The filmmaker’s erroneous retweet wrongly gave George Zimmerman’s address as that of an innocent elderly couple.
USA Today’s Natalie DiBlasio reports that Spike Lee retweeted the home address of “George Zimmerman”… only it wasn’t Trayvon’s shooter’s house.
Since the tweet went out, Elaine and David McClain, 70 and 72, have gotten hate mail and unwanted visitors. Their son told the Orlando Sentinel they left to avoid the spotlight and possible danger.
Lee apologized in a tweet sent late Wednesday: “I Deeply Apologize To The McClain Family For Retweeting Their Address. It Was A Mistake. Please Leave The McClain’s In Peace.”
Thank goodness the couple is safe and sound.
This situation further reinforces a need for truth, rather than revenge, in the case of Trayvon Martin, as well as a full and impartial investigation of the death of the teenager.
Photo by: david_shankbone
What worries me is if he had actually given the right address would people be conerned about vigilante justice then? Or would this have gone ignored and unreported?
But beyond that Lee supposedly retweeted this incorrect address, implying that he got it from someone else (by hitting the Retweet button). Lee had a hand in giving out personal information, incorrect at that, but it doesn’t sound like he was the one that originally gave the location.
Whenever i hear stories like this (someone taking the law into their own hands) i’m happy to know that we have a court of law.
People left to their perceptions, opinions and beliefs can not be trusted to seek justice.
I’d sue him. As much as I believe that Zimmerman needs to face trial for what he did, if I were that couple I’d take Lee to court. I’m really sick of celebrities who pull stunts like this like their actions dont have consequences.
If the couple were hurt, would he be charged for inciting hatred/something? There have been cases in the UK I believe where the sex offender registry hasn’t been updated, vigilantes attacked the occupants of a home except the sex offender had moved out a while before….so innocents get harmed because of knee-jerk vigilante behaviour.
“This situation further reinforces a need for truth, rather than revenge, in the case of Trayvon Martin, as well as a full and impartial investigation of the death of the teenager.”
What this situation indicates is that vigilante justice is an oxymoron. It’s more like vigilante injustice.