Not sure what I can add to the Trayvon Martin discussion
that hasn’t already been said or written, but I think we must first not lose
sight of the fact that a 17-year-old is dead and he didn’t have to be. Any
discussion past that is probably an academic exercise in who can win their
argument.
Some have taken to the position that we can’t know for sure
what happened on that night and therefore we should withhold judgment, or,
we’ll hear that both men made mistakes and were in the wrong. I wonder if
Zimmerman had been a Muslim or that Trayvon had been a blue-eyed, blond-haired
HS cheerleader if folks would be so even-handed and wise . . . (if you're being honest with yourself, you know the
answer to these suppositions as well I do).
The same folks who are tired of hearing about that shooting thing
down in Florida are typically the same who assert that race is something that’s
not such a problem nowadays. Racism is
something we solved in the '60s, they say.
Yet Geraldo Rivera, a “real” journalist no less, goes on TV
and blames Trayvon’s wearing of a hoodie as the reason for his death; yahoo and
other reputable sites print Trayvon’s discipline record from school, not so
subtly blaming the victim; the officer on scene runs Trayvon’s record but not
Zimmerman’s; etc, etc., etc. I don’t need to continue, you’ve already heard all
this.
But maybe if you’re a young black male who grows up in this
kind of culture, maybe you’ve had it. Maybe you’re tired of that teacher who
pushes your button just because. Maybe you think it’s bullshit that you’re
walking along w/ some Skittles and a cold ice tea for your brother who is
waiting for you at home, minding your own business, and you don’t feel like
dealing w/ some white dude asking what you’re up to.
Maybe if you grew up like me—white and privileged even though we were working class—you answer this older guy b/c your parents taught
you to be respectful of your elders. But you and I don’t know what it’s like to
always be the suspect, to be followed around when shopping by the in-store
detective—but maybe if you’re Trayvon you’re sick and tired of it and you mouth
off. I’m not saying it’s what he should do or whatever, but I am saying I can
understand a young black male being bristly when being hassled for the
millionth time. And no matter what he said or did, the fact remains if George
Zimmerman doesn’t get out of his vehicle, Trayvon Martin is still alive today.
Any time I’ve thought about getting out of my car and letting
somebody know what I really thought of their driving, I remember that I’m
instigating. The law is not on my side—why? Because a rational adult would
simply drive away. And that’s what the dispatcher that night told Zimmerman to
do—don’t engage; the authorities are on their way. Like I said, I don’t have
any great insight into this tragedy but that one fact alone seems damning: if
Zimmerman doesn’t get out of his vehicle, Trayvon is still alive, and no
scrapes or bruises on the shooter change that.
Since Florida passed their Stand your Ground legislation,
these types of homicides have increased (see MSNB: <http://video.msnbc.msn.com/up-with-chris-hayes/46843344>). If this type
of Wild West legislation is not acting as a deterrent and actually increasing murders, then why do we have it?
If study after study reveals little to no deterrent for capital punishment,
they why does our government continue to kill prisoners in our name? If our
goal is to defeat terrorism then why do we engender its very existence by
waging wars in at least six Muslim countries?
Deep in history, some societies had to be careful to bind up
the blood lust of its populace, and their leaders would conduct sacrifices—not
necessarily as punishment per se (often the sacrificed had nothing to do w/ the
original crime) but as a way to placate the rabble (Elizabethan England had
bear-baiting that might accomplish the same thing). In our culture today, one
could make the argument that’s why we allow MMA, boxing, the NFL, et al. to
exist—it’s a way for a society to displace their animus; it becomes an outlet
for our aggression (this is just a quick thumbnail—other people have written
much more on consecrated forms of violence in society).
If we then have these vehicles for our most base emotions,
then why are we still killing our prisoners? Why are willing to allow any yahoo
Wyatt Earp to shoot first and ask questions later? (side note: in the Gabby
Giffords shooting, a bystander who happened to be a concealed carrier drew down
on one of off-duty officers but thankfully didn’t pull the trigger. When highly
trained law enforcement makes mistakes in using lethal force, what do we think
will happen when Joe Citizen is out patrolling the streets?)
Uncomfortable questions that many will dismiss as being
“weak” and “liberal”—but just like bombing civilians with drones in Muslim
countries is doing more for Al Qaeda recruitment than they could hope for, or
our government applying justice indiscriminately again condones the killing of another young black male —we ensure outcomes counter to our stated
objectives, and we most assuredly breed our own demise. When how we “feel”
about these events actually matches our realities, we’ll all be the better for
it. And then we won’t have to pretend—or even lie to ourselves—we don’t still
have problems with race and racism in this country.
* * * * *
these two essays below, in particular, informed my thinking
(I often used these in my classroom—heavily populated with middle- and upper
middle class students from the suburbs—in order to spur discussion on race and
racism).
*”Black Men and Public Space” by Brent Staples (it’s one of
the first things that came to mind when I heard about Trayvon Martin). Here’s a
pdf:
*”Killing Rage” by bell hooks
btw, you gotta stay with this piece to see what’s
she’s actually advocating; don’t be the defensive reader and bail after the
first page (sorry, I couldn’t get you a link or pdf for this one right now but
it’s commonly anthologized, and I may have one buried in my files)* * * * *
update: no big deal, happens all the time . . . I'm sure the police handle this exactly the same way for everybody. http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/7776717/torii-hunter-los-angeles-angels-says-cops-drew-guns-incident-home
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