So It seems these days everyone is talking about the Trayvon Martin ruling. I have really been listening and contemplating both sides of the argument and here is what I have decided. Let me start by saying that no parent should ever have to lose their child. I really cannot imagine the devastation that the parents feel.
There are 2 separate issues that I really see rearing their ugly head in this trial: racism and gun control. So I will spend the rest of the post examining why our country is so divided on both of these subject. Now I am about as white as they come and I think that my viewpoint may not even matter to some based solely on that reasoning
Racism: When I take race completely out of the equation and just think about a young man acting sketchy and place myself in the role of George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, I think I too would be compelled to figure out what is going on with the young man. If the man then struck me and proceeded to pummel me I too would be scared for my life and if I thought I was going to be harmed and possibly lose my life I too would stand my ground. Now that is the premise that the courtroom has come to the decision that happened. If this truly is what happened then I think there should be no argument on George Zimmerman's actions that night. Some of the other arguments have been that there was racial profiling that happened that night. Now without knowing the heart of the witnesses I cannot positively say that occurred or not. I do know that if I was asked to describe a black man I would describe him as a black man. Likewise if Trayvon Martin would have been white I would have described him as a white man. That isn't racial profiling, that is just a description. I heard one account from a protest of the Zimmerman trial where someone was quoted as saying "I'm here because our children can't even walk on the streets without fearing for their lives." I don't think that Trayvon Martin was shot for walking down the streets or should have been scared to do so, but when you attack someone and don't expect them to stand their ground that is much different than just walking down the street. I agree with the protesters quote that no child should have to fear for their lives while just walking down the street, but in the courtrooms assessment that is not what happened. I am sure that racial profiling still does happen, but in this case the evidence doesn't seem to substantiate that claim.
Gun Control: Now this is a bit more difficult to think about. Where do we draw the line? At what point am I in the right to act in self defense? Do I really need to have my head bashed into the pavement before I can say I am getting my butt kicked, I need to do something about this or I might end up dead? I have my conceal/carry license, but I would never once think about pulling out my firearm unless I felt a significant amount of fear for my life or for the life of those I love. We just recently watched a story of a woman who had her child stolen out of her shopping basket and held at knife point. This happened at a grocery store that my wife shops at frequently. Eventually the man responsible was shot in the head by authorities. I have pondered over the last few days what I would have done if I was the mother in the situation and if it were my child I would not have hesitated to put down the person threatening harm to my child with the weapon at the childs neck, regardless of their skin color. I don't care if you are black, white, red, or yellow, the fact is no one is going to bring harm to my daughters. I wonder if I had of done that what the media reaction would have been? Could it have turned into another Trayvon Martin situation? Who knows?
I have no ill will for any race, but I think that sometimes we need to just look at situations without race being a factor and just look at the facts. If the facts point towards someone being guilty they probably are and if the facts seem to indicate they are innocent they probably are.
Just my take.
Surgery - 10 weeks later
8 years ago
