Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Trayvon Martin left the home of his father's fiancee on the evening of February 26, 2012 for a quick run to the convenience store for a pack of skittles and iced tea before the start of the NBA All Star Game. He never knew that fate would allow him to cross paths with George Zimmerman and that the events that would transpire between them would ensure that he never made it back. At the age of 17, Trayvon Martin's life was snatched away from him before, most would agree, it ever really had the opportunity to begin.
It could have been anyone of our brothers, our sons, our cousins, our friends... The murder of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent lack of action by the Sanford, FL police department takes me back to a time where it was okay to kill a black person simply because of the color of their skin or because we were seen as being inferior. I may not have actually lived through those times but I learned about them, studied about them, gained a passion for the struggle that the people that came before me had to endure so that I would never forget and never take for granted what they had to go through so that I could be where I am today.
There have been times when I've believed that we have gotten over the "hump" of racism in America. I was fortunate enough to attend President Barack Obama's inauguration back in 2009. I mark it as one of the greatest events of my life. Not only was I proud to see an African American man, and his fully functioning family, sworn into the highest office in the world, but I swelled with pride at the solidarity that I witnessed on that cold January day in 2009. Patrons had to walk for miles to get to the Capitol Building and I vividly remember the sense of pride I felt at seeing all the supporters of our first black president. There were people from all over the world, of every nationality and belief and we were all there for the very same reason. I remember how we shared stories of how we'd been fortunate enough to get tickets to the historical event and how we traveled from near and far. As we stood shoulder to shoulder and arm in arm, both because the crowd was so massive and to keep warm, I felt a sense of peace. From above I imagined that we had to have appeared as a sea of black, yellow, brown, and white and I thought it remarkable at just how far we collectively had come.
Fast forward to present day, it's been almost a month since Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, lost their son to the hands of overzealous, self appointed "neighborhood watch captain" George Zimmerman and an arrest still has yet to be made. On the night in which the murder took place Zimmerman pleaded self defense as he stood over the slain body of Trayvon Martin who was weaponless, had never been in any sort of trouble, and who's cries for help could clearly be heard by ear witnesses whose conversations were recorded as they called to report what was happening to the Sanford Police. There were no drug or alcohol tests performed on him nor was a background check done. I've seen and heard of men receiving more scrutiny after simply being pulled over while driving by the police.
This is a rude awakening that even though we've come far, there is still a long way to go. It saddens me because I know that one day I am going to give birth to greatness, and I will do EVERYTHING in my power to teach him that. I'm saddened because I know that I will have to also teach him that the world may not always view him that way. Like Trayvon, some people in the world may view him as another statistic, with an axe to grind and a reason to lock your doors or to clutch your bag as he makes his way past.
I'm mad because on February 27, 2012 George Zimmerman woke up in his bed, more than likely surrounded by family for support and Trayvon Martin didn't wake up because he was in a morgue, with no family surrounding him because there was no attempt made to notify them, (even though he was in possession of his cell phone), until his father reported him missing that morning upon realizing that his son had never made it home. The saddest part is that he never would...
I troll the major news stations hoping that there is a call to action and a push to make an arrest and the most I see are a few short segments and then they move on to the asinine actions of the Republican candidates or the recently released movie "Hunger Games" and it takes me to a place I'd rather not detail. I wonder if a young black man's loss of life isn't enough to anger everyone or has the fact that is happens at too alarming a rate desensitized everyone? Does his life only deserve a few short segments on the very same networks who were ready to burn Casey Anthony at the stake for her callous attitude and the part we all believe she played in the death of her daughter, Caylee Anthony. Is George Zimmerman any different? I wonder if it's who committed the crime that has made "mainstream" America slow to act or who lost their life? Which is the issue in this case?
This is different though. We heard the tape of Zimmerman's call to 911. We know that he deemed Trayvon "suspicious" and "up to no good" because he was wearing a hoodie even though he had detailed that it was raining that night in the beginning of the call. We know that he followed Trayvon even after being advised by the dispatcher not to do so. We know that Trayvon was on the phone with his girlfriend who stated that he'd told her that he was being followed. We know that Zimmerman claimed self defense even though Trayvon was only armed with a bag of skittles and a bottle of iced tea. Maybe Zimmerman thought Trayvon was going to make him taste the rainbow, eh? Most of all we KNOW that Trayvon Martin is dead.
What I simply want to know is WHY?
If you haven't done so already, please sign the petition to bring Trayvon Martin's killer to justice and then share it!
http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin
