Come to the demonstration tomorrow outside the US embassy!
https://www.facebook.com/events/687148991311411/
‘Et tu, America?’ This is the response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman from Trayvon Martin’s brother Jahvaris.
Jahvaris reminds us of the history, far too long, of American society stabbing it’s Black population in the back. From the birth of America through the labor of its slaves, to decades of segregation and second class citizenship, to today’s “colorblind” racism, the spirit of Jim Crow lives as strong as ever, despite the supposed progress made, proven by the election of the first Black president.
1 Black person is killed by a cop or vigilante every 36 hours in America. There are more Black people under control of the corrections system than there were living under slavery right before the outbreak of the American Civil War. By almost very measurement of quality of life in America, Blacks are on the bottom.
Zimmerman’s acquittal is a grim and stark reflection of the continued inequality and segregation that black people face-especially in the face of the law. Black people, as always in America, cannot find justice from the United States government.
Today’s new Jim Crow will have to be fought the same way as the old Jim Crow-in the streets, outside the “respectable” realm of official politics.
This grave injustice has summons the anger of thousands in the US who are outraged at the continued harassment they experience, and refuse to tolerate the despicable racism of this society any longer. People are marching and rallying from Florida, to DC, to NYC, Detroit, Chicago, and San Francisco. We refuse to allow this verdict to vindicate the cynical racists and bigots in the media, in government, or in our communities. As one commenter stated, the real threat of this acquittal is not the justified anger of Black people and anti-racists, but the message this sends to any future George Zimmermans.
Aaron Petcoff, activist from Detroit