[lbo-talk] On "whiteness"

[Joseph Catron]

I've been struck by the number of media referring to George Zimmerman, the
alleged murder of Trayvvon Martin, as "white" (
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/19/trayvon-martins-murder-was-the-motive-self-defense-or-racism),
apparently based on police reports, while his family identifies him as
Hispanic (and he's clearly something non-WASP-y) (
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hXxBkmvHRtNjf7eHr97r29fiIVrw?docId=458cd0d9fa994f69a0bf1239b8eada3a
).

Any early thoughts on this? Is it indicative of journalists writing their
stories to fit within predetermined narratives? Are they just relying on
the determinations of police, who would, as I recall the federal
categories, classify any non-African-descended Hispanic person as "white"?
(One wonders, though, how often that would affect the coverage of anyone
else accused of a crime!) Or is it a sign that upper-crust Florida
Hispanics have fully joined the club (enough to get away with killing Black
people, no less)?

-- 
"Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen
lytlað."