Yeah I know it's been a while since my last blog. I've been running around like crazy. Just trying to keep up with everything I'm responsible for. It seems that since this grand annual "springing forward" event I haven't been able to get much sleep or have enough hours in the day to do everything that need to be done. I wonder why that is? There are still 24 hours in the day, right....so what happened??
Anyway, that's not why I'm here today.
Many of you, unless you just landed on this planet or crawled from under a rock, have heard about and are aware of the Trayvon Martin case. I'm particularly invested in keeping up with this case because I have a son. My son could have been Trayvon.....my son CAN be "Trayvon".
So, as the story goes - George Zimmerman - who apparently appointed himself neighborhood watch leader, was "patrolling" on the night of February 26, 2012 in Sanford, Florida. It was dark out, raining from what I've read.....and GZ was keeping watch. He sees Trayvon walking back from the convenient store and immediately he went on alert that Trayvon was "suspicious" and "up to no good" and vehemently kept his eyes on him. He said (as recorded on the 9-11 call) that there had been some break-ins recently in the area. Okay. Fair enough, George, but that's where it ends for me to understand or accept ANYTHING that came out of your from this point forward.
Now, he's watching Trayvon and Trayvon is watching him. Why? Because this kid was out at night and I'm sure his parents told him to be careful. It's just something parents do, you know. And I'm sure Trayvon was taught to be aware of his surroundings, so yeah - he notices a "suspicious" ADULT male who appear to be "up to no good" following him! Smart thinking on Trayvon's part to call a friend to have "a witness" of what he was going through. I wish Trayvon had called his dad, tho'....just a few yards away from home.....he could have come outside for Trayvon. :-(
Well, sadly that didn't happen. GZ was "doing his part" of vigilante and Trayvon was "doing his part" of a scared kid. Human nature comes equipt with "fight or flight".....you know, survival of the fittest.
I don't think GZ premeditated "hunting" Trayvon. I think he, amongst many other non-Black citizens of this country, are "taught" things about Blacks, that just become part of who they are and they act accordingly. Even as a Black female, however - I have to admit....there are times I've been in situations and "assumed" that things would turn out a certain way, simply because of "Black" representation. So can we really be surprised GZ acted this way? Hardly not.
BUT LET THIS BE A LESSON TO SOCIETY..... STOP CRIMINALIZING BLACK PEOPLE. WHEN WE STOP PERPETUATING STEREOTYPES AND START TEACHING EQUALITY and SAMENESS, SITUATIONS LIKE THIS WOULD STOP. Sure, there will prejudices....back to "fight of flight"....as individuals....we tend to size up the situation, make our perceptions, then act.....but I believe If a person is shifty and sketch.......they should be just "shifty" and "sketch" based on their behavior and not just because of the color of their skin. Does that make sense?
He continued to pursue Trayvon even after the 9-11 dispatcher told him to back off. So who's the agressor here? Definitely not Trayvon....he's in survival mode. George is in hunter mode. So, Trayvon decided to "stand his ground". He asks GZ, "Why are you following me". GZ asks him what he's up to, which by the way, is none of his business. GZ was NOT a law enforcement officer! There was a reported altercation, as I could imagine and here is where the crime happens. GZ pulls out his gun and shoots Trayvon, dead. Unarmed and innocent of anything GZ wanted to accuse him of.
I ask you.....and I beg of you to help me understand.....how is it self defense when the cries of this child are abruptly cut off by the sounds of gunfire? It would appear to me that if GZ was the one screaming for help (because that is what he said - that it was his voice on the recordings)....that if it were him...even if he shot in self defense.....why was it so quiet after the gun went off? Was he basking in the glow of vengeance, blowing the smoke from his barrel or stuck in shock? From the video tapes. He didn't look to be suffering from shock at all. He walked with the police, almost smug....confident.....and completely absolved with what he had just done. Committed murder.
There are so many things wrong with this case and many people are outraged. AS WE SHOULD BE. This case is more than a snag in any advancement with equality, improving relations between races and faith in our judicial systems. If he gets away with this, it is my fear that I may as well, sew bullseyes on the back of all my son's shirts and jackets. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it has anything to do with Trayvon being black......but it has EVERYTHING to do with him being black. What would have happened if he were the shooter? It has been the experience of Black people in this country that we are NOT innocent until proven guilty but that we are guilty and we better prove we're innocent. *shrug* It just is what it is....and we live with that. They started to report things about Trayvon that was SO IRRELEVANT which made me more and more angry. They tried so hard to try and build this picture and image of Trayvon, I guess in a desperate attempt to....what? say that he deserved to be killed or that he was asking to be killed....I'm sorry....I'm still really confused about that. Even if he was a bad ass - did he deserve to be profiled? No. Hunted? No. Killed??? HELL NO!
*****
As of today, April 11, 2011 - just moments ago, George Zimmerman has been taken into custody!!!! So if you're innocent George, you have nothing to fear....right?
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