
settle for Dark Man X.
I
know what you're thinking. "Wait, all I have to do is murder someone, and
I get to be considered a 'celebrity?' How long before I get to be on Dancing
with the Stars?" You're probably also thinking, "Why didn't
someone come up with this sooner! What a great way to finally exact justice and
bring peace, reconciliation, and understanding when the legal system failed us!
Finally! Thank you Black Jesus!" But in all of this, I have one question:
Can
we just not? And by that I mean, can we, collectively, agree not to watch?
I
know, I know. Horror fascination goes a really long way. And who doesn't kinda
want to see Zimmerman get the shit beat out of him? Totally understandable. But
here's the thing...well, aside from the fact that Zimmerman is trained in six
martial arts, increasing the chance that he could be pretty formidable in the
ring...
By
tuning in to the detestable circus that will be this match, we are putting
money in Zimmerman's pockets. Yes, yes, he will supposedly be donating proceeds
to charity, though The Daily Beast's Dean Obiedallah worries about which one exactly. But even if the money does go
toward philanthropy, Zimmerman will still be reaping the benefits of exposure
and buzz which will most likely line his pockets in the end.
Still,
both opponents will undoubtedly be paid well for the fight, but only because
its sponsors can reasonably assume that it will attract a helluva lot of
viewers. Well, let's prove them wrong. Let's not watch. Let's send
the message that we will not be participants in the travesty that is George
Zimmerman's continued pop culture relevance.
Guys,
Zimmerman is trying to capitalize on having murdered an unarmed teenager and
inspiring one of the biggest outcries against racial violence and injustice in
recent history. So if we watch, not only will he have gotten away with it, but
essentially, he'll be getting paid for it.
So.
Can we not?
As
nice as it might be to see that man get knocked down a few times, how
satisfying would it really be? It would be on Zimmerman's terms after all,
since he called for the fight. And it won't give Trayvon Martin's parents back
their son. It won't end prejudice or racial profiling either.
Trayvon
Martin's murder was shameful, tragic, and wounding - wounding to our nation,
our progress, and to what we, as a country, have the potential to be. Zimmerman's
acquittal was salt in the wound.
This
fight turns a recent tragedy and injustice into an all-out freak show. It is
indecent to continue to validate Zimmerman and his attention-seeking antics. It
is indecent to confirm to the fight's sponsors that this venture is
anything better than depraved.
Let's
make them sorry for even giving it a second thought, and maybe next time,
instead of giving their money to a murderer, they'll use it to fund education
and community programs that will help make tragedies like this a thing of the
past.
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