Zimmerman trial....Too much division in the country, too much controversy, too much rage from both sides of the spectrum. And too much hate raised it's ugly head... Was justice served properly? Is Zimmerman getting undeserved slack? Do blacks always get a short end of the deal? Are whites too scared to even report crimes committed by blacks - much less intervene? Who is right and who is wrong now, when we are in a hot discussion and when lots of people protest the verdict - and at the same time lots of people are saying they are surprised by the courage of jurors which did not yield for a political pressure?
Let me analyze this tragic event from a little bit different angle. And I am not going to employ too much PC, as I am sure most people are fed up with it. First off, Travon Martin , often described in the media as an innocent kid, was no angel. He was involved in a confrontation with a bus driver & punched him in the face. He was carrying illegal drugs in his backpack. And he started the fight with Zimmerman. Did he deserve to die for all or any of this? Hell no! He still could become a fine young man and a useful member of our society. And you bet my heart goes to his family. And I pray that his soul will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Now George Zimmerman is no angel either. If he wanted to enforce the law and order in his neighborhood, he had to be less vigilant. He had to be more careful, more polite, show more understanding of other people feelings. And more maturity. I don't think he deserves a gun license at this point. But did he deserve to be locked up? No, he did not. At some point of the attack he had to defend himself. Or did he have to let the other guy kill him? I don't think so.
Quite a few blacks and whites have a lot of drudge against each other. And at least some of them may be valid. Blacks complain that plenty of doors are still closed to them, that there is a lot of disparities, that black youths are placed in a position of disadvantage right from the start. That whites are stereotyping them. Whites complain that the crime rate among blacks is too high and that there is too much reliance on government help and too much blame is placed on slavery which ended more than 150 years back. and that blacks are stereotyping them.
Now some of my black readers will say that as a white by definition I am not able to feel their pain & because of that could never completely comprehend their anger. This may be true. But many years ago, in another country I was a member of discriminated minority. Many doors were closed to me. So, to an extent, from personal experience I do know what it means to be opressed and to have limited opportunities. But lets get back to the issue at hand.
Unfortunately, we are already talking about the past event and what's most important is our future as a nation. Do we have to be racially divided? Do we need to continue blaming each other for a lot of mistreatment? No we don't. Are most of us racist at both sides of the race line? No we are not. If you disagree, take a look at the pools. Take a look at your friends or coworkers of a different race. Take a look even at multiracial families. We are not the enemies. In fact, we are all on the same side. We are Americans.
Let this tragedy unite us and not divide. Let's teach our kids to respect each other. Let's get rid of the dirty offensive words for the members of other race. Let political agitators on both sides of the race line choke in their rage - no matter real or artificial. All they are trying to do - along with the media - is to self-promote themselves at any cost & make money by dividing us. Brothers and sister of all races, do not let this happen to you! Let's treat each other with dignity & respect - and lets start this in our hearts and our minds. Let's try to take a new look at each other. And I can give you two examples from history when people were able to do just that. Each time this happened after a brutal fighting during the civil war. General Franko in Spain, after his victory over communist rebels, said "We need to understand that people from the other side, our former enemies, now are our compatriots and we should treat them as such". Something similar was said by Abraham Lincoln after our civil war, in 1865. He paid with his life for that and we should honor his request.
And one more example, a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: "There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive."
Here are my suggestions on how to approach this. And I am talking not only to Whites and Blacks but to Latinos and Asians as well.
Select an elderly couple or a single person from a different race in your neighbourhood or close by. Visit them, introduce yourself. And offer your help. Ask what you can do for them. Maybe you could help with shopping, or visting a doctor, or find a good plumber for them. Do something and don't get discouraged if they will deny your help. Start with another couple.
Or invite a kid from a different race to participate in your soccer game, or in your other sports event. Or invite a couple from a different race to your barbeque party. Devote a few hours a month to help and encourage people of a different race in a local hospital. We, Americans, are famous for doing lots of volunteer work. And don't limit yourself to a one-time-deal. Make it a habit. I am sure folks will come up with dozens of other options. Possibilities are endless. Don't try to resolve a problem for everyone in this country. Just don't hesitate and start doing something right in your neigbourhood, on a simple personal level.
And let this to be an outcome of what happened - and a real justice for all. God bless.
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