My Country 'Tis of Thee??

The more things change, the more they remain the same. Since February 26, 2012 I have followed the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case.  The Florida Stand Your Ground Law is comprised of three components which, in short, states:

 "that a person is presumed to have reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily harm when using defensive force if an intruder has broken into his or her home or vehicle and is justified in using force; it states that a person does not have a duty to retreat if he or she believes death or bodily harm is imminent; and it provides immunity from criminal prosecution and civil action for justifiable use of force."

Being mindful of my current position, I took a backseat in fear of expressing my opinion. However, I was always taught to voice your opinion and never be afraid to stand up for those things in which I believe.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

With that being said, it would be remiss of me if I did not share my thoughts on such a tragedy. There are so many emotions mixed in this case, and opinions can quickly turn into heated arguements. My purpose for writing this is not to gain your respect, nor is it to change you or your opinion. I simply want to lay out the facts and consider our options moving forward. 

There was not a day that I did not watch the trial.  Even while on vacation I live streamed on my phone ...addicted, I know. BUT, I have a true passion for justice and I honestly felt like justice would be served. Sitting in my hotel room in Washington, DC several phones began beeping. We all received messages that in fact, the verdict was in. Our hearts were pounding as we watched, along with America, the fate of George Zimmerman. The clerk stated, "The State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman - verdict...we the jury find GEORGE ZIMMERMAN not guilty"

Wow...did we hear that correctly? Our entire demeanor changed. We went from hungry to almost no appetite at all. There was not a dry eye in the room; not because a 17 year old African American teen was gunned down by a 28 year old Hispanic neighborhood watch, but because a 17 year old unarmed child was murdered for walking to his dad's house wearing a hoodie-- carrying skittles & an Arizona ice tea.  A baby....murdered for doing absolutely nothing wrong but "looking suspicious" to a neighborhood watch. Because young black men in hoodies look suspicious, right?...thought so.

In my rear view mirror is the [expletive] law
So I...pull over to the side of the road
I heard "Son do you know why I'm stoppin' you for?"
Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low?
Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo'?
"Well you was doin fifty-five in a fifty-fo' "
"Liscense and registration and step out of the car"
"Are you carryin' a weapon on you I know a lot of you are"
I ain't steppin out of [expletive] all my paper's legit
"Well, do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?"
Well my glove compartment is locked so are the trunk in the back
And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrant for that
"Aren't you sharp as a tack, you some type of lawyer or something'?"
"Or somebody important or somethin'?"
Nah, I ain't pass the bar but I know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my [expletive]
"We'll see how smart you are when the K9 come"
I got 99 problems but a [expletive] ain't one

-Jay Z

I have played the scenario over and over in my mind and it's still not adding up. The jury has spoken so I'm not here to battle with the law (although I disagree)...I digress. However, we (African Americans) are often told to put our faith in the justice system but many of us are wondering why? It seems as though time after time we find ourselves racially  profiled and wrongly accused.

" A system cannot fail those it was never built to protect"-unknown

(NOTE: I did state earlier that it's a sad situation all around--taking race out of the equation and I stick by that. Had Trayvon been anything other than African American, I would still feel a sense of entitlement to fight for justice. However, he's not so lets quit pretending we live in a world where race isn't an issue and admit that it DID play a HUGE factor in this trial. Why you ask? Well I'm sure you heard the audio so I need not repeat. Zimmerman also had a history of reporting young "suspicious" black males...go figure.)


I have heard so many opinions of people trying to justify wrongful actions.  Some have stated that people  killed everyday.  First of all, is that okay with you? Secondly, we rarely see people get killed, the police fully aware of the who committed the crime, and that person walking free after little questioning . Something about that equation does not add up. George Zimmerman went to his bed the night of February 26, 2012 and Travyon Martin went to the morgue. Had it not been for OUR support via social media, Zimmerman would have never been arrested. Although many were displeased with the verdict, our voices were heard and ultimately led to a trial. For that, I am thankful.

My question is...where do we go from here? Do we sit back and allow our young black males to be victimized by the justice system? Or, do we stand united and demand equality? We owe our ancestors that much, right? I often think of Mrs. Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat on the bus after a hard days work. I am reminded of Mr. Medgar Evers who fought, until his death, for equality.  My heart aches for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was murdered in cold blood while fighting for our civil rights. These people lost their lives fighting for MY freedom; how dare I grow weary.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

 I refuse to let their work go in vain. I do understand that one single blog, post to Facebook or twitter will not solve the underlying issue. However, it may spark conversation which may in turn lead to a movement ...who knows. Am I willing to take that chance? Of course!  Taking a stand doesn't mean rioting or any act of physical contact. There's a such thing called peaceful protests that are being held in cities nationwide. In addition, we could host town hall meetings in our own communities. In lieu of discussion, be sure to have a solution. Mr. Charles Blow made an posed an interesting question that weighed heavy on my heart. He asked, "What is the speed with which an African American male should walk so as to not be suspicious?"  Let that marinate.

