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| Tragedy does have to destroy a people... |
Most
people have already said it enough. A young life was ended and we are
left as a community, a humanity to figure out how in the world we make sense of
it. A jury came back and considered the death of a young black man
inconsequential relative to a ridiculous law. I didn’t think I
would ache this much about this, but I do. What I’m irked about the most isn’t the
verdict given, or the outrage of others.
What is irking me the most is how most of my white friends haven’t even
posted a thought about it. I spent time just looking through Facebook and I just noticed how most of my white friends haven't even mentioned it, but for many of my Black friends, its on the forefront of their mind. That’s
what power is, when you can ignore something that has such a strong effect on
such a large community. You can ignore it because it honestly doesn’t affect
your day-to-day right? What does
the verdict of Trayvon Martin do to your outlook on the day? The experience of
loss and anger and frustration will be long forgotten by the people who are
least affected by it.
Meanwhile,
there are those, namely African Americans, who have to carry the burden of
realizing that as much progress we can make in this country or the economic
strides we can achieve, senseless verdicts such as these will always be made. It reminds me and many other Black
folks that we are all still in the same barrel. How easy it seemed to demonize Trayvon. How easy it seemed to humanize
Zimmerman.
For
all the Black folk I know and love and I don’t know, but still love; we will
get though this. You’re angry, I
know. It doesn’t seem fair, and
folk who don’t look like us seem to always get away with crime. I want to let you know, YOU ARE
STRONG. You come from a mighty and
great group of people. Do not drop
your value with violence or anger against white folk, not all of them are like
this. Stay focused, we will get through this and our community WILL thrive. One decision does not change that.
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ReplyDeleteThat's fine. I have plenty of white friends, truth though. I don't need to many more white folks telling me how angry they are about it. All I need is folk who are willing to let folk exhale a bit their frustrations, not for them to share theirs as much. Just saying.
ReplyDelete"That’s what power is, when you can ignore something that has such a strong effect on such a large community. You can ignore it because it honestly doesn’t affect your day-to-day right? What does the verdict of Trayvon Martin do to your outlook on the day? The experience of loss and anger and frustration will be long forgotten by the people who are least affected by it."
ReplyDeletePowerful truth. The outcome of this case was truly a travesty to justice, and very disheartening. I am incredibly outraged... But this is the reality that many minorities face, and a reminder of the battle that must constantly be fought. There is always hope.
The real tragedy in this country, black or white, straight or gay, poor or rich, is that we the people allow ourself to be governed by people who would think such laws are a good idea. Prop 8 in California for example represented the first time in us history that a given right was taken away from folks. Stand your ground and the revoking of voter protection in the southern states represent the same problem. My thought here, to anyone of any race or creed it is fine even expected to be mad, but focus that anger on the heart of the problem. Make sure to let your state reps and congressmen hear your voice and let them know their jobs are counting on your votes. If someone does a poor job they should be fired that goes for congress as easily as it would go for any store you are a customer of.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your heart Tony.
ReplyDelete"What is irking me the most is how most of my white friends haven’t even posted a thought about it."
ReplyDeleteNot sure that facebook is an adequate way to know a person's heart. In another post you say you dont want to hear about white people's anger over what happened... so which is it?
Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteHi Tony, I haven't posted because I don't feel I have a right to address the racial side of it. I am not unaffected. I am truly shaken. My thoughts come from being a mother, now raising teen-ager #3. The thought of someone so stupid, arrogant, and ignorant walking around with a gun horrifies me. The thought of a kid being killed for acting like a kid breaks my heart. As a lawyer, I am horrified that we don't have better prosecutors.
ReplyDeleteThis shows up as Bob, not sure why, but it is actually Laurel.
ReplyDelete