Many of you may know the sad story of Trayvon Martin, but for those who do not please listen carefully. Trayvon Marin was a seventeen-year-old boy that was killed by the neighborhood watch leader. Martin was staying at his father’s home that was located in a predominately white neighborhood. On February 26,2012, Martin took a walk to the gas station and purchased a pack of skittles and ice tea and unfortunately on this very same night Trayvon did not return home. Has anyone taken the time to sit back and watch how America’s judicial system tries to slip the racial injustice towards African Americans under the rug. This is not only referring back to the 1950’s equity framework. But, focus on the ever-show shamefulness Black America still battles with today. History has demonstrated to us how these one-sided practices have been permitted and now have turned into the preface of our nation. Here is a differentiated timetable of how America has advanced on the matter of racial treachery. Lillian Bertram was a very strong influential woman that wanted justice for Trayvon Martin so she used this poem as a way to help tell his story. She question if America was ignoring the truth about discrimination within America so she choose to write this poem to …show more content…
Once Trayvon made his purchase at the gas station he began his journey back to his father’s house. On his walk he walked into the land of a “Troubled Man”. The troubled man is referring to George Zimmerman the head of neighborhood watch. “A water person of old who grew troubled by the strange singing floating in the dark.” Zimmerman was “frightened by Martin’s unknown presence. George Zimmerman mistook Trayvon Martin for a terrible
The Whole System Failed Trayvon Martin The American journalist Charles Blow in his scandal article The Whole System Failed Trayvon Martin illuminated such deep problems of current society as the credibility of self-defense, the imperfection of the U.S. criminal justice system, criticism of gun culture, and race relationships. This paper focuses on the Trayvon Martin case and explores the stereotypes that created the motive for the homicide. The Trayvon Martin case caused a substantial public interest in racial profiling. According to Charles Blow’s words: “the system failed him when the neighborhood watchman grafted on stereotypes the moment he saw him, ascribing motive and behavior and intent and criminal history to a boy who was just walking home (n.d.).
That lead to racial tension and prejudice in American since this country was made from the painful history of slavery, segregation and the old concepts of racial order that blacks and white have their place in society. Therefore, for Trayvon Martin family living in a gated community not in the ghetto where most white people think that all Blacks live in this type of community wearing a hoodie with a bag of skittle in his pocket, but to a white man looks like a gun made Zimmerman think he has the right to murder this young man without no evidences that he was dangerous, violence or suspicious. With the Trayvon Martin case was an example of injustice since the justice system has always been a race relations with blacks have been treating harshly as suspects and offenders but never as victims. The justice system was created from white supremacy and black inferiority from slavery so the system still has the disadvantage for blacks and still use some of the slave codes, blacks’ codes and Jim crow
Trayvon Martin decided to go for a walk and asked Ms. Green’s 7 year old son if he wanted anything from the store and he said he wanted skittles. Upon walking from the store it started raining outside and without an umbrella, Trayvon placed the hood of his gray hoodie on his head to help shield him from the rain as he walked back to housing area. After entering the housing complex he was spotted by Zimmerman and with him being on high alert due to the recent slew of burglaries in the neighborhood and not noticing Martin before he assumed he was a threat. Martin was walking close to the buildings with a hoodie on his head, holding something in his hands that Zimmerman was unable to identify and looking back at him. At that point Zimmerman decided he had to be another burglar who trying to break into a house and he was not going to let it happen again on his watch.
On February 26, 2012, a 17 year old boy named Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a man named George Zimmerman. George was found not guilty in July of 2013. President Obama spoke upon the ruling of this case. “It could have been me 35 years ago” stated Obama. Most African Americans went through being followed in the stores, hearing the doors on the car lock as they passed by, or had a woman move her purse closer to her as they walked in the elevator.
