COMING TO A COMMUNITY NEAR YOU … US!

My first essay of thoughts post-ZV (Zimmerman Verdict) were just too personal and, in some places, too incendiary to publish.  It came on the heels of me still feeling very raw about the murder of Ashley Qualls, the 25-year old social worker who was killed while walking home from work, and Jordan Davis, the 17-year old Florida teen killed for simply playing loud music too loudly.  I’ll hold on to that essay, maybe for another post.  I knew there would be morning time, church (thank you Henry), introspection, and better perspective (Thank you God).

I watched and listened to nearly three (3) hours of post-ZV analysis last night.  Sunny, and Jeffery, and Lisa, and Joy-Ann.  Then there was Rev. Al and Rev. Jackson, and Marc and Ben.  And others.  They are not omniscient; they said what we were all thinking. 

“Really?  This is justice?  A child, barely 17, left his home to go to the corner store and buy some snacks, killed by a wanna-be cop, who had been indoctrinated with an irrational fear of black males in general, and who had been told to stay clear of this black male specifically?  This is justice?  Six white women said the barely 17 year old being dead is okay … ‘See the man at the desk about your gun, Georgie.  Peace out.’” 

This is justice?  Of course not.  It’s wrong.  I can tell you why I think it’s wrong, but I’m no more omniscient than those other talking heads.  Here’s what those folks haven’t addressed:  The lesson?  That I can tell you.  Let’s start with a story.

A couple of years ago, a local politician decided to go HAM against this civil rights lawyer.  Politician used her office to encourage the IRS and the FBI to investigate the lawyer; politician asked the lawyer’s assessor to raise the assessment of the lawyer’s home; politician asked a state representative to cut-off any government funding of the lawyer’s non-profit; and then, most scary, politician told her friends to drive-by and stalk the lawyer’s house and her 16 year old son.  It’s all documented in the emails.  When the lawyer complained, the Ethics Commission, the Louisiana Bar Association, and the U.S. Attorney all responded politician had done nothing wrong.  ‘See the judge at the court about your emails, Stacy.  Peace out.’ 

This is justice?  Of course not.  It’s wrong, but it set the bar.  That’s the lesson folks!  If we allow this killing to go without penalty, then we’ve set the bar so low that you give absolutely no hope to an increasingly growing population of disaffected black and brown youth, male and female, who believe there are no rules to help them or to protect them.  If we allow this killing to go without penalty, we’re saying it doesn’t matter if you’re as good as Trayvon or Ashlee …  Make good grades.  Check.  Stay out of trouble.  Check.  College.  Graduate School. Job.  Check, Check, Check.  Trayvon and Ashlee are dead.

Coming to a Community near You…  Do you really want these young people, with this bar, set this low?  With this lesson?  I don’t think so.  Let’s flip the script and try Luke 10:25-37. 

Coming to a Community near You...  Your Neighbor, who is 56% of the working-age population in New Orleans, 70% of New Orleans’ children.  Your Neighbor, who you don’t profile, but recognize and accept because he doesn’t look like you.  You Neighbor, who you don’t pass by, but bandage and heal when he falls into the hands of robbers leaving him half dead.  Your Neighbor, who you don’t judge, but believes in justice just like you and will not rest until it comes. 

Coming to a Community near You…  Your Neighbor … Us.  Either we flip the script, or as God is our witness, we will all perish.