What you perceive, your observations, feelings, interpretations, are all your truth. Your truth is important. Yet it is not The Truth.
- Linda Ellinor quotes
Whatever else you might believe about the death of Trayvon Martin, the one indisputable truth to be found in this tragedy is that a 17-year-old young man died for no discernible reason. A father and mother lost their son, and no parent should ever have to bury their child. It’s just not the sort of thing a parent ever expects to have to do.
Outside of the fact the George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin, most of what happened has been left open to interpretation by those with competing agendas, few of which have anything to do with Trayvon Martin. Thanks to the Internet, many have passed judgment despite a dearth of facts and evidence. On one side, it’s African-Americans decrying the racism they see in Zimmerman being neither arrested nor charged. On another, it’s Geraldo Rivera holding forth on how Martin’s hoodie was every bit as responsible for his death as the bullet Zimmerman shot him with. On yet another, it’s Conservatives working overtime to hold Martin complicit in his own execution. And on and on and on, ad nauseum, ad infinitum. It seems everyone has an opinion, an angle, something that they’re absolutely convinced of and which seems incontrovertible…at least to them
I don’t know enough about what happened to hold forth on any aspect of this tragedy. I’m not certain anyone does…not that a lack of knowledge will stop anyone so inclined from milking this tragedy to support their personal agenda. That’s sad, it’s pointless, and it demeans the memory of Martin. It certainly is disrespectful of his family and friends, who are struggling to make sense of something so indelibly senseless.
All I have to add is to wonder why, in 2012, White America is still terrified of young African-American males. America today is a place where being young, African-American, and male is to be at serious risk. One of every three young African-American males is in jail, in prison, on probation, or on parole. An entire generation of those whose only transgression is being young, African-American, and male is being sacrificed on the altar of the White majority’s fear and prejudice. And what has society been willing to do to stem this tide? As ever, precious little. The more things change….
None of us can truly know the truth of exactly what happened to Trayvon Martin except the people involved- only one of whom is alive to tell his story. One clear and indisputable truth is that a young African-American male died while armed only with Skittles and iced tea. Here we are in 2012…and it seems we’re no closer to being able to stop living in fear of young, African-American males.
And their hoodies.
I would have thought we’d be better than this by now.