Emotion has a way of worming through shields and walls, penetrating even the most guarded heart. No matter how stubborn and unrelenting one may be, emotion is even more stubborn and unrelenting. “There are those… like a mighty stream,” (MLK, pg. 263). The way MLK phrases what he wanted to say thunders loudly, rings clearly and boldly. Delving into detail of how the Negro is specifically suffering a loss of dignity and self importance by the segregation that treats them like petty animals, being herded, speaks much more loudly than simply stating that Negroes are degraded and treated poorly.
And the sad part is if I had known what I know now then I would have not been so surprised. This justice system is unfair, to all of its citzens, but more so black and brown citizens. Michael Brown and his family deserved for justice to brought. Some try and say that michael was a thug or like to bring up the fact that he had possible stolen something but the fact remains that an unarmed teen was killed by a police officer. An oifficer who was supposed to serve and
In February 2012, a 28-year-old man followed a 17-year-old youth and killed him on a residential street. The youth hadn’t done anything; he did not commit a crime, and he hadn’t provoked the older man. He was shot simply because he seemed “suspicious.” This was the story of Trayvon Martin’s death in Sanford, Florida at the hands of George Zimmerman (Cooper). Zimmerman, the killer, is a white man while Trayvon was an innocent black youth.
Many people forget that African Americans in this country have been enslaved for longer than they have been free. Coates reminds his son to not forget their important history and that they will continuously struggle for freedom over their own bodies. They must learn to live within a black body. These struggles can be seen in the racial profiling and brutality among police officers in cases such as Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and countless of others. He goes on to describe his childhood and how fear was the root of black existence.
Trayvon Martin was a teenager attacked and killed in a “neighborhood watch” dispute. Twin lakes was an area with frequent criminal activity. However, martin had no criminal record, and was simply outside of his home walking to the store. “According to Zimmerman, Martin approached and punched him in the face, initiating the conflict that followed. The confrontation ended with Zimmerman shooting the unarmed teenager in the chest”(Trayvon Martin Biography).
African Americans have faced injustice and discrimination for centuries. One major problem blacks had to overcome was the institution of slavery. Slavery in the United States began in 1619 and ended in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th amendment. This declared that all forms of slavery or servitude be outlawed. Yet even after the conclusion of slavery, blacks had to face discrimination and prejudice until they were viewed as equal.
Trayvon Martin a normal 17 year old African American teenager was staying at a gated community in Sanford, Fla. when he was killed by George Zimmerman. Zimmerman reportedly before
Evil Everywhere With all of the violence in the past, and now the most recent shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, society is more scared than ever. Dylann Roof, proven to be a white supremacist, walked into a church in Charleston, South Carolina and killed innocent people. This incident hit home for so many Americans because not only did the innocent people die, but it was in one of the safest places imaginable, a church (Tauber, Michelle). Many believe that weapons are to blame for this, and others believe that racism is the main focal point.
Though many changes have transpired in America since the days of slavery, adversity, absence of chances and issues such unfairness and prejudice, which proceeds to gradually develop and encounter by a few, regularly thwarts one from prevailing. The topics of injustice and racism were greatly discussed in all the three letters from James Baldwin, Dr. Martin Luther King and Ta-Nehisi Coates. I thought all three letters were very powerful pieces, as they were beautifully written, reflective and moving. “My Dungeon Shook” by James Baldwin is a captivating read, it entails the social struggles faced in the US by African Americans and white stereotypes of black identity.
The intention of my research is to expose the racist tactics in the criminal justice system that have been camouflaged. I am prepared to explain how racism contributes to the vast number of incarcerated African Americans, and other minorities. The criminal justice system has created and perpetuated racial hierarchy in the United States, and has done so throughout history. I propose the question: Are minorities being targeted within the Criminal Justice System? African Americans are criminalized and targeted because of their skin color, and it is not fair.
In order to change history, people must learn from their mistakes. Segregation in North America has been a big issue in North America that unfortunately still happens in the world today, however, it is not as bad as it once was. In the poem “History Lesson” by Natasha Trethewey, the author uses mood, symbolism and imagery to describe the racial segregation coloured people faced in the past compared to more recent times, where equality is improved and celebrated. The author uses language and setting to influence the mood and meaning of the poem.