My Kid’s Name is Trayvon Martin

onefinalblog
My Kid’s Name is Trayvon Martin

UPDATE JULY 14, 2013. Zimmerman has been acquitted. ONLY HAPPENS IN AMERICA. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/us/george-zimmerman-verdict-trayvon-martin.html?hp&target=comments#commentsContainer

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Update April 11. Zimmerman has been arrested and charged with a second-degree murder. Visit news at http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/george-zimmerman-to-be-charged-in-trayvon-martin-shooting-law-enforcement-official-says/2012/04/11/gIQAHJ5oAT_story.html

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“Trayvon Martin, 17, was walking home from a 7-Eleven in Sanford, Fla. on Feb. 26 when he was shot dead by a neighborhood watch volunteer who had called police and reported a “real suspicious guy” wearing a hoodie.

Martin was found dead, unarmed, with a bag of Skittles and an iced tea.

The neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, claims he acted in self-defense and has not been arrested.”

This is NBC news today. I therefore put it in quotes.

What is so special about the news? Which part is the one you don’t understand?

If you ask me, I understand all of it. Here’s how I understand it — point by point.

1. Trayvon Martin was a seventeen year-old kid.

(He could be my kid. He could be your kid. He could be anybody’s kid.)

2. He was walking home from a 7-Eleven in Sanford, Florida. It was February 26, 2012. It was after dark.

(He could be my kid. He could be your kid. He could be anybody’s kid.)

3. He was unarmed.

(That’s not a crime. Right?)

4. He only had Skittles and an iced tea with him.

(That’s not criminal, either.)

5. He was followed by a so-called neighborhood watch volunteer — whatever that means — who had a gun.

(That sounds scary to me — especially if I put my kid in that situation.)

6. Trayvon Martin, the seventeen-year-old kid who went to buy Skittles and iced tea at his neighborhood 7-11, wore a hoodie, this so-called neighborhood watch volunteer — whatever that means who had a gun — reported to police that he found a “real suspicious guy.”

(That sounds scary to me — especially if I put my kid in that situation. Wearing a hoodie is normally not criminal. What do you think?)

7. Trayvon Martin, unarmed except for his Skittles and iced tea on him, was shot dead. They found his dead body on the street.

(The kid is now dead. He was seventeen. He was suddenly killed by a man who thought the kid was “suspicious.”)

8. The so-called neighborhood watch volunteer whatever that means, George Zimmerman, claims he acted in self-defense.

(I want to act in self-defense too, if my kid is suddenly killed. What do I do? Please let me know. I shall follow your advice. I don’t have a gun. I don’t kill. What can I do?)

9. Therefore, from the NBC news report, it is obvious that the so-called neighborhood watch guy, George Zimmerman, meant his act was shooting and killing Trayvon Martin.

(In fact, the guy never denied it. Ever.)

10. The guy who shot and killed an unarmed seventeen-year-old boy was not arrested.

(He was not arrested even though he never denied he shot and killed an unarmed kid who went to to buy Skittles and iced tea at his neighborhood 7-11.)

As you can see, I understood the whole story. I have no confusion. I have no illusion.

I got more news tonight on Trayvon Martin.

His parents appeared Wednesday on the “TODAY” show and said their child had been frightened for his life because he was being followed by Zimmerman.

“He was on his way home. He had every right to have on his hoodie. It was raining. Why not put on his hoodie to prevent getting wet?” his father said on “TODAY.”

This is the ONLY part I do not understand. I have seen my kid wearing a hoodie even when it’s not raining. In fact, I myself wear a hoodie every time I get a chance — in sun, in rain, in cold weather, in pleasant weather.

In fact, I plan to wear a hoodie at the Million Hoodie March in New York. I plan to wear a hoodie in front of Fox studio here in New York, especially when Geraldo does his show in that big, jail-like building.

NY Post before 9/11. How fierce they’ve changed!

Have you heard about Amadou Diallo? No? Look it up. He was an immigrant from Guinea who lived in the Bronx. One cold night about twelve years ago, he was shot and killed by New York Police Department cops who thought Amadou looked suspicious. Amadou did not have a gun. He was killed instantly, with a barrage of bullets the cops fired at him. The cops who killed him were all acquitted by the American justice system.

Have you heard about Sean Bell who was killed in Queens on the night of his wedding? No? Please look it up.

I don’t know what will happen to the so-called neighborhood watch guy who thought Trayvon looked suspicious, and therefore followed him and then shot and killed him.

I cannot predict the American justice system. I only feel strongly tonight that my kid’s name is Trayvon Martin.

That’s all I wanted to say.

