I didn't know Trayvon Martin personally, but to me he represents many young black men of his age. He was a young man who was needlessly struck down in the prime of his life. I cannot look at this situation objectively, I can only look at it from the point of view of a black woman who has young nephews, cousins and god children. If the same had happened to one of them, I would have been just as devastated as Trayvon's parents. The fact that George Zimmerman just walked away from such a crime bothers me. As a black American, I will never see eye to eye with anyone who believes that race did not play a part in the outcome of Zimmerman's actions. Had Trayvon been a white young male wearing a hoodie, would he even have been on Zimmerman's radar? He made a hasty decision that Trayvon was up to no good simply on the basis that he was a young black male. We can go over the details of what happened again and again, but to me, the outcome will always be the same. Trayvon's reaction to his approach has no bearing on the outcome at all. The fact of the matter is, Trayvon would still be alive today if Zimmerman had not passed judgement on him on the basis of his color.
I know how this unexpected loss has devastated the family and friends of Trayvon Martin. The Martin's are a Christian family and, no doubt, this is what is keeping them strong through this ordeal. I admire their strength and their courage in light of the outcome of the trial.
One last comment, every time I write, I encourage young black men to be the best, to seize every opportunity, I tell them that they can survive the hood if they live their life for the greater good, I encourage them to stand on their feet and to not surrender to defeat, but what can I say to the young black men who strive to do all these things and are cut down unjustly. What do I say?
I dedicate this song to the Martin family.
My sister's response to my comments:
Well and truly stated, Pat. I share your sentiments. Trayvon is an unwitting martyr, whose life and death, have mobilized a long overdue move to recognize the need to address race relations in America.
Having work in the criminal justice system, both from the side of the prosecution and the side of the defense, I know that race is ALWAYS a factor. I had an unforgettable experience as a juror in a case in which a young Black college student was accused of assaulting a Los Angeles police officer. I got on the jury because another black engineer was so frustrated after days of having been rejected as a juror on all cases involving Black defendants. He and I were the only Blacks in that jury pool. He challenged the prosecutor for systematically rejecting all Blacks telling him to, “get on with it and stop wasting time.” That challenge resulted in the both us of being put on the jury. On the first vote, everyone voted “guilty,” except he and I. We successfully persuaded the other jurors to an ultimate vote of “not guilty by focusing on the evidence, not the profile of a very tall, young Black man. Several years later, I heard someone yell my name across CSULA campus. It was the young man, who thanked me. His life would never have been the same had he been convicted of even a “first offense.”
That said, young people are now on board with the serious problem of race in America. Evangelist Billy Graham, a White man, once said this: “The number one problem in America is race.” Thank you Trayvon for your life and thank you 6 White women, for your rose colored view of life and the decision that has exposed justice for what it isn’t (blind)!
Virginia
”Right temporarily defeated is better than evil triumphant.”
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.