I haven’t said very much about Trayvon Martin for one simple reason: the whole situation makes me angry.
Yes, I know, it makes us all angry. We can’t believe that we live in a world, a country, an era where a 17-year-old black teen can be murdered in cold blood and his killer not be in danger of prosecution. But what I’m saying is, and those who know me know this to be true, when I’m angry, I don’t become loud or boisterous. I become quiet.
Damn near silent.
I fester and stew in my anger. It’s not healthy, but that’s what I do, partly because I’m cynical to the point where I don’t think anyone care. No one wants to listen. That goes for everyone, from the politicians and authority figures tasked with creating and enforcing the laws of the land to my own family and friends who have enough troubles of their own to be concerned with anyone else’s.
And so I’ve remained silent. Quiet. Haven’t said a word. Even as the evidence against Trayvon’s murderer George Zimmerman began to mount. Even as tapes of the 911 calls became public. Even as common sense and compassion began to prevail among the masses.
Today, I’m breaking my silence. Today, I’m a black man sporting a hoodie, as Trayvon did the evening he was murdered, to show the world that I am not “suspicious.” The pic above was uploaded to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with the hashtag #millionhoodies, and the video at the very top was posted with the same hashtag on YouTube and Viddy.
