Geraldo Rivera took a public relations beating when he suggested that Trayvon Martin’s hoodie might have contributed to his shooting. “His hoodie killed Trayvon Martin as surely as George Zimmerman,” Rivera tweeted in 2012. “Trayvon killed by a jerk with a gun, but black and Latino parents have to drill into kids heads: a hoodie is like a sign: shoot or stop and frisk me.”
Rivera eventually apologized to Martin’s parents for his comments, much as Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban did after admitting he crosses the street “if I see a black kid in a hoodie and it’s late at night.” CBS News’ Mark Knoller even took some heat for referring to the hoodie as “the Unabomber look.”
Now Rivera reflects on his (and Cuban’s) hoodie comments as “painfully honest.” What does the public think? Has Geraldo been redeemed?
@GeraldoRivera Don't understand why people call you racist because you go above and beyond for your own safety? #TruthHurts
— Frankie Rodriguez (@LunchBoxFR) May 23, 2014
@GeraldoRivera Those loudest critics,put em n SAME scenario,C if THEY'D cross street…hell,they'd B RUNNING n oth direction. Utter BULLCRAP
— Judyann Joyner, RN (@jjrn13) May 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/Navionman/status/469823000896737280
@GeraldoRivera nothing wrong with avoiding someone based on what some may call bad judgment #facetattoos #multiple piercings #dissheveled
— D Burns (@DMBurns04) May 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/elmo1953/status/469823385368014848
@GeraldoRivera so someone who appears dangerous to someone they just have to suck it up and do nothing an absurdity
— Doctor B (@chirofrenzy) May 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/beckkevray/status/469824614278111232
@GeraldoRivera sounded like an honest comment to me as well.
— Jim Ryan (@JimmTR) May 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/OldmanOpTicfan/status/469826473516630016
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https://twitter.com/dbplanchon/status/469827737910530048
@GeraldoRivera gotta be honest many (all races) wear hoodies at night just to intimidate or look ghetto cool, its a fad, as well as behavior
— Yardonna (@yardonna) May 23, 2014
On the other hand:
@GeraldoRivera Cheers! You are not the only bigot in town. However you ARE sitting in the cheap seats as you are not a #billionairebigot
— Lizz Brown (@lizzzbrown) May 23, 2014
@GeraldoRivera Oh please! Even your son was disappointed in you. You're an ass.
— ?Shay Leene? (@cherokee_autumn) May 23, 2014
Related:
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Ludicrous: Van Jones posts image of Martin Luther King Jr. in a hoodie
‘Million Hoodie March’ for Trayvon Martin attracts Jamie Foxx
Red Hot Chili Peppers wear Trayvon hoodies at concert
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