Reckless twitting is everywhere these days, but with the help of Spike Lee and Roseanne Barr, it went from just ‘reckless’ to out of control – to the point that lives are being endangered.

Just as Spike Lee was apologizing for giving out the wrong address of George Zimmerman, Roseanne Barr tweeted to her 110,000 followers the correct address of where Zimmerman resides.

George Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood watch captain, shot and killed Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old resident of Sanford, Florida on February 26. The story quickly received national attention after allegations that Zimmerman shot Martin based on racism arose.  Zimmerman claims he shot Martin on the grounds of self-defense, based under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.

Marcus Higgins, a Los Angeles man, who is a Twitter follower of Spike Lee, tweeted to celebrities Will Smith, Lebron James and Lee the address that he thought was Zimmerman’s. Lee was the only one who acted upon his follower’s tweet and then followed up with putting it on his own Twitter, where approximately 250,000 of Lee’s followers had access to.

However, the address put all over the internet was not in fact Zimmerman’s residence but instead the home of Elaine and David McClain, an elderly couple in their seventies. After receiving hate mail and death threats from people across the nation, the McClain’s were moved to a hotel in an undisclosed location for protection purposes. Lee has publicly apologized to the couple and in desperation to regain a positive image to his fans, Lee wants to reach a financial settlement with the couple.

But just when the hype surrounding Spike Lee was dying down, enter comedian Roseanne Barr. On March 29, Barr tweeted the correct address of George Zimmerman and his parents, Robert and Gladys. Barr quickly deleted her post but remarked that, “it was good to let people know that they can’t hide anymore.”

Still, several of Barr’s followers re-tweeted her original post giving out the Zimmerman’s phone number and address as well as divulging the contact information of Joseph Oliver, who has been making recent public appearances as close friend and supporter of Zimmerman. Barr might face charges for her actions after violating Twitter’s rules and regulations: Never give out someone else’s confidential or contact information.

While Zimmerman claims he acted in self-defense, the 16-year-old girl who was the last to talk to Martin before his death, has a very different story. The young girl reported according to ABC News, that “Martin was on the phone with her when George Zimmerman began following him.

She recounted that she told Martin to run, then she heard some pushing, then the line went dead.” Police found no weapons on Martin and in his pockets were only a bag of skittles and an iced tea.

“Zimmerman violated major principles of the Neighborhood Watch manual, which states, ‘it should be emphasized to members that they do not possess police powers, and they shall not carry weapons.’”

As the Twitter frenzy continues to escalate, an online petition wanting Zimmerman arrested has been created. Thus far, over 90,000 people have signed it. According to change.org, “it is the fastest growing petition in internet history.”

Jason Whitlock, a FOX News Sports Writer, is calling Zimmerman, “the new O.J.,” and “a gun-toting vigilante with a sketchy background as the victim.”

Since the petition, media attention, the divulgence of personal information via Twitter, death threats against Zimmerman and the endangerment of innocent civilians’ lives, Zimmerman has decided to get a lawyer and will be represented by Craig Sonner. Attorney Benjamin Crump will be representing the Martin family as more of the case is exposed and if it goes to trial.

Yet, the biggest question still remains, how differently would this case have been handled if it weren’t for the reckless tweeting of Spike Lee, Roseanne Barr and all of their twitter followers? Unfortunately for the families and friends so deeply impacted, that question will forever go unanswered.

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The death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old high school student in Sanford, Fla., is a vivid reminder that neighborhood watch programs, even with the best intentions, can trigger tragic results for families, residents and entire communities.

“We know neighborhood watch programs can reduce crime and ease the fears of residents, but they also pose major risks when appropriate procedures aren’t followed,” says Thomas M. Skiba, CAE, chief executive officer of Community Associations Institute (CAI). “It’s essential that those who organize and lead watch programs work with local law enforcement authorities to ensure that all volunteers understand and accept the extent and limitations of their responsibilities.”

Skiba said it’s not CAI’s place to pass judgment on the criminality of the events in Florida or the state’s stand-your-ground law. “But the horrible fact remains that family and friends now grieve for a young man,” he says. “As the father of a 17-year-old son, I can’t begin to imagine the horror facing Trayvon’s family.

If nothing else, the regrettable confrontation that night reminds us that such programs must be carefully implemented and rigorously monitored.”

Skiba urges all community associations—even when a watch program isn’t managed by the association—to review procedures and to do everything possible to prevent confrontations that should be handled by police.

