Justice Even When It’s Just Us [On Trayvon Martin]
Trayvon Martin with his father
He had the most curious face on when we introduced him to his first waves from a calm yet undulating ocean. His curls danced with the wind as he wondered whether the water might reach him. It was 10:40am, and this sunscreen-coated son of mine had neither napped well, nor eaten well, but his face displayed awe and zen, a decade too long for such feelings really.
About an hour away, Trayvon Martin’s justice lies in the hands on twelve of George Zimmerman’s peers. His shaved face and stoic stare in the courtroom belie the acts he committed a year ago. What, then, will I tell my son about this case if / when he asked?
Will I tell him about the injustices done to thousands of children of color on a regular basis because of how they look, how they’re criminalized, or they’re walking wrong? Will I tell him about the centuries of slavery and discrimination across the Americas that led up to the racial tensions of this moment? Will I tell him that, no matter how many people argue that this isn’t a racial issue, race actually plays a role