I read somewhere that Trayvon Martin’s father tweeted this MLK quote after the Zimmerman judgement was released.
I literally remember being in elementary school and central themes of my writing were often focused on racial issues and how ridiculous they appeared to me, even at such a young age. Being schooled in an environment that wasn’t necessarily prone to racial diversity, I on the other hand, was always clear about how much I appreciated the variety of racial and cultural diversity. If anything, the fact that I was part of the less than 5% of the school’s population that did not fit in 100% with the other kids cultural background only fueled my multi-cultural and multi-racial appreciation. And no, I’m not going to sit here and discuss race vs culture vs ethnicity vs. nationality and all that jazz. The point is, I am baffled that with the massive expansion of the world as we know it in the last years, 25+ years later, I find myself still re-visiting the same racial issues in my interactions, experiences and observations. It’s absurd that the human race’s technological skills have grown exponentially but it’s ability to come together as humans still falters.
Trayvon’s parents not only had to deal the death of their son, they had to deal with long and painful trial associated with it, with no justice at the end of it. And their son’s life still unredeemable. Just merely dabbling in legal issues of of my own – I can tell you that few things are more destructive and exhausting. I feel incredible empathy and sympathy for them.
That being said, just because the American legal system is behaving in hypocrisy, doesn’t mean we have to.
The mere fact that we are where we are right now, in the face of this (unfair) judgement and our responses to it tell us that we still some growing to do. If you use this as reason to hate and create more separation you’re missing the opportunity to be a catalyst for change, for acceptance, and for (one) love. Your work is not to hate more, but rather, to love more. To go back into your communities and bring more people (of different races, sexual orientation, classes) together. This is a time to come together and rally rather than breakdown ties and increase the divide. As you witness what you witness, remember that our response is a choice – that what seeds we sow, now, in the face of this challenge will be the opportunities that come forth tomorrow.
SuzyQ
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