We all know the story about Trayvon Martin and his death on February 26 at the hands of a White/Hispanic man who was a neighborhood watch leader of some sort. He is claiming self-defense. The teenager was wearing a hoodie (it was raining that night) and was visiting relatives in a gated community (meaning rich neighborhood). He had gone to a nearby convenience store and bought Skittles and a tea and was walking back to the relative's residence when the other man came upon him, confronted him (after calling police to report a suspicious man and ignoring the police "orders
" to not confront him) and for reasons we may never really know, he shot and killed the kid.
Here is my thinking. Many of you have heard of "DWB", which stands for Driving While Black. This is where the police stop a Black (usually male, often younger (like under 25)) motorist, especially in a expensive part of town and/or while driving a expensive and/or "flashy" vehicle based on a hunch or a vague tip or less, rather than a really good reason. I have had it happen to me.
Mr. Martin was accosted for "WWB", which stands for Walking While Black. Because he was young Black man, walking in a rich neighborhood (not always), and wearing clothes (in this a hooded sweatshirt, called a "hoodie") that many feel is the preferred clothes worn by thugs, gang members or people up to no good, if you watch movies, the news, or a lot of MTV and/or other music video shows. The shooter also felt justified to use deadly force because he though the kid had a weapon (we think) and also due to certain Florida laws that allegedly allowed such.
Mr. Martin was unarmed. As of today, multiple, local state and allegedly Federal groups are investigating this tragedy. No arrests have been made. Many tributes have occurred and more will come, some by local folks, some by famous sports teams and even the President has made comments. Why hasn't the shooter been arrested? or even brought in for major questioning? Is this another case where someone gets away with murder because the victim is Black and/or the assailant is White (okay, this guy is half-White)? You make the call.
Now, what is the Black Man Code? If you are not Black, or in particular a Black man, you have no idea. This is a set of ideas that has been passed from father (or Black male adult or relative) to son and/or young man on the things that a (young) Black man should do when alone or in a group in public, especially in areas where are more folks of other races (especially White) will be around and/or the police, and so on. MSNBC.com did a story about this that I read earlier today. I won't paraphrase from the article, but it was very specific. I don't need to quote from articles, but it is well known that Black men are targeted as perpetrators more often that any other group, including Black women.
Some may say that this shooting was justified because of the race of the victim. BS. The shooter may claim that he feared for his life. Okay, but not in this case. This was murder. Nothing more, nothing less. Will the victim's family and all law-abiding citizens get justice? We will see. It is sad to see that things like this can so blatantly occur in 2012, like it did in 1962 or earlier. Let us see if with modern technology will allow justice to happen now, like it rarely did back then. I hope and pray that it does, and the protests and acts to honor this kid continue until this case is done. Hoodie and all.
UPDATE: Zimmerman was finally charged....with second-degree murder. No indictment, just charged. He turned himself in (shocker!) and was arraigned....and was released on a $150,000 USD bond(!). Not good, in my opinion. The case will probably not go to trial until maybe next year. Is he guilty? The court case will decide this. Some support Zimmerman (if you read the news, you heard about the funds raised for his defense), but more, in my opinion, support the family of the dead teen.
Will this case be like the Casey Anthony case in another part of Florida or worse, like the (original) O.J. Simpson trial in California? Will true justice be served?
Good question. People of color, especially Black men, always have to worry about this, whether they are the accuser or the defendant. That plain sucks. I just hope the prosecutors (and those who support them) do their job well and correctly, and not let the defense weasel out a not guilty verdict on a technicality. The Florida "stand your ground" law will be on trial here, but I feel it doesn't apply. Zimmerman followed and apparently confronted the teen, after the police CLEARLY told him NOT TO. Whether this resulted in a scuffle due to Trayvon Martin attacking George Zimmerman as a result or due to Zimmerman starting it verbally or otherwise which led to Zimmerman using a (was it licensed and/or legal?) gun and killing Martin, allegedly in self-defense is in question. If Martin had lived, we would possibly have both sides to answer such. But we don't. The saying is something like "the dead tell no tales" from the Wild West of the 1800s. Not in 2012. I believe the evidence, if presented (well) by prosecutors WILL tell the story of the last minutes of this teen's life. Have a open mind, and a open heart and be objective, and the truth will come out and will either ultimately set George Zimmerman free or it will put a murderer in jail for a long time (if not for life). We will see. Stay tuned.
