Trayvon Martin Thoughts

If just uttering his name doesn't send a bunch of thoughts through your mind, I am not sure what will.
I haven't talked about this at all because it has been plenty talked about so far, but I did want to mention a few things.  To be fair, I haven't followed the case exceptionally close because of our not watching any tv but PBS, but that doesn't mean that I haven't heard things or seen stuff when I pull up my home page on the computer.

So, these are my thoughts.

I am happy that Zimmerman is being charged.  Is second degree murder the right charge?  I don't know.  But what I do know in my own opinion is that he lost all rights to use the Florida kill in self defense law when he followed that young man, especially after being told not to.  And I am pro-gun rights, and pro-kill in self defense.  But he overstepped his bounds by chasing down a young man and shooting him on a sidewalk.  To me, it doesn't matter if Trayvon fought back.  What would you do if some stranger was following you with a gun and came upon you?  Chances are I don't think you would stand there like some moron, you would fight for your life.  Self defense my rear-end.  And even if Trayvon did fight back with Zimmerman, and may I say good for him, Zimmerman never should have shot and killed him, he was the instigator.

Do I think that the media has screwed a bunch of stuff up?  Yep, they created all sorts of problems by their coverage and the pictures they chose to use of both men for manipulation purposes.  Media will always sway something to get the biggest bang for their buck.

Do I think race is a factor?  You bet I do.  Given the US's history of racial issues, this was always going to be a factor, and a big one.  People who are trying to say this isn't about race are living in a nice denial bubble.

I hope to God that when my son reaches that age racism will be non-existent.  But I don't think it will be.  I do hope and want to believe that it will be a lot better.  Because here's the deal.  Everyone that I have ever met with Moyz in tow has thought that he is the most adorable child ever.  But some day, he will be a 17 year old black man, and his cuteness factor will long ago ceased to have existed.  I don't want that for my son- for him to be a suspect because he's black and wearing a hoodie, or black and walking through a predominantly white neighborhood, which lets face it, is where he lives right now.  Moyz gets to be raised in a white family and facing less racism and scrutiny while safely here with us.  But some day, he will leave our home to start his own, and he will lose all the privelages that society temporarily gives him by being raised in the white majority.

Ultimately, what the Trayvon Martin case boils down to is holding someone accountable for the terrible thing that has happened.  Take away skin color and all of the issues that everyone is trying to stir up, it is about the life of a young man being taken wrongly away from him by someone else, and Zimmerman should be held accountable.