Comments on: Hoping For Justice In the Name of Trayvon Martin

By: This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere · Global Voices

This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere · Global Voices — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:54:47 +0000

[...] from Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidadian diaspora fashion and beauty blogger Afrobella expressed her sadness by saying: Every time I sit and try to write about Trayvon Martin, the words [...]

By: 2bnatural

2bnatural — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:31:27 +0000

I’m all for not jumping to conclusions but let’s be real. NO ONE knows what really happened besides the two people involved. What I do know is that if Zimmerman did not approach an unarmed Trayvon at all, as instructed by the 911 operator, Trayvon would still be alive. The confrontation by Zimmerman was unnecessary, unwarranted and avoidable. And THOSE are all the facts that I need.

By: Peaches

Peaches — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:18:29 +0000

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.~Dr.Martin Luther King ,Jr.It hurts becuz it could have been my nephew or child.It hurts that racial profiling still exists in this country.It hurts that some would rather turn their backs than see how wrong this tragedy is.It didn’t have to happen!

By: stacy q

stacy q — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:57:57 +0000

The loss of a young life is always tragic and I grieve for his family, HOWEVER, I feel it is irresponsible for certain “race baiters” to protest and declare things BEFORE the facts of the case are known. Daily, more things are being discovered about the case. It very well may be true that a HUGE injustice has been done. But to prematurely state that this was a hate crime, etc, does no justice to Trayvon or his family. For example, witnesses say that Trayvon was seen on top of Zimmerman, and Zimmerman told police that he was punched in the nose and had his head slammed on the concrete. Initial police reports noted Zimmerman had a broken nose and blood on the back of his head. Now this does NOT necessarily justify Trayvon’s death, but we need to get the FACTS, and then get the FULL CORRECT STORY before picking up the picket signs. As Black people, I know that we are quick to embrace being victims of “the Man”, but if we want JUSTICE, we must wait for THE FACTS.

By: pets

pets — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:05:52 +0000

Very good to see that such very serious issues are also broached and dealt with here. I send prayers for Trayvon’s family and friends. I hope that America in the first instance, and the rest of the world, STOP these racist assumptions and reactions. There is enough actual war in this world, our neighbourhoods do not need to be added.

By: b.

b. — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:32:22 +0000

Thanks for this, Afrobella. Another blogger who has written movingly about this is Los Angelista.

As Marsha above states, the right to self-defense doesn’t just extend to the one with a gun. Who — of ANY color — would allow some stranger in the dark to approach them and inquire about their whereabouts in a rough manner without becoming defensive?

>sigh< so much to say and I'm tired…

By: Anjuan Simmons

Anjuan Simmons — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:08:47 +0000

Patrice,

Like you, I also struggled to find words to express my feelings about Trayvon. This blog post was the best I could do:

http://www.anjuansimmons.com/blog/2012/3/26/what-the-world-needs-from-trayvon-martin.html

I can only hope that this tragedy can be used for good in ways that we simply cannot see now.

By: Naturally Alise

Naturally Alise — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:05:28 +0000

You have articulated everything all my sadness wont let me put into a coherent sentence. Thank you fr sharing your raw emotion.

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:39:25 +0000

Thanks Patrice for writing this post. I cannot think of Trayvon without crying. The whole situation (we can’t even call it a case!) infuriates me. The fact that people would now bring the fact that Trayvon was suspended from school as some sort of defense, infuriates me. And it makes me so angry and sad that beyond signing a petition, there doesn’t seem to be any real way to funnel my anger at this whole mess.

How can people justify this? How does a grown man pursue a young man against the 911 operator’s instructions, only to feel threatened enough to draw a weapon and use deadly force? I mean, it baffles my mind. And beyond Zimmerman’s racial profiling, the institutionalized racism that has kept Zimmerman from arrest and prosecution blows my mind.

By: Marsha S. Haneiph

Marsha S. Haneiph — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:37:39 +0000

This was indeed a moving piece. I have a fifteen year-old nephew who has been a black belt since the age of seven. If a strange man accosted him, this kid would definitely do damage. Does that give the man a right to shoot my nephew? No.

Did Trayvon Martin fight for his life when accosted by George Zimmerman? The likely answer is yes. Did that give him the right to end Trayvon’s life? No.

No one’s life should be forfeit because simply they defended themselves. That is all.