Check out President Obama's reaction to the recent verdict.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHBdZWbncXI

xoxo,
toyaRAE

OVERCOMING REJECTION

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

Every morning, I take 10-15 mins to read my devotion.  This morning was amazing...God spoke to me. He encouraged me to share my story and with you I will do!  

My family and close friends know that I tried time after time to get into an MBA Program.  Despite my untiring efforts, I was left with numerous rejection letters, a broken spirit, and an empty checkbook.  To this day, I hate standardized test. In my opinion, that is no way to measure ones intellectual ability....but that's an just MY opinion.
After weeks of nearly severe depression, I picked myself up and began the job hunt.  I remember sitting in my room, crying and praying to God.  In that very moment, I fully surrendered to Him.  I asked that He show me the path that He wanted me to take....and wherever that may be, I promised to go.  My dad quickly reminded me to "be careful what you pray for because you just might get it". I knew my prayer could result in me traveling to third world counties, spreading the gospel...and I was okay with that.  Keep in mind, I was beyond ready to get out of my [then] current position.
One day after work I began surfing through jobs at Mississippi State.  My dream has always been to work at a University.  I came across an opportunity that caught my attention.  I quickly sent an email, made a few calls, and applied for the position.  A few weeks passed before I heard anything (of course I was dying inside) and then one day I received a phone call for an on campus interview.  To make a long story short, I conquered my fear and made that presentation my..........doormat.  I traveled back to Jackson with a feeling of contentment.  I knew that I had done my best, so whatever the outcome, I would have to accept it.  Within a week I received a phone call (while on my way to another interview  haha see how good God is).  I was extended the offer to serve as the Recruitment, Retention, and Program Specialist for the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (new name) at Mississippi State University. WOW!!! Little ole me?? Working directly under the president of MSU?? My prayers were answered....but there is more.  Remember my letters of rejection? Well, I am now enrolled in graduate school.  In a few short years I will have my Master of Science in Counseling & Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Student Affairs.  Did I mention I pay ZERO dollars for my education? Since I am an employee of the University, my tuition is paid! THANK.YOU.GOD.

You see, my rejection was painful.  But God showed me that with patience and faith, anything is possible.  Some may not consider this a "testimony"...but it is for me. I know what God has done for me and I am forever grateful.

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." 

Malachi 3:10

With LOVE,
NaToya Rae xo

Why?

Last night I was watching a show called American Greed...not sure why I'm into all the scandalous stuff but that's not important.  This episode was about Dr. Mark Weinberger; Ear, Nose, & Throat Specialist.  To make a long story short, Mr. Weinberger (how dare I call him Dr.) led several patients to believe they needed surgery for their allergy problems.  After taking an x-ray, he would show them a picture of some random person that REALLY needed surgery....how crazy is that?!  He would even put them under anesthesia and "perform" surgery; doing nothing but harm to their invisible problem.  As a result, several families sued for negligence, and he was indicted on multiple counts of insurance fraud.  However, one lady's story touched my heart.  She went on a routine visit and he insisted that she undergo surgery to "fix" her sinus problems.  After doing so, she consulted with another doctor for a second opinion.  The 2nd doctor found that she was in stage 4 of throat cancer.  How did Weinberger not catch this?? Because he had no regard for human life! Disgusting! Sadly, the lady died within a few short weeks.  This was just a brief synopsis of all that went on in Mr. Weinberger's practice, but it results in so many questions. Not just about his wrongdoing, but the wrongdoing of many others. Why are we so greedy? Is 1mil/year not enough? I'm sure it's more than enough, but what do I know?

I've been asking myself a lot of questions lately.  Questions that I'll likely never get answers to.  Why are people so greedy? Why are people so mean? Why are they envious and jealous? Why do they steal and kill? Why do they manipulate people? Why do they scheme? Why do they treat humans beings as less than? Why? Why? Why?

To me, it's simple. Have fun. Be nice to people...nobody likes a mean person. Hold doors for others. LAUGH. SMILE. Return phone calls. Reply to emails. Say please and thank you...and mean it.  Thank God each day. Say what you mean and mean what you say.  Do what you love. Forgive others.  Most importantly, be honest.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  READ.  Be humble.  R-E-S-P-E-C-T others. Appreciate the small things.

Please excuse my rant this am.  Perhaps there are some things I will never understand.