Since hearing the “not guilty” verdict on Saturday, I have wracked my brain over and over again trying to figure out what could have been done differently to provide a different outcome. My emotions have ranged from outrage and anger to remorse and sympathy for Trayvon Martin’s parents to repatriation and bun down Babylon! At the end of the day, what I realized is what I knew from the very beginning of the George Zimmerman travesty trial: the lives of young, black males like Trayvon Martin are not valued in this society. Sadly, this is true not only outside the black community but sometimes even within the black community. Thus, the outcome was to be expected.
As a mother, my heart goes out to Trayvon Martin’s mother who has been the epitome of grace and composure in the midst of this storm. What I say to her is this, Zimmerman was found not guilty but he is NOT INNOCENT! Zimmerman killed a young, innocent child (mainstream media tries to paint a different picture of Trayvon Martin but I will not tolerate that!). Zimmerman is an admitted child murderer and will forever live in that reality. He is now public enemy #1 and will undoubtedly live a life of fear and paranoia . God is the only judge and jury and no man-made jury will decide Zimmerman’s ultimate fate. Indeed, Zimmerman was found ‘not guilty’ but he is definitely not innocent!
I am still feeling paralyzed by shock and cannot allow Trayvon Martin’s death and deaths of countless other black youths being killed at alarming rates to continue. WE MUST VALUE OUR LIVES. If we don’t tolerate violence in our communities (i.e. black on black violence) then outsiders will recognize the value of black life or at least fear those that defend it! WE MUST ACT AND THE TIME IS NOW. It is not time to to be “calm” or wait for legislation, Congress, the President or anybody. WE must get our house in order and protect our innocent young black boys like Trayvon Martin. If killing an innocent child armed only with Skittles and ice tea is okay in America what would be considered not okay??? Sorry, Obama, I can’t be “calm”!! We must organize as communities to STOP THE VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR YOUTH. It must be made clear to everyone that black life is to be valued and respected and it must start within our communities.
I want to share with you an excerpt from an article by Gary Younge that I found at The Guardian UK: “Open season on black boys after a verdict like this”
Let it be noted that on this day, Saturday 13 July 2013, it was still deemed legal in the US to chase and then shoot dead an unarmed young black man on his way home from the store because you didn’t like the look of him.
Since it was Zimmerman who stalked Martin, the question remains: what ground is a young black man entitled to and on what grounds may he defend himself? What version of events is there for that night in which Martin gets away with his life? Or is it open season on black boys after dark?
Zimmerman’s not guilty verdict will be contested for years to come. But he passed judgement on Trayvon that night summarily.
“Fucking punks,” Zimmerman told the police dispatcher that night. “These assholes. They always get away.”
So true it’s painful. And so predictable it hurts.
To George Zimmerman I offer the prophetic words of Buju Banton:
“Murderer”
Murderer! Blood is on your shoulders
Kill I today you cannot kill I tomorrow
Murder! Your insides must be hollow
How does it feel to take the life of another?Yes, you can hide from man but not your conscience
You eat the bread of sorrow
Drink the wine of violence
Allow yourself to be conquered by the serpent
Why did you disobey the first commandment
Walk through the valley I fear no pestilence
God is my witness and He is my evidence
Lift up mine eyes from whence cometh help
You will never escape this judgement
RCS SIDEBAR: Almost one and a half year after Trayvon Martin’s death, the Justice Department is looking into filing a civil suit against George Zimmerman…what took them so long!
#JusticeForTrayvonMartin #NoJusticeNoPeace
