We Are All Trayvon Martin

One tragic day in February, Trayvon Martin bought a bag of Skittles and a bottle of iced tea from a convenience store and was on his way back to the home of his father’s fiancée in a Sanford, Florida, gated community. That benign act would end with the 17-year-old’s life snuffed out because he was black, wearing a hoodie, and looked “suspicious.”

Trayvon was spotted by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old self-appointed community watch volunteer. When he contacted the police to report concerns, he was instructed not to engage the young man. Instead Zimmerman began pursuing the youth, initiating a confrontation that led to the fatal shooting.

While Trayvon’s family and friends grieves over their loss, the perpetrator of this heinous act remains free due to his claim of self-defense that some law enforcement officials deemed was in keeping with the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law, a statute permitting individuals to use deadly force, if necessary, to protect themselves from “reasonable” threats without obligation to retreat.

When I saw the news reports I was hurt, but not shocked. In viewing the soulful eyes of Trayvon staring back at me from the television screen, I could only think of my 17-year-old son. He looks just like Trayvon.
The experience also took me back to when I was that age and the lessons of survival my father was forced to share with me and my brothers, a conversation held in millions of black households across this nation. If we were ever stopped by the police while driving he instructed us to place our hands on the steering wheel, not to make any sudden moves, and to address questions without attitude. The only objective, he stressed, was to make it home safely. Now, some 30 years later, I have to give that same lecture to my sons.

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The sad truth is that whether you’re a teen wearing a hoodie or an adult donning a three-piece suit, much of society still views black men as suspects. Your college degree and high-paying position will not keep you from being racially profiled. In 1995, after stepping off my commuter train in New York’s Grand Central Station, I was frisked in full view of my fellow passengers by two white police officers who suspected me of carrying a gun. It turned out that the perp they sought was 5-foot-10 with a mustache, beard, and dreadlocks. The only things we had in common: our gender and our race.

Four decades after the death of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we unfortunately continue to be judged by the color of our skin instead of the content of our character. In that respect, we are all Trayvon Martin.

When you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation and walk into a hotel elevator only to have a white woman clutch her purse and recoil in fear, you’re Trayvon Martin. When you’re a renowned Harvard college professor arrested on your front porch for simply asserting your rights as a homeowner, you’re Trayvon Martin. When you’re the president of the United States slated to give a speech to an elementary school in Texas and parents keep their children home citing you as a negative influence, you’re Trayvon Martin.

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If this is the experience of such high-profile, powerful black men, one need not wonder how the average African American male is perceived and treated on a daily basis.

Do not let this moment go unanswered. I strongly believe nothing gets accomplished without conflict. We must make it clear that enough is enough.

We must make it clear that we no longer tolerate police officers or vigilantes treating us and our children as suspects. We must make it clear that the “Stand Your Ground” laws currently on the books in 24 states represent a declaration of open season on African Americans. We must hold politicians accountable to amend policies that encourage and accommodate racial profiling and police misconduct. We must make it clear that no individual holding a position of authority ever has permission to position any of us as second-class citizens.

If we don’t take immediate and deliberate action now then we will communicate the wrong message to our children and grandchildren regarding the value we place on their lives. We must demonstrate the courage to stand firm in advocating our rights and protecting our families. We must be ever vigilant. Because we are all Trayvon Martin.