Trayvon Martin was a seventeen year old African American
male who was shot and killed by a Caucasian (some say Hispanic) neighborhood
watchman, George Zimmerman. I am not here today to speak on the injustice of this situation,
which has been all over the news and todays media. I chose to look at what
methods both Zimmerman and Martin’s family took for society to see their respective sides as innocent.
I was first introduced to this story about two weeks ago,
almost a month after the shooting. When I read what those who were “fighting
for justice” had to say about Martin, I could not help but side with his family.
On their Facebook page, Justice for Trayvon Martin, the supporters were sure to
use images of Trayvon which made him seem as an innocent child. The picture
which is the face of Justice for Trayvon shows a young boy who looks no older
than fifteen when he was reported to be killed at seventeen. The biography makes sure to emphasize the good that Martin has done and
his immense innocence. This does not mention the fact that Martin was suspended
for having drug paraphernalia more recently.
George Zimmerman, on the other hand, has been repeatedly
attempting to make himself look innocent and remorseful of the situation while
old news from his past continue to arise. Originally he was reported as a white
male which his family later began to argue that he was Hispanic (trying to pull
the race card there?) Now he is identified as a half-Hispanic male who
reportedly was fired from a security job for being too aggressive.
But do these old facts make this a black and white
situation? In cases like these we always tend to look at a person’s past as if
that will somehow explain everything that caused this death. Martin having drug paraphernalia
does not mean that he was a vicious drug user that was out to rob houses that night
when Zimmerman caught him and was attacked. And Zimmerman having “problems” at
work (a statement that was not given by reputable sources) does not mean he can
bring himself kill an innocent child. I personally do not know what happened
that night and I hope that justice is served on this case but I cannot forget
that every man is innocent until proven guilty.
