What would you do if one day you woke up and realized the life you are living is built on a false unstable foundation of dreams? If to this point you had lived your entire life blinded, and had built your thought process off only what you could hear and couldn’t see. What would you do once God opened your eyes and granted you discernment to understand the difference between the two? Would you continue to walk in the shadows behind the lies you had been living or chose to follow the new truth God had granted you the ability to see?
On February 28th in Sanford, Florida, Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old black male, was gunned down while walking back to his father’s home in a gated community. He was murdered by an overzealous member of the neighborhood watch. George Zimmerman, the shooter, said he looked suspicious because he was wearing a black hoodie sweatshirt. His actual words to the 911 operator were “This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. He’s just staring, looking at all the houses. Now he’s coming towards me. He’s got his hand in his waistband. Something is wrong with him.” This young man had no weapons on him. He had committed no crime other than being a black male at night walking on the street wearing a hoodie.
In recorded 911 calls from neighbors, you could hear Trayvon screaming for help followed by a gun shot. Zimmerman was not arrested due to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground Law.” The police said they didn’t have enough evidence to dispute Zimmerman’s claim he shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense.
Historically black males have been the most hunted group in American history. During the time of slavery, the strongest black male of the group would be whipped and beaten to help break the mental strength of other physically weaker slaves. In the 20’s police claimed they needed bigger bullets (called a nigger bullet back then) to shoot a black male due to our so-called superior physicality. We were made to look like savages and the population as a whole was brainwashed to believe the same thing.
Sadly in 2012 not much has changed. I don’t necessarily believe Zimmerman is racist, but I do believe his actions where controlled by the embedded fear of black males that has been nurtured and grown throughout the history of “the land of the free and home of the brave.”
When we are seen walking down the street, we are considered by law enforcement and others to be a threat. When we are seen getting out of a nice car we are considered to be a drug dealer, sports figure, or rap star. When we are standing in front of a judge we are presumed guilty until proven innocent. So the sad fact that Trayvon was considered a threat walking down the street in a hoodie minding his own business doesn’t surprise me.
Liberty and justice are not a given to all in this country. As a Black male I know from history and my own personal experiences our justice system is not far. If you are rich, famous, or Caucasian maybe so, but for the millions of Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans “trapped” in this country, our realities are much different. My Grandmother (RIP) used to tell me “a scared person is a dangerous person”. Our country was built on the manipulation of the mass and a fear of us has been a part of our country’s foundation since the first slave ship landed in the Americas.
So again America I ask you what will you do? If you’re not a part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. We see there are horrible problems in our justice system. We see that in 2012 black males are still hunted and racially profiled. We see how our schools and communities are struggling to survive. We see we are not free. I just pray the young life of Trayvon Martin was not lost in vain. I pray it’s a wakeup call for our reality show, internet, and social media addicted country. If there’s no justice there definitely shouldn’t be any peace.
