Trayvon Martin – Lessons Learned
Trayvon Martin
There are multiple lessons to be learned from the Trayvon Martin – George Zimmerman trial.
- In spite of the Supreme Court’s decision on voting rights, it is clear that race continues to play a major role in American society
- If this crime had happened 20 or 30 years ago, there would not have been a trial. There wouldn’t have been an arrest. So, I guess this is progress.
- It is important for us to understand what truly happened in Sanford, Florida. If we sit back and look at the role that the police played, the role that our justice system played, it is clear that the life of Trayvon Martin was/is undervalued in our society. A young black man is dead. He was unarmed. He was minding his own business. Somehow, Trayvon Martin became the aggressor and George Zimmerman, the man with the gun, became the victim.
- Sanford, Florida has a population of around 50,000. Thirty percent of the population of Sanford is Black. How is it that there wasn’t one Black in the jury? Not one. There is a 20% Hispanic population. There was one Hispanic juror. There wasn’t a Black lawyer in the courtroom, nor a minority judge. What are the odds?
- I find it extremely curious that one of the most-watched trials in years concluded on a Saturday evening, when media scrutiny is probably at its lowest point in the week.
- For some reason, a lot of people thought, knew, that there was going to be not just a little violence, but a lot of violence in Black neighborhoods if George Zimmerman was found not guilty.
- I wish that I had something new or insightful to say about this trial and this verdict. I really don’t.
- I’m hopeful that the progressive movement can come together to elect truly progressive candidates who can change laws and make this a much fairer society.
I really don’t have much more to say.