“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the
things that matter” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Disbelief and sadness were my exact
sentiments when I first learned of the tragedy of the Trayvon Martin case. It
was a tweet from the Huffington Post that called my attention to the story.
When I clicked the link to the article, and began to read the details I
couldn’t help but feel angry, shocked, sad, and confused all at the same time.
By the end of the article, I literally could not believe what I’d just read.
Let’s consider the facts for a
moment. Trayvon Martin was walking home from the store, and talking to his
girlfriend on the phone. George Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood
watchman sees Trayvon, deems him to be suspicious because he is wearing a
hoodie (and I dare to add because he is black), calls the police to report his
suspicion, tells them that he is following Trayvon, and is then informed to
stop. Ignoring the police’s instruction, Zimmerman continues to follow. At this
point, Trayvon has noticed that this strange man has been following him,
expresses his concern to his girlfriend on the phone, and eventually begins to
run due to naturally becoming frightened. Zimmerman pursues Trayvon, corners
him, initiates an altercation, and then shoots and kills Trayvon under the
claim of “self defense”.
How is it that a 17-year-old boy’s
life is stolen from him by a man who is three times his size, and an
arrest never be made?? The police say that there was not enough evidence to
make an arrest, but doesn’t self-defense have to be proven??? Where was the
proof that Zimmerman was defending himself when he killed Trayvon? Was it in
the fact that in his pockets, Trayvon was carrying a bag of skittles and an ice
tea?? Or was a claim of self defense sufficient enough because, like Zimmerman
, the officers who arrived at the scene agreed that Trayvon looked
“suspicious” because of his hoodie (and his black skin)?? It’s
clear to me that the responding officers didn’t do a thorough investigation.
A child lies dead
with a pocket full of candy, and his killer, goes free; not even brought in for
questioning. To be arrested doesn’t mean you are being charged with anything.
It simply means you are being brought in until the details of the situation
become clear. I don’t understand what prevented the arrest. Was it not evident
enough that Trayvon didn’t pose that much of a threat to Zimmerman to warrant
him to shoot him in the chest?? Never mind the fact, that Zimmerman was the one
who followed, tracked down, and started an altercation with Trayvon.
Seriously?! I’m confused by this. And as more and more details come in about
this case, I can’t help but wonder how such an injustice can even be a matter
of debate. Zimmerman not only took an innocent’s child’s life, but he also
robbed his family and loved ones. He is guilty of murder. There is no way I
could be convinced otherwise. Not to be repetitive, but how does a person claim
self-defense when he initiated the altercation? I can’t wrap my head around
that. It makes absolutely no sense to me.
If you haven’t been following this
case, I encourage you to look it up and be informed. The injustice of this case
is real, and its meaning is significant. Trayvon’s story really resonates with
me. I think of my family, my friends, and how this tragedy could’ve been their
fate. I even think of how it could’ve been yours or mine (no matter the color
of your skin).
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that
matter”. If you are interested in helping bring justice to Trayvon, you can
sign his family’s petition to have Zimmerman arrested at http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin
Be the change you want to see.
WE
ARE TRAYVON MARTIN.
No comments:
Post a Comment