" to not confront him) and for reasons we may never really know, he shot and killed the kid.
Here is my thinking. Many of you have heard of "DWB", which stands for Driving While Black. This is where the police stop a Black (usually male, often younger (like under 25)) motorist, especially in a expensive part of town and/or while driving a expensive and/or "flashy" vehicle based on a hunch or a vague tip or less, rather than a really good reason. I have had it happen to me.
Mr. Martin was accosted for "WWB", which stands for Walking While Black. Because he was young Black man, walking in a rich neighborhood (not always), and wearing clothes (in this a hooded sweatshirt, called a "hoodie") that many feel is the preferred clothes worn by thugs, gang members or people up to no good, if you watch movies, the news, or a lot of MTV and/or other music video shows. The shooter also felt justified to use deadly force because he though the kid had a weapon (we think) and also due to certain Florida laws that allegedly allowed such.
Mr. Martin was unarmed. As of today, multiple, local state and allegedly Federal groups are investigating this tragedy. No arrests have been made. Many tributes have occurred and more will come, some by local folks, some by famous sports teams and even the President has made comments. Why hasn't the shooter been arrested? or even brought in for major questioning? Is this another case where someone gets away with murder because the victim is Black and/or the assailant is White (okay, this guy is half-White)? You make the call.
Now, what is the Black Man Code? If you are not Black, or in particular a Black man, you have no idea. This is a set of ideas that has been passed from father (or Black male adult or relative) to son and/or young man on the things that a (young) Black man should do when alone or in a group in public, especially in areas where are more folks of other races (especially White) will be around and/or the police, and so on. MSNBC.com did a story about this that I read earlier today. I won't paraphrase from the article, but it was very specific. I don't need to quote from articles, but it is well known that Black men are targeted as perpetrators more often that any other group, including Black women.
Some may say that this shooting was justified because of the race of the victim. BS. The shooter may claim that he feared for his life. Okay, but not in this case. This was murder. Nothing more, nothing less. Will the victim's family and all law-abiding citizens get justice? We will see. It is sad to see that things like this can so blatantly occur in 2012, like it did in 1962 or earlier. Let us see if with modern technology will allow justice to happen now, like it rarely did back then. I hope and pray that it does, and the protests and acts to honor this kid continue until this case is done. Hoodie and all.
UPDATE: Zimmerman was finally charged....with second-degree murder. No indictment, just charged. He turned himself in (shocker!) and was arraigned....and was released on a $150,000 USD bond(!). Not good, in my opinion. The case will probably not go to trial until maybe next year. Is he guilty? The court case will decide this. Some support Zimmerman (if you read the news, you heard about the funds raised for his defense), but more, in my opinion, support the family of the dead teen.
Will this case be like the Casey Anthony case in another part of Florida or worse, like the (original) O.J. Simpson trial in California? Will true justice be served?
Good question. People of color, especially Black men, always have to worry about this, whether they are the accuser or the defendant. That plain sucks. I just hope the prosecutors (and those who support them) do their job well and correctly, and not let the defense weasel out a not guilty verdict on a technicality. The Florida "stand your ground" law will be on trial here, but I feel it doesn't apply. Zimmerman followed and apparently confronted the teen, after the police CLEARLY told him NOT TO. Whether this resulted in a scuffle due to Trayvon Martin attacking George Zimmerman as a result or due to Zimmerman starting it verbally or otherwise which led to Zimmerman using a (was it licensed and/or legal?) gun and killing Martin, allegedly in self-defense is in question. If Martin had lived, we would possibly have both sides to answer such. But we don't. The saying is something like "the dead tell no tales" from the Wild West of the 1800s. Not in 2012. I believe the evidence, if presented (well) by prosecutors WILL tell the story of the last minutes of this teen's life. Have a open mind, and a open heart and be objective, and the truth will come out and will either ultimately set George Zimmerman free or it will put a murderer in jail for a long time (if not for life). We will see. Stay tuned.
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