Death by Color

A seventeen-year-old walks out at night looking to buy a pack of skittles, the consequence- his life. Trayvon Martin was a regular African American kid, but in the eyes of George Zimmerman he was a threat, he was a threat because he was black, because he chose to wear a hoodie. George Zimmerman, a self appointed neighborhood watch admitted he killed Trayvon Martin, yet; he still isn’ behind bars. Stop and think for a second, do you think that is right do you think that Trayvon deserved his life to be taken, just because he was black or because he looked “suspicious” and George Zimmerman isn't even in jail because of the Florida law which protects him because he said that he was acting in self defense. 

If you take the time to look deep enough into this incident you can see that Trayvon Martins death was caused by prejudice. I am willing to bet that if Trayvon was white George Zimmerman wouldn’t of followed him around and ultimately shot and killed him. I am also willing to bet that if it were a black man who shot a white boy the black man would already be in jail as we speak. Prejudice leads to injustice even in the smallest circumstances. Even I myself admit that when I walk down a street and I see a black man dressed poorly or when I see a Middle Eastern man some ideas cross my mind, but even so does that give me the right to shoot them? Does it give me the right to do anything to them just because of the way the look. Why judge them by there appearance and not by there actions? ask yourself; is it fair to judge a race by the action of a few people? It is not right, that is not what I call justice.

We as the people and as society have duty to protect the innocent. When an incident like this happens we should try to make sure it doesn’t happen again. And luckily thats what people are doing. The know that this kind of incidents can’t just pass by easily or that they can’t be set aside. From the protests in Orlando to the Hoodie Marches in Manhattan, people want to make sure that there voices are heard and that George Zimmerman should be arrested and convicted. Because next time it could be you or somebody that you love or Know. 

People fear the unknown. They fear what they don’t understand and usually fear and imagine the worst, and the worst case scenario. We could argue that to Zimmerman, Trayvon was like the unknown and that he feared him and didn’t understand him. Maybe Zimmerman feared the worst and thats what caused his reaction. Yet, however you look at it doesn’t give him the right to go out and kill somebody. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird  people fear Boo Radley and make up the worst rumors about him, just because they don’t know much about him. In there minds he is a savage, he is a Monster, yet; how can you judge what you don’t know  and understand and if you do judge it why does it always have to have a negative connotation. As the book progresses we can see that Boo has a heart and that he in reality has good intentions. But no matter how bad people think that Boo is they don’t have the right to kill him just like how George Zimmerman didn’t have the right to kill Trayvon Martin.

A couple days ago I finished reading an extraordinary book titled Monster. The book revolves around the case of a 16-year-old black boy named Steve Harmon who is on trail for murder. Steve didn’t kill the man, yet the jury judges him by his physical traits and by the way he looks and dresses. In the jury’s minds and in the bystanders mind he is a Monster because he is a black male . When somebody dies the easiest thing to do is to point a finger at somebody and who better than an African American. In the people’s mind the fact that Steve was black was enough to make him a suspect. “Half of the jurors believed you were guilty the moment they laid there eyes on you, your young your Black. What else do they need to know?”(pg. 78&79). Just like in Monster, Trayvon was judged by his gender and race, what other excuse did George Zimmerman need to shoot the kid other than he’s Black and looks “suspicious”.

Trayvon had a life. He had  family and friends that loved and cared for him and who were waiting for him the next day or once he got back from the store. He was young he had a lot to look forward to, college, and sports among other things. He was the victim of racism prejudice and stereotypes, he was the victim of an unjust society, his death wasn’t his fault some people might call it being at wrong place at the wrong time. But that still doesn’t take away from all the suffering his family and friends are going through. And the worst part is that his killer is still roaming the streets free of all charges just as if nothing had happened, but people want to make sure that this doesn’t got unheard. “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King J.R. 

 

To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 8

We had the most bizarre winter that year--Atticus said it was the coldest weather since 1885. Which differed from the usual sweltering heat in Maycomb County.  People say that bad things happen in 3s and oh boy can I confirm that. It all started with old Mrs. Radley’s  death. Jem and I thought that Boo had conspired to  take her life and that he would soon be arraigned. As soon as Atticus got back from the Radley house we started to interrogate him, but sadly he told us that she died of natural causes.

Another incident soon followed. Next morning I awoke to the end of the World or so I thought. My screams woke Atticus he rushed to my room, I asked him what was happening and he said saying “its just snowing". I couldn’t quite apprehend the concept of snow in Maycomb County. School was canceled, considering it hadn’t snowed since 1885. Jem and I conspired to build a snowman but we reckoned that we didn't have enough snow. Luckily Miss Maudie let us borrow her snow. But even with that we still didn’t have enough. Soon after Jem can up with a clever plan by, making the base with dirt and then covering the rest up with snow. We made the snowman look like Mr. Avery. we gave the snowman a meticulous check so that it looked just like him. Time elapsed and Atticus arrived; he complimented our work and boy did Jem ears redden with pride when Atticus complimented him, yet he told us we had to disguise the fellow. so Jem stole Miss Maudie’s hat and placed it on top of him our work was done.

Since bad things come in 3s it was imminent  that another bizarre would follow. I was awoken by Atticus  he told me to put on my robe and go outside. Once I went outside I saw what Atticus what talking about poor Miss Maudie’s house was in flames, it was total anarchy outside. It was extremely calamitous, people were going crazy not sure of what to do. All the men were trying to help, the house was being embellished in flames and poor Mr. Avery was shackled inside the house  not being able to get out. I closed my eyes i could’t bare to watch. I soon opened then when Jem told me he had gotten out but he had fallen poor Mr. Avery I said to myself. People left after a while. Atticus looked at me awkwardly before asking me whose blanket I had on. I was so distracted by the incident that I hadn’t noticed that I had a blanket on that wasn’t even ours. I looked at Jem for an answer but he looked just as confused as I did. Jem broke the silence by saying that Mr. Nathan was in the fire. but then Jem went nuts and  started babbling about the cement that Mr. Nathan put in the tree, and about his pants. I was shocked I was thinking Jem what the hell are you doing luckily-- Atticus had not understood a single word he said. Then it was my turn to go crazy “Jem, Boo Radley put the blanked on you” said Atticus. I was shocked out of my mind.     

Letter

Dear Lily,

How have you been? a long time has elapsed since I’v last seen you, to long for my liking. I know I’v been to much of a coward to contact you sooner-and the fact that I cant write well adds on to the problem. I feel even more ashamed that I worked up the courage to talk to you only when my time on earth is ending. Life has been lonely without you-and believe you I know that I’v wronged you, but please tell me why you would chose those Negros instead of me. You left without notice just like your mother and you left me in misery, and then I found you just to lose you again. 

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about you. I spend every goddamn second thinking about you. I love you and I hope you can forgive me but I will not forgive those Niggers for stealing you just like they stole your mother from me. I’m trying to apprehend why you would even look their way. It was a conspiracy and a dissension when everybody in the town found out you were staying with them and honestly i felt a little bizarre-I  felt ashamed of you back then  but I’m starting to apprehend your decisions little by little. 

These years without you have bee very calamitous and I believe that there is nothing left for me in this world- I’v lost everything I have ever loved and whats the point in living if you’ve got nothing worth fighting for. I have very few things that I would like to ask you to do for me before I die. The first one is if you can please stop being with those Niggers or tell my why you left them for me. My final request is if you can please forgive me for all I have done so I can part this world in peace.

Sincerely, 

         your father