Race and America

After the verdict of George Zimmerman was handed down yesterday, of not guilty the country was saddened, but not surprised. According to the jury, Trayvon Martin because he was an African American male, not man, but child has no rights in this country. Their 'not guilty' verdict says that a child's life is disposable, as long as he is different. Whether that be that he is black, Hispanic, or LGBT. No matter how innocent, no matter where you live, if you're African American you can be shot down dead and never have your aggressor prosecuted.

Every African American person in this country right now feels like it is open season on our young people. On our family members, on our fathers, our mothers, or brothers and our sisters. Even if you are an law abiding citizen, if you are African American or anything but straight and white, you can still get murdered for no reason, and not get any justice.

The right wing began their fear mongering campaign, saying watch out, there's going to be looting and riots and black people are just going to go crazy. Because clearly in the light of tragedy, minorites can't control ourselves. Because clearly to them, we are animals, and can only behave as such and that's why we need to be treated as such. So that it's always the black person that is guilty, guilty of being black. Guilty of going to the store after dark for skittles and walking home, black.

Even the prosecution gave up on defending Trayvon. They were afraid to even mention that race was the entire reason why George Zimmerman followed Trayvon. The entire reason why he got out of his car and started a confrontation with the child. They decided to believe George Zimmerman and give up on prosecuting him.

So now what? We can't depend on the police to make arrests when their supposed to. We can't count on prosecutors to defend the rights of our black victims, so now what? Wait for 'God' to step in? Isn't this just another illusion? Putting faith in some that 'they' gave us, so that we will wait forever for something that will never happen. So that we will not rise up and fight against what we know is an continuing injustice. What now? Keep waiting? I'm sure that's what they would want, so that they can continue living in their 'safe', 'controlled' atmosphere. While they get in their cars and stalk, harass, and murder anyone they feel could be a threat. Anyone that doesn't look like them.

What do we tell our children? Even more importantly, how do we protect our children from these monsters?

We must go to our legislators, protest, peacefully to get these laws changed. All people must be involved, because if you are different in this country you can be victimized, and there is no one that will try to make it better, but us, the people.