"If I die young..."

I've never blogged twice in one day, but all of a sudden I have an intense need to say something.  I was reading about Treyvon Martin's murder here when The Band Perry began singing "If I Die Young" on my playlist.  That's when it hit me... the heavy blow to my chest... the huge lump in my throat... the tears in my eyes... and the tingling in my fingers to write.

For those who are not familiar with the recent story of  Treyvon Martin, to sum things up best I can, a 17 year old was shot on his way home from a convenience store in Florida, by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain.  Zimmerman called 911 to report a "suspicious person" (Treyvon) as he was patrolling the area because of recent break-ins.  Against the advice of the 911 dispatcher, Zimmerman followed Treyvon, approached him and shot him, out of self-defense, he claims.  Zimmerman has still not been arrested for this irresponsible, knee-jerk homicide.  The police ran a blood-alcohol test and criminal record check on Treyvon, but not on his killer, Zimmerman.

Is it coincidental that Treyvon Martin was a young black male?  I think not.  As much as I would love to believe that our nation's history of racism was buried long ago, this is far from the truth.  Young black men are repeatedly profiled and sterotyped as "dangerous."  Our prison system reveals this.  Even though black people are no more likely to abuse drugs than white people (one report I read said 70% of drug users in America are white), almost 50% of people in prison for drug crimes are African American (in some states 80-90% of all drug offenders sent to prison have been black).  State and local law enforcement agencies receive more federal funding for the higher number of drug arrests they make.  So where do the police go to round up their numbers?  ...To poor people of color, an easy target.

I am still finding it incomprehensible that this teenager, talking on the phone with his girlfriend, a bag of skittles and an iced tea in his hands, was thought to be suspicious.  And secondly, that Zimmerman, a very large man with a loaded gun, felt his life was threatened by this skinny, unarmed teen to the point where he would decide to shoot him.  I just don't get it.  And I don't get why it has taken a national, public outcry for an investigation to begin.  Except that this is an all too familiar story within our nation's history.  The death of a "shady" black man has very often not been enough to necessitate an investigation or a fair trial.  May God have mercy.

And lastly, I must say that young Treyvon would most likely still be with his family if people like George Zimmerman were not allowed to carry loaded guns.  I have heard of way too many children being caught in crossfires just in Philadelphia.  There is a Florida law known as "Stand Your Ground" that allows a person the use of force as self defense if the person "reasonably believes" it is necessary.  Since that law was passed in 2005, the number of "justified homicides" in the state has sky-rocketed.  We are not a safer people when we put guns into the public's hands.

"And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singing
Funny, when you're dead how people start listening"

~Lyrics from "When I Die Young"

Let's not wait for another young death to begin listening.  Let's respond today.

There are ways we can help.  We can add our voice to Change.org which is calling for the prosecution of George Zimmerman.  We can also call on our senators to help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people through this link.  And of course we can check our own prejudices and biases, pray for Treyvon's grieving family, and agree to live peaceably with all our neighbors.