Trayvon Martin Could have Been My Brother

March 16th, 2012 - By Bianca Clendenin

Source: Black Voices

After reading about the Trayvon Martin story last week, it really hasn’t been sitting well with me.

Trayvon Martin was shot and killed back in February in his father’s gated community by neighborhood watch leader, George Zimmerman. He was only 17-years old.

Martin was an unarmed black child and only had a bag of skittles and Arizona Ice Tea on him.

This story touches me because it happens way too often. That kid could have been my cousin, my brother, my best friends. I just can’t. All I can do is continue to spread awareness. This child deserves justice. This just wasn’t another cop kills armed black kid story. This was a man who took upon himself to kill an unarmed kid, instead of waiting for the police, after he was instructed to do so.

Zimmerman currently hasn’t been arrested because he is saying that he shot Martin in self-defense.

There has been a lot of chatter online about whether Zimmerman’s self-defense case is actually legitimate.  Some people believe that he had every right to protect himself; others believe that he had no reason to take on the cop’s job.

My mom has 20 + years of criminal justice experience, she’s an NYPD cop who works in one of the roughest neighborhoods in NYC. My mom didn’t have to read any book or take a class to know what happened to that kid was a tragedy and what Zimmerman did was the epitome of a racially motivated attack.

I know what it’s like to be afraid to go into certain neighborhoods because I’m black. I know what it feels like to go into some high end retail store and be followed around by the white employees like I’m going to steal their overpriced items. Being black in America still means you’re a criminal by default for some folks. Trayvon Martin could have been my future nephew, or future son. I fear one day, if I were to ever bear a son, he must live everyday with the fear that some crazy lunatic will shoot him in cold blood because the perception America still holds on to when it comes to our black and brown babies.

There’s a petition going around on Change.org, started by Martin’s parents, to persecute Zimmerman for the murder of their son.

On the petition the parents describe their son:

Trayvon was our hero. At the age 9, Trayvon pulled his father from a burning kitchen, saving his life. He loved sports and horseback riding. At only 17 he had a bright future ahead of him with dreams of attending college and becoming an aviation mechanic. Now that’s all gone.

This is truly a heartbreaking case and I can’t even phantom what his family is going through. Trayvon Martin didn’t deserve to be shot down like an animal, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

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  • FromUR2UB

    This Zimmerman guy pretty much reminds me of Timothy McVeigh on a lower scale, because his statements on the 911 call indicated that he has been obsessed with something for a long time.  The reports that he’d made multiple calls to 911 in the last ten years are another indicator that he’s mentally ill.  He was on a mission to kill a young black male, and he knew that the laws in his state would give him license to do it.  

  • Paige

    How sad, my heart goes out to the family of this innocent victim, shot in cold blood by a racist bigot with a gun, I hope that justice will prevail, it breaks my heart  for people to sign a pettion for justice, when the proof is in the pudding, even hearing the 911 calls should have landed this beast in jail for murder in the 2nd degree, who crys for help and pleads for his life if he’s the agressor, and why was he running if he wanted to do harm to this …ch, now this monster can say that his people get away with a lot, and they do.

  • Byfaith

    The more details emerge regarding what happened the night Trayvon was killed, the more incensed I am that the Florida police department continues to stall about arresting Zimmerman. They seem to be working more towards exonerating him than making him accountable for his actions. The way I see it Zimmerman was ‘hunting’ that night, he found a target and all his bigotry and misguided notions took over. If he was really worried about his welfare(thus the self defense nonsense) he would have sat in his car and waited for the authorities like the 911 operator suggested. Why this is so hard for investigators to grasp!?! I don’t see how he can invoke the stand your ground law, the 911 tapes reveal he ran after Trayvon and got into a scuffle with him; if anything the child was trying to defend himself. I would if I noticed some creepy dude watching and following me in his car who then started running after me; defense would be a natural reaction. This was murder, no more no less. Arrest him and let a jury of his peers decide. He shouldn’t be walking the streets, not with his vigilante attitude!

  • JD

    Such a sad and heartbreaking thing to happen to this child.  Yes he was a CHILD shot down for no good reason.  As for the shooter, he has allowed himself to believe another person of color was his enemy, perfecting the role of overseer to the utmost.  Well watch how hispanic he becomes to avoid being charged with the cold blooded murder of this child.  We still have people trying to pass and will do anything to prove that they belong including killing us!!!!