For communities considering neighborhood watch programs, Skiba offers the following advice:

• Contact the local police department for start-up support, guidance and training. Volunteers who skip this critical step can find themselves on the wrong side of the law—or worse.
• Seek the advice of an attorney with expertise in community association law.
• Create processes for recruiting only responsible volunteers who will follow all procedures.
• Develop methods, such as websites and e-mail, to keep volunteers and residents informed.
• Continuously reinforce all procedures—including do-not-engage rules for resident volunteers.

“Community associations should proceed very carefully before they decide to create or manage a neighborhood watch program or before they even formally endorse a watch program organized by residents,” Skiba says.

He says association boards considering this issue need to ask three fundamental questions:

• What is the extent of the association’s powers under its governing documents?
• Does the association have the authority to establish a community watch?
• What are the legal and ethical liabilities of an association-sponsored watch program?

“These questions should be answered—definitively—before board members take formal action to establish a watch program or even lend support to such an initiative,” Skiba concludes. “Communities that can’t or won’t answer these questions should drop the idea altogether.”

Visit www.caionline.org/neighborhoodwatch for a detailed article on this topic.

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Spike Lee’s negligent tweet to his 240,000 followers has caused an elderly couple in Sanford, Florida to live in fear. The director retweeted an incorrect address that allegedly was the house that Trayvon Martin’s killer George Zimmerman resided at.

The tweet spawned from twitter account holder @MACCAPONE, according to The Smoking Gun. Marcus Davonne Higgins, 33, a Los Angeles resident tweeted the wrong address to several celebrities such as rapper 50 cent and actor Will Smith. Higgins tweet stated “EVERBODY REPOST THIS.” Lee was the only celebrity to retweet the false information. Higgins also took to his facebook page “FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT & TOUCH HIM.”

The address belongs to David McClain, 72 and wife Elaine, 70 who reportedly suffers from a heart condition. Higgins mixed up George Michael Zimmerman 41, for Trayvon’s killer George W. Zimmerman, 28. The recent headline news surrounding the Trayvon Martin’s case has brought attention all around the country due to the injustice felt by the African American community.

The McClain’s have received threatening mail and random visitors to their household. Because of this the McClain’s have been forced to stay at a hotel. Attorney Matt Morgan representing the McClain’s have reached a settlement for the trouble that the couple has had to deal with.

“At this point in time, we have come to an agreement with Spike Lee and his attorneys, and at this point, the matter is fully resolved,” Morgan said. “Spike has agreed to compensate the McClain’s for their loss and for the disruption into their lives. He’s taken full responsibility.”

According to yahoo news. Lee also tweeted late Wednesday: “I Deeply Apologize To The McClain Family For Retweeting Their Address. It Was A Mistake. Please Leave The McClain’s In Peace.”

Lee isn’t the only celebrity to start an uproar through twitter. Pop singer Justin Beiber earlier last month tweeted, “Call me right now.” Beiber used a Dallas phone number and left the last digit a as question mark. Dallas residents were then subjected to phone calls at all times of the night by excited Bieiber fans.

Singer Courtney Love is another rogue celebrity tweeter, tweeting erratically about a fashion designer in 2011. She paid out $430,000 to fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir after making statements that she had a criminal past.

The outlandish behavior amongst celebrities on twitter has a cause and effect not only to themselves but to others as well whom they may not even know. Celebrities are placed on a pedestal once they reach a certain stature and whatever move they make can affect them positively or negatively as far as their image and credibility goes.

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If you’ve watched the news, you have likely heard about the tragic and senseless killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Florida. But have you read or seen a thorough examination of the facts? You have probably had reports about the protests, about the racism of the police, or of the shooter Zimmerman.

You have seen Al Sharpton showing up and rallies occurring both in Sanford, Fl and as far away as New York City. There is anger, accusations, and there is the pain for a family who lost a son. What is lacking, though, is a clear voice calling for critical thinking regarding the event and the specifics of the case. The result could be a denial of justice as the protests hit a fever pitch.

The case is as follow; Trayvon Martin was walking back from the store when Zimmerman spotted him. Zimmerman called 911 and told the operator he saw someone suspicious in the neighborhood. A police car was dispatched. A physical confrontation ensued, causing more 911 calls, this time from neighbors. At some point Zimmerman shot Martin, who died at the scene. Zimmerman told the police he shot Martin in self-defense, and the police took a report, but did not arrest Zimmerman.

