I wrote yesterday about how a chance remark reminded me about profiling and how it can be wanton. I was also reminded about how dangerous and destructive it can be to many, but it seems especially to young black men.
I follow Charles M. Blow on Twitter (@charlesmblow) and read regularly his columns in the New York Times. Yesterday, he wrote about the recent curious shooting of a black teenager, Trayvon Martin, in Florida.
He is not the only commentator on this bizarre incident. Roland Martin (@rolandsmartin), a well-known political commentator, has also been pressing for action on this case. Last night, Mr Blow wrote about this case for his weekend column. I read it and it brought me to tears: yet another senseless killing of a young person. The column speaks for itself, but we have to wonder how events like this happen.
Many questions come to mind. I wont try to capture all of them, because they are personal and contextual. Those, like me, who cannot understand the American love affair with the gun, will be again scratching our heads and asking “When will they learn?” Those who have teenage children (whether black or not, but perhaps particularly those who are black) may be wondering “Will this happen to my child?” I thank my lucky stars that whatever profiling I endured as a youth or older was never in the face of someone ready and able to take my life.
I do not know what will be a just outcome to this killing, but justice will be one of those things that will be bombarding my mind for a while. In the meantime, sincere condolences for the parents of Trayvon Martin.
Amazing that there are no threatening, suspicious-looking white kids, just simply amazing. When will this stuff end? When will the Haile Selassie/Bob Marley work of art become a reality?
So much may be going on in the complex array of who, what, where, why that makes someone a suspect in another person’s eye. Young black man walking with hood up in mainly white housing complex is a ‘suspect’ to some. Young white man walking with suit and tie on in mainly black housing complex is a ‘suspect’ to some. Different suspicions (negative or positive) and then different reactions. What led to this shooting needs to be unearthed and dealt with, but when someone rushes to judgement and then acts with a lethal weapon questions often don’t get asked or answered. Me or you? Life or death? Decision made. Fate determined.