NEWS OPINION
Verdict evokes strong emotions Detroiters make opinions heard
JAMILAH JACKSON The South End There has been a lot of energy and anger put into the atmosphere after the “not guilty” verdict George Zimmerman received. I can honestly say I’m not surprised. When it takes a police department 45 days to arrest a murder suspect, justice won’t be seen. I’m angry and upset that Trayvon Martin is gone. No matter if Zimmerman was found guilty or not — neither brings Martin back. His parents still have to live with the fact that they won’t see him off to prom or graduating from high school and college. They won’t be able to attend his wedding or see his children. His friend, Rachel Jeantel, will have to live with the fact that she heard Martin’s cry as he was murdered. Although it may not seem like it now, Zimmerman has to live with the fact that
he took a life. If he is human (and I’m sure he is) his conscience will catch up to him. There is no winner in this case. Here’s my concern about the verdict: the reaction. Lots of people on my Instagram feed, Twitter timeline, and Facebook news feed were all riled up and angry. Protests took place on streets across the city and state. I loved seeing this, but I was perplexed at the same time. Where was this energy when schools were being closed down at alarming rates? Where was this energy when the jury declared a mistrial in the Aiyana Jones case? Does she not deserve justice too? She was shot during a raid — an African-American little girl murdered by a Caucasian police officer. Everyone is up in arms about Zimmerman and Martin’s race. What about Aiyana? I don’t have a problem with people demanding justice. That’s our job as American citizens. Demand that things be made right but don’t pick and choose
your battles. This anger and rage we feel now is good. Use that energy to bring about change and justice for Martin but don’t let that energy die after a while. Use it to bring about change and justice in our city. Protest in large crowds against the injustices we suffer at home. Jobs are being lost left and right in the city. Protest against that. Fight to make a change in the Detroit Public Schools. Fight to bring equal opportunities to the children of the city so they can grow up healthy and strong. Fight to bring this city back to the beauty is once was. Another, but smaller, thought that crossed my mind after hearing the reactions was the fact that African-Americans love to bring up race. Yes, it was an injustice that Trayvon was murdered but let me pose this question. Had Zimmerman been black (the same as Trayvon) and the crime happened on the eastside of Detroit in front
of 10 people in a neighborhood, would anyone have spoken up? It’s funny that the African-American community believes in this “no snitching” rule. Innocent children die every day in this city and someone knows the killer but won’t speak up because “snitches get stiches.” Black on black crime isn’t anything new in this day and age. Whether Martin was shot by a Caucasian, Asian, Indian or Hispanic shouldn’t matter. This should not have been an issue of race. This is an issue of a child being murdered and the murder is protected by the law. It’s unfortunate that Martin was profiled as dangerous because of his skin, but to me — how can we as a race expect others to respect and value our lives if we don’t do the same for each other? So let’s review. One: don’t pick and choose your battles. There’s injustice all around us. Two: once we as AfricanAmericans start to value our lives and the lives of others, so too will people outside of our culture.
STUDENTS REACT TO THE ZIMMERMAN VERDICT “Obviously our justice system has made no progress.” –Imani Nelson, 19 “Are people more concerned about race or justice?” –Brandon Roland, 20 “Majority of black men get the short end of the stick.” –Kaira Langford, 19 “I have to make sure that I word this correctly but because everyone wants to make this a racial thing, you have to deviate from that and in saying that, at the end of the day a fist stands no chance against a gun. This just shows how unjust and blatantly incorrect our judicial system is. Yes I am disappointed in the result of the verdict, but not for the obvious racism, but for the account of someone’s life. It’s almost as if we have to look past what’s obvious and dig a little deeper.” –Jillian Jackson, 18 “In a legal sense, yes because the prosecution didn’t prove 2nd degree murder or manslaughter beyond a reasonable doubt. -Marniqua Cook, 21 “The prosecutors didn’t do their job. The defense put on a great case. The jury ruled on what was in front of them, as they’re supposed to...not based on beliefs or media. Only the facts presented. However the killing was by all means unjustified, but the prosecutors did not prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.” -Sharde Fleming, 21 THESOUTHEND.WAYNE.EDU I JULY 17 - JULY 24, 2013 I 5