President Obama: “If Trayvon Martin was of age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk? And do we actually think that he would have beeen justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman, who had followed him in a car because he felt threatened?”

Posted on by

By: M. Kita Williams  – THEFFECTMEDIA

July 19, 2013

Lincoln University, PA – Today President Obama may have delivered his most powerful address on race in the U.S. , interpreting to the world the context of experiences of African-American males  in the United States.

The President spoke of personal experiences where he had crossed the street in earlier years and could hear car doors suddenly locking.  He shared how he also experienced first-hand, women clutching their purses when he would ride in elevators with them, prior to his famous political career.

Obama continued that, “The African American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws… everything from the death penalty to the enforcement of our drug laws …and that ends up having an impact on terms of how people interpret the case.”

The President asked of everyone to in effect, look in the mirror while evaluating some very difficult questions including, “If Trayvon Martin was of age and armed,  could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk?  And do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman, who had followed him in a car because he felt threatened?  And if the answer to that question is at least ambiguous, then it seem to me that we might want to examine those kinds of laws.”

Please see ABCNEWS.COM video via President Obama: Lessons From Trayvon Martin’s Death

NAACP Petition: A Call to Action – The Zimmerman verdict

Posted on by
 

The Zimmerman verdict - kitawilliams@gmail.com - Gmail

A jury in Sanford, Florida has found George Zimmerman not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin.

I know I am not alone in my outrage, anger, and heartbreak over this decision. When a teenager’s life is taken in cold blood, and there is no accountability for the man who killed him, nothing seems right in the world, but we cannot let these emotions alone rule.

In these most challenging of times, we are called to act. There is work left to be done to achieve justice for Trayvon. The Department of Justice can still address the violation of Trayvon’s most fundamental civil right — the right to life, and we are urging them to do so.

Sign our petition to the Department of Justice. Tell them to file civil rights charges against George Zimmerman.

We continue to grieve the loss of Trayvon with his parents, his family, and all who loved him. Do not forget what brought us to this day.

George Zimmerman was arrested and charged because we would not back down when he was initially released. The Sanford Police Chief was removed from his post because we voiced our disbelief that he would overrule his detectives and block George Zimmerman’s arrest.

And, perhaps most importantly, not a single state has passed a “stand your ground” law in 2013 — the first time in eight years — because we refuse to let the memory of Trayvon fade from the hearts and minds of America.

So, now we have a choice: We can be felled by our sorrows over the jury’s decision, or we can turn our frustration into action. We can demand the Department of Justice address the travesties of this tragedy. We can take a step forward in our efforts to finally end racial profiling in America once and for all. What will you do, Monique Kita?

For Trayvon Martin, for his family, and for all parents who suffer the horror of burying a child, sign our petition to the Department of Justice:

http://www.naacp.org/sign-the-DOJ-petition

Thank you,

Ben

Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP
Find the NAACP on Facebook Follow the NAACP on Twitter
Donate | Join the NAACP | Blog | Take Action | Find Your Local Unit | Unsubscribe