Will We Still Remember Trayvon?

I took a little hiatus from blogging, but now I’m back to add “my 2 cents” on the Trayvon Martin case. What can I say that hasn’t already been expressed about the outcome of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman trial? I had to think long and hard about what Trayvon’s story meant to me before I could put into words what I wanted to say.   My initial reaction when I heard the judge read the “not guilty” verdict was shock; I thought at the least Zimmerman would have been charged with manslaughter for taking the life of another person. My second reaction when I heard the verdict was sympathy for Trayvon’s parents. I can’t imagine the pain his family is going through to have to deal with not only losing a child but to also see the person that took their child’s life go free without having to face the consequences of his actions.

It’s hard for me to comprehend how an unarmed teen with a bag of skittles and a drink posed enough of a threat to a man to have his life taken away from him (but I won’t go there). People get very defensive when race is brought up, but I feel that this case/trial would’ve gone much differently had Trayvon been another ethnicity (I won’t go there either).  I think that an assumption was made about Trayvon based on his appearance and that's what initiated the situation that ultimately led to his death. I read some comments regarding the case on the internet and many people couldn’t understand why this trial received so much publicity, because as they stated “young black men kill each other every day.”

I can’t disagree with that comment because in many places it’s true, but the irony in the statement is that the young men committing the crimes are also getting punished for the crimes. It’s rare that they walk away free; they’re persecuted and usually given a max sentence. In Trayvon’s case there was no accountability for his death. Did his life have no value?  As I write this many people in different parts of the country are protesting, rallying, and signing petitions because they feel that there was a lack of justice in this trial. People are so quick to jump on the bandwagon and get caught up in all of the hype but months from now will they still be screaming “I am Trayvon,” or “No justice, No peace.” Or will Trayvon Martin just be another name that will long be forgotten over time. When you choose to take a stand on a situation stick to it and be consistent with it. Change takes action, dedication and time. This case should move people to take a stand on injustices that are happening on an everyday basis in their own backyards/communities. Don’t start something and not finish it. My heart goes out to the Martin family and as spiritual person; I feel that the ultimate judge of all things and actions is GOD. 





President Obama speaks about Trayvon Martin