I’ve been very unhappy about the direction our country has been going the last few years. Most particularly this last week. I’ve all along felt that Zimmerman, not only had clean hands as far as the law was concerned, but morally too. But the more I worried about it, the more I begin to doubt my conviction. I have a tendency to believe that law enforcement is right. Well, more than that, I needed to believe they were right. In my mind the scenario went like this. Zimmerman was out on his patrol and noticed a young person creeping along the houses. He called it in to the Police and they told him not to follow and that they were on their way out to investigate. ( this part I still believe is true) But, I thought that possibly some time had lapsed and Zimmerman again noticed the young man in the area and felt that the situation, without Police intervention, needed his attention. And at this time, confronted the young man. But, I was unsure about how much time had lapsed, between the time Zimmerman first called in and the time he confronted Martin. I felt this was an important point, the difference between a truly concerned citizen and someone out being a “cowboy”. So, I looked it up. It was less than 3 minutes from the time Zimmerman hung up with the police department and the 911 call reporting the fight. This tells me that Zimmerman did not stop the pursuit. He continued the pursuit even after being told by the Police to cease. Now legally, according to Florida state law, Zimmerman is still in the clear. But, the morality of this is muddy. Anyone who accepts the responsibility to carry a weapon should be aware of the inherent dangers of allowing someone you already suspect to close the distance between you and them. He is morally responsible for his careless, reckless actions that night. He is not a Police officer, he was told to cease pursuit, he did not. He was armed and showed an alarming lack of care when he approached Martin. The thing that keeps me worrying this over and over in my mind is trying to reconcile the reaction I am seeing from many of my friends. Friends that are in Law Enforcement. Seeing on their Facebook pages wanted posters and glorifying demonstrations and generally stirring up trouble. I have always believed race/ethnicity was just a color of your skin. I thought we were all the same. Another story I told myself, I guess, to make me sleep better. I do so love things to be orderly and tidy. Tonight, for the first time, I realized, I no longer feel that way. I was out getting dog food. I went to a different store and could not find the pet section. I was looking around for a store clerk to ask and was stopped dead in my track when I realized that the clerk in front of me was black. I just kept on walking. This person had somehow become someone strange and unfathomable. I saw her as Black. Not as someone who was just like me. But, someone who possibly hated me cause of the color of MY skin. Now I can hear my ethnic friends saying; well, now you are walking a mile in our shoes. But, see the thing is, I never put you in those shoes. I had nothing to do with it. I am thinking that there are a lot of people like me. That lived alongside our friends and neighbors without a thought to what color they wore on the outside. I’m also thinking that this is changing now. We are starting to see a color. Your anger is understandable. How could we as humans not rage against the loss of a child? But, this acting out with wanted posters, riots, roaming gangs attacking random strangers … do you see this as a positive way to honor this lost child? It is not. Wearing a hoodie is not going to help Trayvon Martin. Changing law’s won’t either, but it could help another child. Put your energy towards something that might actually help your community. Step back, figure out what your goal is and make a plan and work towards it. What you are doing now is destructive and will not get you where you want to be.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 13:27:29 +0000
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