The Rally For The Tragedy In Florida Runs To The Core Of Our Nation's Dark History And Stands Against Criticism With Unimpeachable Humanity.
There was an interesting (and nasty) discussion on another post on my page yesterday. A poster took exception with the outpouring of anger and support for Trayvon Martin when we, the black people, don't do anything about the constant violence in our community each day against each other. While I take exception with the way the thought was posed, it was nonetheless a provocative question.
My response is just as provocative.
The bullet that killed Trayvon Martin has also shattered any belief that a black man in the White House has really changed a nation that has been built on the bones of millions of dead slaves and native Americans and free black people. The bullet that it took three days to get out of Trayvon's body may have mysteriously turned him on his face, a feat that logic and physics cannot explain.
But that bullet did have one magical quality: it awakened the sleeping giant of millions of people with black sons whose greatest fear was just realized and millions of white people who are tired of ignorant, racist men like George Zimmerman and (former) Police Chief Chris Lee, being promoted as the representatives of what's in their hearts.
Yes, we have a lot of problems in our community but the kind of senseless, hate-driven violence that took that boy from this world is part of the reason why we suffer so much and why we can't get certain monkeys off our backs.
Many times our ancestors lifted themselves up then cowardly, murderous men would come in the night and drive us back down, even if they had to kill us to do it. Just ask the people of Rosewood. Murder justified by the law, covered up by police and in defense of racist laws has taken countless lives and contributed to a dispritited people who have at times only had their love for each other and their faith in God to sustain them.
Emmet Till, Malice Green, Medgar Evers, James Byrd Jr. and Dr. King's names are etched into a wall of history that all Americans should be ashamed of. Sadly now, Trayvon Martin joins them.
This of course does not justify men abandoning their kids or bad parenting or reckless personal behavior or any of the things black people do that hurt our community. But what should we do, march against ourselves? Well, we did that, a million men and women strong. As feeble as it seems sometimes, black people continue to try to fix our problems and while we struggle with this most human of endeavors, we would appreciate people not murdering our sons because they are black.
So, if any person takes exception to the Trayvon rallies, I ask you if you have stood by your obligations to your kids and your spouse. If the answer is yes, then I say thank you for helping our community and I appreciate your observation. But if you haven't, then you are part of the problem you purport to condemn and you can tell your damned story walking.
Because there are no magic bullets, just the ones that kill. The outrage over Trayvon Martins murder is a collective scream from Americans that we will not go back into those dark days of our past and give truth the lie that all men are not created equal. And if you can't understand that, then not only can I not help you.
I don't want to.
Copyright 2012
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