Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Trayvon Martin Article By H.D. Campbell


 JUSTICE SHOULD COME FOR TRAYVON MARTIN

(Photo: trayvonmartinfoundation.org)


                The acquittal of George Zimmerman July 13 ignited an already shaky divide of race, guns, and the Stand Your Ground Laws in this country which has also led to a call for action and change.
                As everyone knows, George Zimmerman was accused of killing an unarmed 17-year old Trayvon Martin who was on his way home from a local 7-11 store in Sanford, Florida the night of February 26, 2012.  Zimmerman claims he killed Martin in self-defense which many believe to be false since Martin was only carrying a bag of Skittles and an Arizona Ice Tea.   The trial took about two weeks and the jury consisted of five white women and one Hispanic woman.


                                                                                     
  (Photo: newsbusters.org)
             
   During the two weeks of the trial, America saw the Prosecution work to prove George Zimmerman’s racist and callous behavior that led to Martin’s death.   That night Zimmerman claimed he followed Martin because he acted strangely as he walked in the rain and wearing a hoodie.   Zimmerman confronted the unarmed 17 year old and claimed Martin used the sidewalk as a weapon against him.  In self-defense, Zimmerman shot the teen.
                This incident, coupled with the acquittal caused a firestorm of debate.  Many agreed with Zimmerman’s acquittal while many who disagreed not only got angry, they took action.  Many took actions at rallies while politicians took action on the airwaves.


(Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)
           
     President Obama even weighed in on case.  He talked about his views on race by injecting his own personal racism experiences into the conversation.

(Photo: www.christianpost.com) 
“You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son.  Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.  And when you think about why, in the African American community at least, there’s a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it’s important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn’t go away.”
The President goes on to talk about the state of race in this country as it also related to him.
“There are very few African American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store.  That includes me.  There are very few African American men who haven't had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars.  That happens to me -- at least before I was a senator.  There are very few African Americans who haven't had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had a chance to get off.  That happens often.”
Author, Minister, and Gainesville, Florida native Sabriena Williams (www.authorsabrienawilliams.blogspot.com) speaks out on her issues with the verdict.
“I do not agree with the jury decision. I believe a lot of evidence the jury should have considered was not considered. The evidence of him not staying in his car, him making racial comments, his previous criminal history (domestic violence and battery against a law enforcement officer) and etc. should have been considered.”
She goes on to say she’ll continue to pray for the Martin family.
Author and radio host, The 1 Essence (www.The1Essence.com) was also unhappy with the outcome of the case.
“I feel the jury was bound by the Florida law definition of second degree murder and manslaughter. I agree that there was too much reasonable doubt not address by the prosecution to prove second degree murder but there was enough evidence to convict on manslaughter.  So I totally disagree with the acquittal on all counts. I feel race and profiling should have been made an issue by the prosecution and I do not understand why it wasn’t. I am totally disgusted by the complete acquittal.”
Being a native of Davie, Florida (Suburb of Fort Lauderdale), The 1 Essence feels the basics of the Stand Your Ground law was ignored the second Zimmerman approached Martin.
This acquittal also sparked outraged throughout the music community as well.  Many artists with Stevie Wonder leading the efforts have refused to perform in Florida as long as the Stand Your Ground laws are active as they are.  There was a list of other artists reported to boycott Florida but now many either have dropped out or their reported boycott was a false rumor. Whether there is a state wide boycott among the artists or not, it paints a black eye in the already troubled state.  With the election fraud in 2000 and the acquittal of Casey Anthony in 2011, the Zimmerman acquittal fueled an already burning anger both in and out of the state.
When asked of both ladies if their feeling on the case puts a black eye on the State of Florida, both agree.  In addition to cases such as the Zimmerman acquittal, there’s a high murder rate, corruption at the state and district level as well as an obvious huge racial divide.
We tried to find someone with opposing views on the case but all we asked declined to be interviewed for quotes.
The FBI is currently looking over the evidence at the request of the U.S. Justice Department for possible Civil Rights offenses against Martin.  Trayvon Martin’s parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton are weighing their own legal options in the meantime which include a civil suit against Zimmerman.
There are currently twenty-six states with active Stand Your Ground Laws.

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