Are we Trayvon or Zimmerman

Trayvon Martin in his now
famous hoodie photo (Source)

George Zimmerman (Source)

This post threatens to be perhaps the most politically incorrect one to date, but that is exactly what I promised to not shy from when I started this blog.  America loves a good trial and court-room drama, and one has gripped the country for at least the last month, if not longer.  As is well known now, back in February 2012, George Zimmerman was a security guard who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, a black teenager who happened to be in the area.  Since these two were the only people there, this is about all we know for certain.  Now there is a 911 call but there has been some debate about who is saying what in that.  Maybe there isn't a debate, but that is not the point of this post.  To be honest I have not even followed the case except for what I have stumbled upon on the radio/web after the verdict.

There are a number of elements to this case that have made it so intriguing, including "stand your ground" laws and guns, but almost certainly the main element is race.  The US has and continues to have a very complex relationship with race, as it should.  Race is so central to this case that it even provoked President Obama to speak (for the first time I think) as a black man in America.  The question is whether Zimmerman shot and killed Treyvon simply because he was a black kid in an affluent neighborhood.  Of course, if that is true, then there is no excuse and Zimmerman is guilty of both murder and a hate crime.  I would have no hesitation in supporting a very stringent punishment for the crime.  However, as the not guilty verdict has shown, he is guilty of neither.  Zimmerman fired his weapon because he was threatened and attacked by Trayvon.  We must now accept this, for if we had supported the judicial system in returning a guilty verdict, we must equally support the system in an acquittal.  One of our most prized rights is the right to be innocent until proven guilty, and as a society it is unfair for us to impose a verdict.  But back to race for now, and to the sensitive point of this post.

While we cannot hide from the fact that racism still exists in the US (though at a fraction of the level it was maybe 50 years ago), it is BOTH sides that require introspection.  The black population here cannot shy away from the fact that too many of its male youth have embraced violence and criminal activity as a way of life.  It can be argued that they have been pushed towards it, but strength of character comes from overcoming odds.  As many minorities have shown, there are very few to no systematic barriers to success in the US.  Arguably even, there is ample support (e.g. affirmative action).  The black population must therefore ask why their popular media continues to put on a pedestal those whose art and actions glamorize gangs, drugs, violence, and easy money.  Why is it that an extremely talented group which has produced some of the finest music in the form of jazz today is known for vulgarity ridden hip-hop.  Why instead of singing the blues for a lost love, the poetry is about multiple loose women.  No matter how un-racist we may think of ourselves, the fact remains that most of us would be concerned about a young black man in a hoodie approaching us on a quiet dark street.  I do not mean to generalize or support Zimmerman in any way if he shot Trayvon without reason.  I merely intend to use this case as an opportunity to propose that if the majority must reassess its perceptions of the minority, the minority too must take strides towards earning that trust.  It is my hope that the leaders in the black community are spreading the message that the path of success lies through education and hard work, and through that only.

I can already see my words here being twisted and taken completely out of context, so it is a good thing I am not a public figure.  My comments are also great generalizations and the painting any group of humans with a broad stroke is fraught with danger.  Nevertheless, in keeping with the spirit with which I started this blog, I think it is only fitting to challenge you to really think about how you today perceive the community.  I do not for a second excuse any discrimination on race alone, but trust is earned, and far too many black youth are doing too little towards that end.  Unfortunately it appears that their leaders in the arts, sports, and now the president, are shying away from speaking this difficult truth.