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
