Trayvon Martin and race: Humans can't make progress until we move past stereotypes and prejudice

The Syracuse Post-Standard ^ | April 30, 2012 | Cole Thorna, H.S. Sophomore

[2ndDivisionVet]

Trayvon Martin did not deserve to die. Everyone has heard the story of the 17-year-old black kid who was walking home from a Florida gas station, when he was shot dead by a self-appointed neighborhood watchman. Zimmerman wasn’t arrested until recently, since he was protected by Florida’s "Stand Your Ground" law, which states that it’s all right to kill someone if they confront you. George Zimmerman claims that Martin attacked him.

I’m a white kid, so some may argue that the gravity of the situation is somewhat lost on me, but it’s not. I’m a firm believer in the fact that every person is considered a person, no matter what they look like, or where they’re from. I’ve lived in Syracuse for my entire life and thanks to the schools that I go to, I have lived with an unbelievable amount of diversity every single day.

There is no doubt in my mind that this was a racially motivated murder. If it had been a white girl, Zimmerman would’ve been in jail so fast -- although, he probably wouldn’t have shot in the first place. Even if Martin really did attack Zimmerman, the fact remains that Zimmerman followed the unarmed kid with a gun. If Martin had a gun, he would’ve been completely within his rights to kill Zimmerman, but, if he had, he probably would’ve been arrested and put in jail for years.

Racism like this needs to end. We need to move past these ideas of stereotypes and prejudice and coexist. Only then can we make true progression within the human race.

[Norm Lenhart]

It was indeed. But then again you gotta be a special kind of crazy to marry an Irish/German redhead to begin with. The combination of tempers is a thing to behold. Preferably at great distance ;)

[dixiechick2000]

Omigosh!

Tempers on steroids! lol

Bless your heart...you are a good man.

A very, very patient, and good man. ;o)

[Gay State Conservative]

Trayvon Martin did not deserve to die.

It depends on how one defines "deserve".Given Zimmerman's bloody head it certainly looks like he could have reasonably believed that the kid "had" to die."Self defense" is an *absolutely* legitimate defense against a murder charge.