Just Take A Minute

By now, I'm sure you all know the verdict that was just handed down.  I won't lie to you, I'm flabbergasted that the jury couldn't even get manslaughter out of it.  To be exonerated of all charges, I can guarantee you that George Zimmerman is luckiest man on earth.  I don't understand this, I'll be honest.  I've watched the case for the most part.  I've kept up with the evidence.  I've kept up with the phone calls, the animations, and the experts.

I'll start with the elephant in the room, was this racism?  Depends on what you're asking about.  If you're asking me if I think George Zimmerman's reaction to Trayvon Martin walking around in his neighborhood in the rain in a hoodie (a perfectly natural thing to do when it's cold and rainy), then yes, I think George Zimmerman was being a racial profiler and a bigot.  If you're asking me if I think the case and the verdict was racist, honestly no.  I think the jury went with what they got and came up with a verdict.  I don't really like to jump on the "that's racist" bandwagon unless the N-word or other terrible words are being used or if horrible crimes against black people are being committed.  I personally thought that Zimmerman was guilty because he became a vigilante.  I'd feel the same way if the races were reversed.  I'd feel the same if these were women or one person was a woman.  It doesn't matter.  I really believe that Zimmerman was looking for trouble that night.

I want to jump to what this means.  I feel like this means a lot.  First of all, Florida has a history of racially charged incidents and crimes.  This does nothing to put more faith in Florida as far as that goes.  Florida laws have been written, re-written, and translated in the hopes of stopping this.  However, loopholes seem to be more prevalent there than most places.  Second of all, I think this could lead to some really bad things.  With the uprising of social media, Internet, and instant information being transferred in seconds, this could really start a firestorm.  Remember how bad it got in Los Angeles after the Rodney King verdict announced?  There was no Facebook or Twitter to spread that word.  This could be bad for the state of Florida.  This could be terrible for Zimmerman.  I honestly think "Not Guilty" was the worst verdict for him considering how we're all vengeful people in some ways.  There are people out there that will attempt to end Zimmerman.  This is dangerous.

This also means that a lot of Gun Control supporters are going to be hitting this place hard.  I'm not a big gun person.  They just don't appeal to me.  However, I'll always support a person's right to have and own a gun if they are proven worthy and competent enough.  However, I do believe that Florida needs to revamp the "Stand Your Ground" law.  They really need to make it clear when someone can use their gun to defend themselves.  If I see someone unfamiliar, I'm not chasing them down to see what they're up to, whether I have a gun or not.  Seems like "Stand Your Ground" invites that attitude.  Someone needs to re-write that a little better.

The worst thing about this case is that a 17, would be 18, year old boy is no longer with us.  Parents have lost a son.  A senior in college lost his little brother.  An unfairly vilified young lady lost her best friend.  The world lost a young man to, in my opinion, a senseless act.  There is nothing that a "guilty" verdict would have done to change that.  I'm looking at my Facebook feed, and I'm seeing people seemingly happy or okay with this.  I don't think anyone can be okay with this.  At peace, maybe.  Understanding that there is a higher purpose in all this, absolutely.  But, just okay?  People have lost someone.  It's terrible.  There is no justice in that.

I look back to times in my life where things seemed completely unfair.  I've been brought to tears over some things.  However, I know that there is a better tomorrow.  The Martin family will heal.  It will probably take a very, very long time.  The Zimmerman family will heal.  It will probably take a very, very long time.  The best thing to do is rely on God.  God's provision will suffice.  I know Zimmerman got a lot of flack for saying that this is "God's plan."  I do have a hard time believing that God wanted Zimmerman to shoot an unarmed teenager going to his dad's house.  Just like I have a hard time believing that the people who murdered my dad were carrying out God's plan.  I do believe that God will stand with us through these terrible trials.  We just have to be patient and trusting.  We also have to be sensible.  I'm pretty sure most, if not all of you reading this aren't going to start a riot.  So the next best thing is to pray and hope that those in Florida who are hurt, crushed, humiliated, and unsure don't do anything rash.  I'm typing this as I see Black Panthers on the television screen.

Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding.  That's how I'm going to cope with this thing.  You do what you do.