Written by Tanya Free   

Let me begin by offering my most sincere condolences to the family of Trayvon Martin. I cannot imagine the anguish and pain they must be experiencing after his senseless murder by what appears to be a vigilante neighborhood watchman in Sanford Florida on February 26. I am saddened and angered beyond description every time I think about the death of this seventeen year old young man who lost his life apparently for nothing more than Walking While Black.

Let the truth be told that had Trayvon not been African American, it is highly likely that he would have made it back home safe to his family in time to watch the second half of the NBA All Star game on TV that night. Just picture it, a white kid strolling along in a gated community wearing a hoodie, jeans and tennis shoes with a bag of skittles and ice tea – would not have been targeted and followed for looking “suspicious” or that “something being wrong with him”. For those of you who will accuse me of rushing to judgment, my response is based on the facts as we know them at this time. If anything, the Sanford Police Department rushed to the judgment of a seventeen year old honor student who had never had any brushes with the law: I invite anyone to come to a different conclusion based on just a few of the facts of the case listed below. What’s wrong with this picture?
• Zimmerman was armed with a 9mm weapon. Trayvon was in possession of an ice tea and a bag of Skittles
• Zimmerman called police to report suspicious activity of a young Black man “walking around looking about”
• Zimmerman pursed Trayvon Martin against the instructions of a police dispatcher.
• Zimmerman told the dispatcher that Trayvon was running away, that “these assholes they always get away” and went on to describe him as an “f---ing coon”.
• Reportedly, the police reportedly tested Trayvon for drugs and alcohol. Zimmerman was not tested
• Trayvon weighed 140 pounds. Zimmerman weighed 250lbs.

The Sanford Police department will have Trayvon’s blood on their hands until justice is served. It is an outright injustice to Trayvon’s family and every African American on the face of the earth that the Sanford Police department allowed Zimmerman to walk free. Just as disturbing is their blatant justification of Zimmerman’s actions as self-defense. Had 17 year old Trayvon been white, I have no doubt that the series of subsequent events would have occurred quite differently. Just as it took nearly a month before the death of Trayvon to capture national media attention, it won’t be long before it is out of the spotlight. Like our forefathers during the civil rights movement, we have to continue to stand strong for Trayvon and his family. It is when the cameras are off that the struggle really begins. Let’s show those who would like for this matter to go away quietly, that we are going to stand our ground no matter how long it takes until justice is served.

Live Life with a Purpose!