Tasting the Rainbow is Not Enuff: An Analysis of the Trayvon Martin Case

by Aniysha Tate
AAAS-2100 Student: Spring 2012

On February 26, the life of the Martin/Fulton family was turned upside down by the gunning down of their son, Trayvon Martin. This case has only received national attention in the last three weeks with the sand lines drawn down the middle when it comes to the topic of race. As the details of this case are continuing to be revealed, the public is left with a sense of anger and frustration at the handling of suspect George Zimmerman, who at the moment I type this post is still free without prosecution. Zimmerman ‘assumed’ that Trayvon was a threat to his neighborhood and felt that it was his duty as a citizen to serve and protect his community. What he was oblivious of was the fact that Trayvon was part of that community as he was walking back to his father’s house from the local corner store with some skittles and beverage, which have been symbolic of the protest along with his hoodie which was dawned for protection from the rain. We can sit and make the comments that Zimmerman stereotyped Trayvon because of his attire. Granted he did. But what he saw more than that hoodie was the fact that Trayvon was a young BLACK man with a hoodie shielding him from visual. That is what made Zimmerman jump.

Does that make the situation better to comprehend? It most certainly does not. This young man was gunned down, not just shot at, and made a blatant target because of another man’s bigotry. We have seen social media blaze this story like wildfire and there have been countless pictures of person’s of all colors dawning hoodies in protest and remembrance of a young man who was senselessly killed. This issue hit close to home because I am a parent of a young black man.

Like Trayvon, my son will encounter those who will be unwilling to see nothing more than a black man – a danger to society that must be destroyed at all costs. What they will never see and know is that he’s a brilliant young man who likes writing, playing the guitar, and loves wearing his hoodie because it gives him comfort and security. This tragic incident has invoked others to reignite the discussion of race and the plight of our black youths. The tragedy of Trayvon’s life has given focus to shifting and changing the ideals of this society because although we are naïve in admitting this, this is global. This mentality has been ongoing for hundreds of years and we cannot expect a couple of decades of struggle to have changed that. This must continue.