Take A Stand...

February 26th was the last time 17 year old Trayvon Martin would be seen alive.  A simple walk to the store for a pack of Skittles for his little brother and a sweet tea for himself.  For 6 weeks Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, have been praying for something as simple as an arrest of the George Zimmerman; the man accused of fatally shooting their son. Today, Ms. Fulton and Mr. Martin have their first bout of closure:   the charging of Mr. Zimmerman (2nd degree Murder) and his arrest.

I have 3 sons, particularly not one much younger than Trayvon Martin.  I look back at the times I have sent my 15 year old son to the store (walking) for candy for him and his brothers and even the times he has asked to go and take his two younger brothers (ages 7 and 11) with him.  Never imagining that either of them would even return.  Never thinking someone would look at them and think that MY boys are indeed a threat to someone.  Anyone!  Not only my kids, but any of our kids!  And it shouldn't have taken a petition of over a million signatures to get to this point!  America, this is a test of how we can stand together!

I HATE sagging!  I hate it with a passion!  Okay, I will say a strong dislike for it!  My oldest son has been a victim of this epidemic!  With each occurance that I catch with my own two eyes, I speak LOUDLY about how embarrassing it is, because the act of sagging is embarrassing to me as a mother!  This is not just a problem in the black community, its a problem PERIOD!

Sagging:  I have seen older men, younger men and boys, even women do it.  ITS NOT CUTE! Where can you get a job looking that way?  Some court systems are even starting to order jail time and fines for this act of indecent exposure.  Hoodies: A simple pullover which means what?  My GRANDMOTHER wears them?  Is she suspicious?  The Klu Kluxx Klan adorn hoodies over their robes and we ALL know what they believe in but if an African-American child is walking down the street with Skittles and sweet tea while talking on his cellphone in a gated community; obviously he has reason to be there!  

I do not know George Zimmerman personally  nor do I want to.  It has been said that he and his wife mentored African American kids.  Which part of this is true, I do not know, nor do I care.  I still feel this shooting has some racial motivation behind it.  Had Trayvon Martin been Billy Donahue would the same thing had happened to him? Personally, I don't think so.  Regardless of race, right is right and wrong is wrong and if the shooter was black and the child was white and all the evidence remains the same, I can honestly say I STILL would have signed that petition.  

Talk to your kids.  Not only your kids, your nieces and nephews and cousins.  Most of the time our (everyone regardless of race) teens are feeling misunderstood.  We have all been in their shoes and I fear for mine daily, so I can imagine what ANYONE else goes through.  Hug your babies and let them know you care and are there to listen to them.  Tell them you love them constantly!  You never know when your or even their number is up!