[Note: Lord willing, I hope to post a Sunday Special. Be sure to check back here then.]
Dear friends,
If you've been following the news the past few weeks, you have probably heard something about a 17-year old teen named Trayvon Martin who was shot by a Neighborhood Watch captain in a neighborhood here in Central Florida. What was initially a local incident seemed to overnight become a national news story with marches in New York City (!) to protest the sense that justice has not been given to the youth. It's exploded in the media (who seems to have done everything to make this story what it has become) in such a way that as I feel like my head is spinning!
I was hoping by now that someone much wiser would comment on what has happened but having not found a thing among my internet sources at this point who have said anything, I feel the need to put my thoughts to paper. Please remember that my comments are based on what I have learned up to this date - Friday, March 23rd. In subsequent days, further information may make my comments (even more?) nonsensical to some but please keep in mind this is what my views are at this time.
From what we've been told, the teen (visiting from out of town) went one recent evening to the local convenience store to buy a package of Skittles and a bottle of iced tea. On his way home, he was confronted by the watch captain who ended up shooting and killing him. There is at least one witness who say the two wrestling on the ground before the boy was shot. According to one news source, "The volunteer, George Zimmerman, claimed that he felt the young man had threatened him and he was fearful of his safety. Zimmerman claimed he acted in accordance with Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' law, which permits the use of lethal force if a person legitimately believes his life and property, or the life of another, is in danger. Despite the fact that Martin was unarmed, Sanford police have not charged Zimmerman with any crime. This led to a growing perception that the police department and local prosecutors were dragging their heels at best. Both the current state attorney and the Sanford police chief have stepped aside. The case is now under review by the State Attorney's office and a prosecutor appointed by Gov. Rick Scott." Today, President Obama promised a full investigation (there is not one going on already?)of the killing (calling it a shooting would not be as incindiary, right?) of Trayvon Martin Friday, saying, "If I had a son he’d look like Trayvon.” (Say what!)
My thoughts - Of course, like you, my first thoughts on hearing about this incident was "How could this have happened?" but I felt comfortable the police would investigate this and the details would eventually come out. Because it's now been weeks since the incident, and the local media has focused on this story EVERY day, people are left with the impression that the police are not doing their job. There has even been implications made that the "slowness" of the invstigation is because of racial prejudice. It didn't help that just last night, thousands gathered for a rally where the Rev. Al Sharpton, whose known to show up whenever African-Americans are said to be facing injustice. (I have yet to hear of an instance where his participation has resulted in speeding up the justice system rather than just enflame racial tensions in any situation.)
There are several things about all of this that particularly bother me. First of all, as I heard one attorney interviewed say, it can often take the police up to a year to fully investigate an incident in order to arrest someone for a crime. That seems like a long time, but obviously the process is often not as drawn out AND the police always need to be careful that they accurately charge someone or their case will not hold up later and these days they could be sued for false arrest. I guess when you're used to watching any night on television a police drama in which a crime is solved in an hour you get the impression that such things are the norm - like picking up your dinner at a fast-food restaurant. With patience not considered a virtue by many these days, with distrust of authority being the norm among some, and with people easily stirred by emotions, what's developed is not that surprising.
Secondly, I have to wonder whatever happened to the axiom of "innocent until proven guilty." As everyone else, I have no idea whether Mr. Zimmerman acted maliciously and is guilty of a crime, much less the crime of murder as some are accusing him. Is it not possible that the police have yet to arrest him because there is - at least at this point - not enough evidence for them to press charges? Why is it presumed there is some kind of conspiracy on the part of the police to "deny Trayvon justice"? Little has been mentioned of the man and his family obviously in hiding because of death threats that have been made against him. (Ironically, I watched an episode of a police drama just last night in which a man spent 4 years in prison for a crime a neighbor and the actual perpetrator had framed him for. He had been convicted on falsified evidence that resulted not only in his losing his freedom but also his family abandoning him.) I can imagine whatever family and friends who believe him must also be terrified and intimidated to speak out in his defense.
Yes, it is scary and sad that a teen has been killed, whatever the circumstances prove to have been. Of course, my heart and my prayers go out that his family is comforted in their grief. But also scary and sad for me is that we live in a time when people can so distrust those in authority that they seem willing to abandon the rule of law to get "justice." It seems that a growing number don't want to wait for any evidence, any facts, for whatever truth can be accaurately determined because they have already made up their minds what the truth is. In their minds, Mr. Zimmerman MUST be guilty - at least that's what he appears to be, and that's good enough. If we were living in the "wild west" of the late 19th century America, they would have stormed the town jail, overwhelm the sheriff, drag the prisoner from his cell, and hanged him!
I guess that would be "justice" - street justice, that is! Thank God, it's still safe to assume that in time the truth and the rule of law will prevail. For Mr.Zimmerman's sake - and ours - let's pray people will take a deep breath and put their emotions and presumptions on hold, and let the investigative process run it's full course. After all, we all may want justice to be swift, but even a fast-food burger is not worth eating if it's under-cooked, right?
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