Sincerely Writing,

Partha

Brooklyn, New York

Trayvon Martin’s Parents are Us

30 thoughts on “My Kid’s Name is Trayvon Martin”

  2. Your undestanding of the incident seems perfect. The part you still do not undesrand may not have added anything signifiacant to the understanding of the incident. This is one of the deeply hurting, hear-breaking and unfortunate incidents that happen every day all around the world. Some of these iincidents lead to innocent people getting killed on mere suspicion. Your anguish and feeling of sadness is alsu understandable. The name, the famiily, the location, the hour of the day/ night, the dress, the food/ drink or the hoodie, the reactions of the people are not important: theses incidents are a slur on the society which professes not to kill even a confirmed criminal, except when the criminal is in the actual process of committing an act that could destroy another life. In the instant case, the watch guy could plead only a suspected threat of attack on him. Now that the suspected threat has turned out to be merely his perception, he can be responsible for negligent application of mind to distinguish between real threat his life and imagined threat that could have suggested objective of using his gun for non-fatal defense or for incompetent in his duty to use a gun only for areal thought to himself getting killed. The Courts must mmake a judgement and decide what to do next. We cannot get the kid back among us, but we could sharpen our skills and systems used by the police that grave errors of this kind are minimized, if not completely eliminated.

    Reply

    1. Not your skills – I meant skills and systems of the police and the watchmen needs too be sharpened. I do share your sad feelings of anguish. As for my reflection, I could only think of the need that we have to improve the systems and skills of police and watch guys as such incidences have to be minimised.

      Reply

      1. Yes, Dr. Sen. I agree. But the injustice and violence on the innocent, powerless people seem to be out of control. People who are supposed to protect us are not doing it. In our Bengali, “Rakshak is Bhakshak” — the protector is now the aggressor.

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  6. Also, I am truly happy — in the middle of this sadness — that civil rights and justice groups are joining hands with groups such as Occupy Wall Street. I suggested it recently to an OWS activist friend. We all need to come together and challenge the people in power — including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

    Reply
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  9. It is indeed very satirical..Our State..Our governments..Concept of “Nation”.. People live, die..beg steal and Kill for it. But it is nothing more than a repertoire of Rule!
    The state enforces Laws to protect it’s citizens and kills it’s own citizens. No one questions them then.But we put those who shoot and are not “representing” the state..behind bars..or even shoot them, if they even seem “suspicious”..

    Seriously! That guy didn’t have a gun, was simply walking past. What suspicion! This gunner should be mentally ill! My heart goes out to the family.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your thoughtful comments, Priyanka. In USA and India — the two places I know — this tragedy is all-pervasive. Very few question the legitimacy of the massive power of the people in power. It’s all accepted under the guise of democracy. The powerful play on with the powerless. Trayvon Martin is the latest victim of that game.

      Reply

  10. Thanks for those who’re fighting this fight for justice and truth. One Trayvon Martin is too many. One Amadou Diallo is too many. One Sean Bell is too many. And we have many more. Let us work together and stop this racism and barbarity. Don’t fall for the politicians and their crocodile tears. Let them do their things. Let us do ours. Non-violently.

    Reply

  11. Reblogged this on onefinalblog and commented:

    I am re-blogging this post on this sad, one-month observance of Trayvon Martin’s death. A seventeen-year-old’s life was suddenly taken away from his parents, family and friends. I strongly feel he could be my kid, and I mourn his loss. I hope we all come together and fight back against this all-pervasive wrong. Let us save our kids from guns, violence and injustice.

    Reply

  12. I am not optimistic that we could ever stop senseless killing. Whether it is by the state or by an individual. Why would we think we could? This is not new. All through the ages, this has happened. You would think that we would learn, but we don’t. I wish for peace around the world. I pray to the Universe for peace around the world.

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Neva. I do not have much hope, either mainly because powerful people who we put our trust in and elect to be our leaders, often cheat us. That’s the real tragedy. Still, I cannot but hope that people’s power is the greatest power; time has taught us that only that can change the world — from the grassroots.

      Reply

  14. In light of recent announcements by Zimmerman’s lawyer that he (Zimmerman) and Trayvon Martin were involved in an altercation that left Zimmerman with a broken nose and grass stains on his back which was witnessed by several people, does your jump to conclusions change?

    Also, as tragic as this incident is, why does it matter that the shooter was “white” (although he is as Hispanic as the President is Black)? There is more black-on-black killing in America every day.

    Reply

    1. I appreciate your response. But we’re using America’s long and scandalous history of power’s violence and injustice against the powerless. It’s not a black-and-white story. Read my blog one more time. Plus, we might as well use some common sense too, if any left in us — like, who reports, who distorts, who is excluded. Thank you.

      Reply

  15. I just want trayvons parents to know that mu middle school today will be wearing our hoods all day for trayvon im so sorry for you loss. I no uve must heard that alot but this really hit the heart of me and my friend aj. God bless you

    Reply

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