If you haven't heard this story, then here's a brief summary: Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old black male, was walking around in a predominantly white neighborhood when he was met by George Zimmerman, a 28 year old white male, who was apart of the areas' neighborhood watch program. George felt threatened by Trayvon's presence in the neighborhood and followed Trayvon. There was a confrontation between the two and eventually the confrontation escalated into a scuffle. As a result of the scuffle, George pulled out his gun, fired, and killed unarmed Trayvon. This incident has sparked a national outrage that has been commented on by Al Sharpton, President Obama, and others. The black community in Sanford, Florida, where the incident took place, sees the killing as racially motivated. Some believe that George shouted out racial slurs at Trayvon before he killed him. Whatever the motivation behind this crime, it is obvious that racial tensions are high. But why?
Robert Zimmerman, George's father, wrote a letter to the Orlando Sentinel saying, "He would be the last to discriminate for any reason whatsoever...the media portrayal of George as a racist could not be further from the truth." Robert also goes on to say that George is Hispanic and grew up in a multi-racial family. The Orlando Sentinel report also goes on to say that George allegedly acted in self-defense. A witness said that they saw George on the ground while Trayvon attacked him. Yet other reports confirm that police advised George not to pursue Trayvon but to leave him be. Nevertheless George got out of his car and pursued Trayvon. Does an hispanic male pursuing a young black man and killing him because he felt threatened constitute a hate crime? Well the New Black Panthers seem to think so. They have mobilized 5,000 men and have offered a $10,000 bounty for the capture of George Zimmerman. Mikhail Muhammed, a leader of the group, said, "If the government won't do the job, we'll do it!" He lead a group of protestors saying, "Justice for Trayvon!" and "Black Power!"
The Trayvon Case has brought allot of pain, frustration, and anger to the surface. And it seems to me that the media is feeding this frenzy with multiple accounts of the same story, speculation, and heresay. The complete story of the Trayvon Case has yet to be disclosed. Only one fact remains clear, Trayvon Martin is dead and his murderer has not been arrested or detained. George Zimmerman is living in hiding, fearing for his life. And he has every reason to be afraid now that the New Black Panthers is after him.
As I take a step back and think about why has this story received so much press and why this case has become an issue for racial justice, I can't stop but wonder about the countless other murders and crimes done in this country. What truth is trying to be presented? I do believe Americans are tired of racial injustice in this country, due to racial profiling. I get that. But the issue seems to be deeper than simply racial profiling. What is behind the epidemic fear of young black men? Why can't the police system not be trusted? Have black and white Americans truly dealt with the painful history of slavery and racism? George Zimmerman is half white and half Hispanic, do we blame his half white side or his half Hispanic side for the crime? Does it matter that he is white or Hispanic even when his family says that he is not racist? These questions, I think, get to the core of the issue. In the next couple of blogs, I will look at answers to each of the questions I have put forward. So stay tuned!
