Evan+M.+-+SL+-+SP12

Evan Malachosky Current Event Round 6 Mr. Wimmer Pd. 3 4/4/12 __Racial Profiling: Roots of the Slavery Era__ __Summary:__ The murder of Trayvon Martin has flooding the news-feeds of social networking sites and invoking uproar of rallies. The 17-year-old African American male was gunned down while walking through a gated community in Sanford, Florida. George Zimmerman, a Hispanic man with White ancestry, is being accused by millions in the general public of murdering Martin out of hate towards the African-American race. Millions of supporters of the “Justice for Trayvon” rally group have classified the murder as a hate crime, or a crime motivated by racial prejudice. President Obama has even recently spoken out over the incident and hoped for a fair trial for the young man. George Zimmerman, who is a neighborhood watch guard, was out on “patrol” and came across Martin. The story of exactly what happened that evening is still up in the air, but ultimately it resulted in the death of a teenage boy. Zimmerman is being ridiculed for saying things like, “they’re kind, they always get away”, muttering the racial slur “coon”, and finally stating “not this time” in response to the first quote. All of that was recorded on the 911 calls he made to the local Law Enforcement. The motive behind the murder has yet to be determined, and many other details regarding whether or not Trayvon had the right to be within the gated community, and if George Zimmerman murder Trayvon Martin because of racial prejudice. __Relevance:__ When taking a glance into American History, the disgusting blemish everyone is aware of is, Slavery. The torture and abuse of African-American men and women is something the United States will never forget. One event that is shockingly similar to the tragic murder of Trayvon Martin is the murder of Emmett Till. Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American male who was murdered for “flirting” with a White female. This case was in 1955, where the two murderers were acquitted but later admitted to brutally murdering the young man. Sadly, the violence and prejudice did not stop there. Today, African Americans make up 13.6% of the United States population but make up a whopping 40.3% of all imprisoned citizens. Minorities have fought a difficult battle since the extinction of Slavery and the battle doesn’t seem to be coming to an end. Large minority groups have always considered Police Officers racist but it has never been truly proven. The Civil Rights Movement of 1958-1966 was a rough time for minorities and publicly displayed Police brutality towards African Americans. The rallies led by Martin Luther King Jr. were large and displayed a desire for equality and justice. The leader of the “Modern Day Civil Rights Movement”, Rev. Jesse Jackson said while speaking to thousands in Central Florida, “This is not a fit, this is a movement!” The civil rights activist began showing similarities to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech by detailing how to move forward in this nation without racial profiling. He detailed that we should stop suspending our younger generation but rather to invest in them, to educate them. He spoke out against racial profiling in the banks, insurance companies, and ultimately employment front. He spoke out on the variety of racial profiling in today’s world. The speech blatantly showed similarities to past African American freedom speeches and shows the public that the fight will not end until Trayvon Martin receives justice. __Evaluation__: The Trayvon Martin case is a “spark that began a fire” behind the African American equality movement. The Government has maintained the status that everyone is equal under the Constitution. From personal experience and as displayed in the recent rallies, many minorities maintain their opinion that they are not equal under any circumstances. America, to be the free nation that it has the reputation of being, needs to pursue the ideal of an entirely equal nation. No one, whether they are African American, Asian, Hispanic, or even German should feel as if they are not safe or equal under this nation. With the rising crime rate and also rising unemployment, we as Americans need to strive towards racial equality. The Constitution entails The People, which is never specified as a certain race, gender, or age. An African American man has the same rights as a White man and it should stay that way. The Trayvon Martin case has acted as an eye opener for millions into the harsh reality that many African Americans face everyday. Celebrities have begun supporting the movement and everyday citizens need to act as well. For our nation to move forward towards the goal of universal equality, prosperity, success, and freedom, we need to first solve the problem of racial profiling and in a general sense, racism. Trayvon Martin has tragically acted as the cornerstone for an international revolution.

__Questions?__ 1. Do you believe George Zimmerman is guilty of a hate crime? 2. In your everyday life, is race a factor in what you do or say? 3. How has racism affected your life? 4. Do you believe your parents or grandparents possess a racial stigma? 5. If Slavery never existed, how do you believe our world would be different? 6. President Obama, an African-American male, has taken office and is pursuing re-election. Do you believe that Obama’s race is generally accepted in today’s world?

__Works Cited__ Amario, Christine. "Trayvon Martin: Are Rallies a Rebirth of Civil Rights Movement? ( Video)." //The Christian Science Monitor//. The Christian Science Monitor, 02 Apr. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2012. .

"House Dems Host Trayvon Martin's Parents on Hill, Claim Racial Profiling Led to Shooting." //Fox News//. FOX News Network, 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2012. .

"Incarceration in the United States." //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Mar. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2012. .