The killing of Trayvon Martin by self-appointed neighbourhood watch Captain George Zimmerman has sparked outrage across America, and has brought to the fore, the rancid problem of race relations in this country. Racial animus are like sores that refuses to heal, every time that the scab is removed it lays bare the ugly sore that precludes the limb from doing all it could potentially do. America great as it is, still has not seen the heights of its potential greatness because of its steadfast reluctance to discard racism.
What makes a person suspicious ? George Zimmerman’s 911 call described 17-year-old Trayvon Martin as suspicious looking. Mister Zimmerman’s lawyer has since stated over and over again that race had nothing to do with his clients actions that night. Understandably Zimmerman’s attorney understands the Federal ramifications for his client, in the event investigators determines that race was a factor in young Trayvon Martin’s death.
ABOUT GEORGE ZIMMERMAN
So lets look at a few key factors in this case, at least as far as the information that has been made public.
(1) We know that Zimmerman sat in his truck and called 911 about what he characterized as a suspicious person.
(2) We know that he commenced to follow Trayvon while he spoke to the 911 dispatcher.
(3) We know that the 911 dispatcher asked Zimmerman if he was following Trayvon, to which he answered in the affirmative.
(4) We know that the 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman quote“we don’t need you to do that“end quote.
(5) We know that Trayvon’s 16-year-old girlfriend affirmed that she was on the phone with Trayvon as he described that he was being stalked by a man, and that she told him to just run on home.
(6) We know that Zimmerman muttered quote “fucking coons always get away” after he was told by the dispatcher not to follow Trayvon Martin.
(7) We know that Zimmerman pursued Trayvon Martin after he was told not to by the 911 dispatcher and that a scuffle of sorts ensued , and that someone was yelling for help.
(8) We know that Trayvon Martin’ mother has said that she recognizes the voice on the 911 tapes as that of her 17-year-old son yelling for help.
(9) We know that George Zimmerman fired a shot killing Trayvon Martin on the spot, Trayvon Martin had a package of skittles and a bottle of iced tea . Snacks he went out to get before the start of the all-star game.
(10) We know that George Zimmerman has not been arrested.
ABOUT THE SANFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT
(1) Why was drug and alcohol test done on the corpse of Trayvon Martin and none done on George Zimmerman, despite the arguments of Sanford police that none was done because Zimmerman was not arrested.?
(2) Why did police not hand over the 911 tapes to the family as requested?
(3) Why despite claims of self-defense by Zimmerman did police not cordon the scene and treat it like any other scene of crime , including gathering forensics, taking photographs, confiscating the murder weapon , looking for spent casings if it was a semi automatic weapon which would have discarded spent casing/s?
(4) Why did police not question witnesses and secure affidavits from witnesses and the shooter?
(5) Why did the police not try to reach the last person/s Trayvon spoke to on his cell phone to determine who he was and who were his parents?
(6) Why did police not complete a file with all evidence and submit it to the prosecutor ?
(7) Why did police simply take Zimmerman’s word for it that it was self-defense ?
(8) Is the Sanford police empowered to act as judge and jury in determining guilt or innocence or is that the duty of a court of law?
I am particularly moved by the smile on this kid’s face, I have four boys and a nephew who is like my own son. I see the shirt he is wearing and I see my own 18-year-old son who worked part-time at that retailer , proudly wearing his Hollister shirt. That kid could have been my kid , it could have been your kid. As President Obama said if he had a son he would look like Trayvon, I think what the President was saying was that if it was his kid walking there that night he would have suffered the same fate.
This leads us to the question of why are black men so reviled and feared, so much so that any black man is automatically deemed suspicious ‚based solely on the color of his skin? Why do police all over this country refuse to investigate crimes against black people. Why don’t they treat black people with the same respect they give to others. Why do predominantly white police departments continue to abuse and treat people of color in this country with impunity,without attracting any consequence for their actions?
Mister Zimmerman’s lawyer claims that his client is not a racist, mister Zimmerman’s father we are told has stated that he is Hispanic, as if racism is simply a white against black thing. One is judged by the words that emanate from one’s mouth, it is by our words we decide on who someone his, the spoken word tells a great deal, it opens the soul to scrutiny from the outside. If some of us would just speak less we would find ourselves in way less trouble. I am inclined to believe that George Zimmerman will rue the day he uttered the two words “fucking coon”
As we have heard since the killing of Young Trayvon Martin came to the fore, many young black men have spoken articulately about survival skills they are forced to develop in order to survive. Critics will argue that young black men are the greatest threat to the survival of other black men,those arguments cannot be seriously discarded without seriously looking at the statistics of the wanton slaughter of young black men by their peers, other young black men.
In cities all over America LA, Kansas City, Newark , Jersey City, Philadelphia,Little Rock, Chicago the situation is the same young black men continue to murder each other at an alarming rate, Even in smaller cities like Newburgh and Poughkeepsie New York it is the same every year the killings continue.
As we are appaled at the killing of Trayvon Martin and the lack of an arrest, experts from University professors to parsons lament the causation behind the fear others have of us. How can we seriously and credibly wonder why others fear us when we are so prone to killing each other? As we seek to address the problem of systematic racism in America, blacks must also embrace the realities that we are a part of the problem.
As we tell our sons:
Do not run from the police.
Stop if you are pulled over.
Don’t do this , don’t do that we are left wondering when will black people ever be afforded full citizenship in their own country? I have four sons and several nephews, I too tell my sons and nephews what other black fathers and mothers tell their sons, but even if they do all we tell them, does it protect them from the suspicions others have of them? Trayvon Martin from all indications did not do anything that would have caused a reasonable person to be suspicious of him. Trayvon Martin’s problem was his black skin. That black skin made him an automatic suspect in the mind of George Zimmerman.
President Obama recognized this when he articulated “if I had a son he would look like Trayvon” Blacks are asking for a conversation on race. A conversation? Really? Prominent black people are asking for a conversation? How many conversations are we going to have regarding this issue, every time there is a killing which sparks national outrage, black élite ask for a national dialogue. A national conversation, I believe the time for a conversation is over. It is time for solutions, words matter very little.
Black America must understand as Jews have, that it’s survival rests in its own hands, How can a nation of approximately 40 million allow others to treat it this way? The time has come for the Black nation to rise up and take its rightful place in a nation that was built on the backs of its fore-parents. It is time that Black America take to heart the creed that all men are created equal by their creator. It is time that black America stop asking others to respect it , it is time to demand respect.
Supporters of George Zimmerman argue that Trayvon Martin attacked him from behind, knocking him to the ground, allegedly breaking his nose, and leaving him bloodied. This new piece of information does nothing to advance the case in favor of Zimmerman, at least to my mind. The question here is this, does a person have a right to defend himself from an armed assailant who unauthorized stalks him for no reason?
You bet. !!!
Even if this campaign by Zimmerman is accepted by those who seek every possible excuse other than to see this case for what it is, we believe that Trayvon Martin had a fundamental right under Florida’s law to stand his ground in the face of being attacked by an armed assailant.
It does not serve Zimmerman’s friends and supporters to try to attack this child’s credibility, this will not sit well with black people in this country, we are aware that there are now plans underway to besmirch Trayvon’s character, they would be well advised not to try this tact.