Because Martin is black, and Zimmerman white, the claim of racism began almost immediately, both aimed at the police and Zimmerman.  But in the rush to declare a racial bias, within two hours of the incident, the snowballing of racially motivated protests, the true issues at hand has not been thoroughly examined by many in the African-American community.

Any time an innocent person is killed emotions will run high. This is true of the family members of the deceased, and very true for the African-American community whose history has had to deal with unjustified shootings in the country for decades. However, in the rush to shout racism, community leaders have done a disservice to the community, Martin’s family, and to the cause of justice. There are a number of issues here that are being conflated and ignored.

The first issue is that Zimmerman was not arrested, claiming self-defense. In the state of Florida exists the “Stand Your Ground” law. This law states that you can use deadly force if you believe that your life is in danger. African-Americans have dismissed the self-defence claim as a poor excuse because Martin was not armed, but this is the result of unfamiliarity with the law.

Under ‘Stand Your Ground’, you do not have to be physically attacked — you just have to believe that your life is in danger. If I’m walking home after a night on the town and someone stops me and demands my wallet, I can shoot them. If they turn out not to be armed, I’m not going to be arrested. In this case, Martin did not approach Zimmerman, but we do not know what occurred immediately before he was shot. Without witnesses accounts, Zimmerman’s word did not serve the police with grounds for arrest.

Which brings us to the second issue; The protesters are confusing the police with the district attorney. In the days that followed the shooting, the 911 call was released. Here are an outtake of Zimmerman’s words:

“This guy looks like he is up to no good. He is on drugs or something [...] These a**holes always get away.”

Zimmerman was told not to pursue Martin, but did so anyway. As a neighborhood watch member, Zimmerman was not supposed to be carrying a gun, and he was known to have made 41 911 calls at different times—usually about a black person he suspected of ill intent. The victim, on the other hand, did not have a weapon, had no record, and had every right to be in the neighborhood. All this adds up to suspicion of bias in the police. But that is the wrong assumption.

All the aforementioned info came out later, gathered so that the state’s attorney can determine to charge Zimmerman and for prosecution, and unrelated to the decision of the police at the time, not to make an arrest. The fault here lies with the leaders of the community. It is irresponsible for local leaders not to use this information to assuage fears and calm the community down.

The reason for its importance is that this tragic event has now moved from the legal into the political. Left to its own devices, there is little doubt that the state’s attorney would have charged Zimmerman. Just the fact that he was carrying a gun, violating the rules explained to him in the training provided by the police department to all neighborhood watch members, and instigated a confrontation after being told to not approach, virtually guaranteed it.

But now, the family, Al Sharpton, grievers and supporters and not least the news media, are bombarding both the police and attorney’s office with protests, accusations of racism, and demands.

The news focuses on the bias of the country’s police force, despite Zimmerman not being a police officer; on imagined racial slurs in the 911 call, so muffled that no human ear can discern what is being said; and the politics of African-Americans racing down to Florida to protest the killing of this one boy, but had nothing to say about the ten young black teens killed in Chicago just last week.

The focus is lost. This matters because there is one thing that police departments and prosecutors hate most: looking as though they caved to political pressure.

In other words, if the state’s attorney believes getting a successful prosecution is borderline, they might not charge Zimmerman, just to keep from appearing as though they are caving to the Sharpton’s of the world. No one expects the parents to keep silent — this is their child after all. However, protests that focus on race and race only have a habit of backfiring. Especially given the laws in Florida.

I had no doubt that Zimmerman would be charged but now, it’s up in the air. With the anger that is out there, and the tone of the rhetoric, the district attorney is sure that if charged, Zimmerman will get a change of venue. This always reduces the chances of a conviction. Throw in the political battle being waged and they might just not charge him after all.

There is enough compelling evidence to do so, and left alone, they would. But there is not enough to necessarily convict Zimmerman — no witnesses, and the state has to prove that Zimmerman shot Martin, knowing his life was not in danger. That is how the Stand Your Ground law reads and it is a high wall to climb in court.

Community outrage is fine. There should be a focus on what happened. But that focus needs to be based on the evidence, not the racial fears of the African-American community. Leaders ought to be speaking about the facts of the case, not what they conjured had happened. In the end, deserved justice may be denied by the very people crying out for it. Not because the time isn’t right, but because once again the racial chips on the shoulders of many African-Americans distract them from the real issues in this case.

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