Why the focus on Trayvon Martin?
Scores of people donned “I am Trayvon Martin” apparel.
The President of the United States claimed Trayvon’s looks for the son he doesn’t have.
Protests and beatings have been “arranged” in Trayvon’s name.
Several major news outlets distorted their reporting for Trayvon’s sake (or something).
Even I posted about it here and here and here.
But why?
Why — out of all the murder victims in the United States this year — Trayvon?
- His black skin color?
- His age?
- His circumstances?
- His “sweet parents” (to quote the special prosecutor)?
- His positive contributions to his community?
- His still-a-child innocence?
- His memory would have been short-lived?
- His value surpasses that of others?
- His killer targeted him for his race?
- His killer murdered him in “cold blood” (as my friend asserted)?
- His killer’s Jewish surname?
- His killer’s “white” skin color?
- His killer’s “mixed race” parentage?
- His killer was going to escape justice?
Just what makes him and his case unique above other American murder victims?
Why him out of some 3,000 Americans murdered already in 2012?
I have no idea.
Just like I have no idea who decided to launch him into this kind of prominence.
But I suspect the selection of Trayvon Martin for this role had nothing at all to do with him.
And I doubt his case has anything extra-special about it.
And what if his mother is right in her assertion that his shooting was accidental? 😯
Well, in entertaining and “scribbling” all this, am I minimizing this young man and his death and the need for justice to be served?
Oh. Please. 🙄
I don’t think Trayvon should have been killed.
I don’t think his killer should go unpunished if punishment is merited.
But I have similar opinions about other murder victims and their killers. Nothing new there.
I’m just very intrigued and troubled by what’s going on here.
In this kind of ratched-up climate, can the truth be determined and justice served?
I don’t know that either.
But I do know this:
“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 17:15).
“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
Follow-up post: A Facebook Trayvon Discussion