Rest in Peace Trayvon

Last night around 10 o'clock pm, I was out at a friend's barbecue enjoying bud light lime beers and hot dogs. Some guys were playing their guitars, sounds of Santeria feeling the living room in which we now huddled, after escaping the torrential downpour outside. One of my best friend's from high school texted me to see if I was at home, to which I responded no. It wasn't until around 2 A.M. that I realized why he had texted me at that hour. I had logged onto facebook, only to find out a few hours late that a verdict had been given in the case of George Zimmerman. Michael had been texting me to see if I had heard the news. All I could think about at that moment is that, while I was out being young and wild ... a ruling was given that made history. A ruling that will have an impact on the way these sorts of trials and cases may or may not be ruled in the future. 

I will be honest in stating, I do not know all of the details per say in relation to this case. I did not follow the case closely [day to day] and I think social media has put an entirely different spin on this case than what should have been. What I will say is that, I've read countless articles on CNN and other websites that stated that Zimmerman was advised to remain in his car, on the evening that Trayvon lost his life. Why he chose to pursue this young man [who was a potential threat] versus waiting for back up is beyond me. I know that many people have mixed opinions about whether or not this case should be tied to race. However, to me, it is tied to race and I care because I think of my younger brother who is also 17 years old. I would be absolutely devastated if he was pursued and shot [in an act of self defense]. And the problem remains that in this country, there is a significant chance that my brother may be mistaken for something that he is not, and the course of his life could be altered at the hands of another man for the color of his skin alone.

I read an article on Thought Catalog that I thought was well-written. In a sense, it captured some of my thoughts and feelings regarding why this case is related to race, although in my heart of hearts, I sincerely wish that it was not. At the very least, I hope that lessons learned as a result of this trial inspire individuals of all colors and nationalities to become agents for change. And the first change I would like to see take place is that we are all doing all we can to decrease and/or eliminate gun violence.

President Obama released a statement this afternoon saying: "The death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy. Not just for his family, or for any one community, but for America. I know this case has elicited strong passions. And in the wake of the verdict, I know those passions may be running even higher. But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken. I now ask every American to respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son. And as we do, we should ask ourselves if we're doing all we can to widen the circle of compassion and understanding in our own communities. We should ask ourselves if we're doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence that claims too many lives across this country on a daily basis. We should ask ourselves, as individuals and as a society, how we can prevent future tragedies like this. As citizens, that's a job for all of us. That's the way to honor Trayvon Martin."

Although my heart hurts for Sybrina Fulton and her family tonight, I think she has the right mindset: "God is still in control."