  • Mls2698

    This young man was killed for seeming like he didn’t belong in a “gated community.” Why didn’t Zimmerman (minority who gets money, then thinks they are not) at least follow to see where the child was going? Seriously, I don’t even know why some black people move to these kinds of neighborhoods where they are the ONLY ones. There are great black neighborhoods, too. I once visited a relative in a town in Florida where driving down the street, no blacks…in the grocery store, no blacks or brown. I would never live in a place like that because it is not diverse enough. Conversely, preferring to be around your OWN people too much would also show a lack of growth.

  • Ifuaskme2

    Lest we forget, this IS white AmeriKKKa

  • Courtney

    So sad what happened to this young man. He looked like a sweet kid. I signed the petition, and am telling my friends to sign. His only crime was WWB (walking while black) in an affluent white neighborhood. And what’s worse, the guy who shot him is not even sorry he killed someone’s son in cold blood.

  • nativefloridagirl

    For those who claim Florida isn’t the South, here you go. I know people who were from Deeper South who were shocked at the racism in Florida. As a fifth-generation Floridian, this makes me hurt for my people and my state. That young man could’ve been my brother, son, cousin, etc. But most of all, HE SHOULD STILL BE ALIVE! There is a town hall meeting today in Sanford at 5 p.m EST. Flood those gates, people! E-mail, call, go there, picket. I’ll be there!

  • FabienneDesrameaux

    I’m glad you guys followed up on this kid the first time I read about him the reports seemed all kinds of wrong. Hw can Zimmerman contest to self defense, what made him feel like his life was being threatened the color of this boys skin? He looks no different then the many kids that walk home with my sister after school n thats what scares me the most.

  • Gracynkenge

    There is a petition started by his parents to prosecute the man who killed this innocent boy. You can sign it here http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-17-year-old-trayvon-martin#

  • Knightstoni

    When I read this story it didn’t sit well with me either.  It must also be noted that the police officers have omitted an integral bit of information - Mr. Zimmerman has a history of violent behavior.  He needs to be prosecuted.  This story needs to be brought to light so we may save other young black men.

  • Loveablejheri

    That’s not true, cause now your being racists. It’s not all white people that are like that. A lot of white people actually treat blacks with respect and dignity. So watch how you say some things.

    • FabienneDesrameaux

      Call it what you want but since Obama has been in power rebal militias have tripled all because a black man is in power. The pressures of our country’s financial/moral state are bringing out the worst in ppl gerenally those of a particular race

      • pucksage

         The reason the militias have grown is because the economy has tanked and Obama is seen as a gun grabbing lefty…not _that_ many people care he’s black.

        • FromUR2UB

          Wouldn’t he have to actually grab a gun or be seen toting a gun, to be considered a “gun grabbing lefty”?

          Do you guys ever stop to think about what you’re saying?  It usually doesn’t make sense.

          • pucksage

            Gun grabber = those who are in favor of banning guns. It’s a ridiculously common phrase no one should have to explain to anyone over the age of four.

            • FromUR2UB

              If you’ve been teaching your kids a gun mentality since birth, I guess they would be pretty well versed in that by age four.

    • Sickofit

      I didnt see where anyone said ALL white people are like that…

    • FromUR2UB

      If you’re responding to one of the other comments made here, I took that comment to mean that even when whites aren’t the perpetrators of this level of hatred, many tend to go along with other whites, to get along. 

      In this case, the law is lawless.  When you’re dealing with people who are unethical and don’t respect what is right, they can disregard any kind evidence, or lack thereof.  The Sanford Police Department is hiding behind state laws, that apparently permit people to act like they live in the old west: pursuing someone and gunning them down for so much as looking at them funny, and then allows them to claim self-defense.   The original intent behind those kinds of laws, was to protect homeowners, in their homes, when they had to defend themselves against intruders.  They were never meant to protect people who SEEK trouble.  But that police department is not even trying to interpret the laws in the way they were intended.  What is the need for a police department, then, if people can take matters into their own hands with no consequence? 

      People are correct that if the situation were reversed, Trayvon Martin would be sitting in jail today, waiting to appear before a grand jury to decide whether there should be a case.  The Sandford Police have acted as though Zimmerman merely killed a fly…like this boy’s life meant absolutely nothing.

  • ariesdollface

    this is sad. i signed the change.org petition a couple of days ago & shared it on my Facebook page. great job MN for continuing to spread awareness about this issue. hopefully more folks will sign the petition & share it w/their friends & family

  • R Wilson

    when are black people gonna  realize we have no friends that are white

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