Today, all across the country people are holding rallies and dressing in all black as a sign of protest for the Trayvon Martin case. For those who are unaware of this case you can find out more information here.
While I am an African American woman, and I do believe that an injustice most certainly occurred here... I hesitate with completely making this a racial issue. While it may seem easy because a white man shot and killed a unarmed black boy... Could this have happened to anyone? I believe so. The boy could have been Asian, Hispanic, Indian, anything. He could have even been white. But we will never know how the story would have played out had Trayvon been anything but what he was... Black.
While I realize a large aspect of this situation is the fact that this young man was unarmed and minding his own business. Further that Mr. Zimmerman has not been arrested, and has claimed, although he was the aggressor, that he shot in self-defense. 911 calls were released where Trayvon was yelling, "Help! Help! Help!" Not necessarily the actions of someone who was attacking another. However, while Mr. Zimmerman should at the very least be put in jail... the news really seems to have their focus on the fact that a white man shot a black boy.
History has shown us that minority treatment in these situations have been unequal to those of our white counterparts... I think I am just over constantly bringing race into everything. Now before I get the slew of backlash that is certain to come... I am not naive! I, myself, have been a victim of discrimination, racial stereotypes, taunting... all the things I am sure you may have seen on tv that may sometimes occur in the deep south. So therefore, I am not discounting the fact that racism occurs still today, and that it is important to be conscious of that fact.
However, I think I am just more hopeful than anything that sooner than later we can stop having this conversation. I just hope that if a person shoots another individual, the first thing that is talked about regarding the situation is not their race. I want it to be enough that one human being harmed another and that that harm in itself is enough to stir the senses and get people excited about justice.
Until then... we will continue to be up in arms at the shooting of a young black boy by a white man. But maybe... one day we will be just as passionate about the shooting of an unarmed individual by another.
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