Victims of Bigotry and Racism In America Case Study

Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant & Yusuf Hawkins

"Look at yourselves. Some of you teenagers, students. How do you think I feel and I
belong to a generation ahead of you - how do you think I feel to have to tell you, 'We, my
generation, sat around like a knot on a wall while the whole world was fighting for its human
rights - and you've got to be born into a society where you still have that same fight.' What did
we do, who preceded you ? I'll tell you what we did. Nothing. And don't you make the same
mistake we made...." - Malcolm X Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old African American
victim of bigotry and racism in Florida. On February 26, 2012 Trayvon Martin went to a seven
eleven to buy skittles and a arizona ice tea. As he came out the store a white man named George
Zimmerman was following him while he was walking home.
Trayvon Martin was walking through George Zimmerman's Neighborhood and since
theres been a few breaking and entering in the past week Mr.Zimmerman made an assumption of
as Trayvon Martin was going to cause trouble because of the color of his skin. George called the
police since he was the neighborhood watch men but when speaking to the police officer
Zimmerman stated "This guy looks like he's up to no good or he's on drugs or something," and
These assholes, they always get. After the dispatcher figure his location coordinates he asked
Zimmerman is he following and Zimmerman said Yep after his response the dispatcher told
Zimmerman Okay, we don't need you to do that," but he did not listen. Once Treyvon started
running Zimmerman went right behind him. Several minutes later, according to other callers who
called 911 from the neighborhood, Zimmerman and Martin got into a wrestling match on the
ground. Martin was screaming for help but no one came out to help because they was
scared.Then a single shot rang out, and Martin lay dead. Zimmerman went to trial and defeated
the case because of the stand your ground law in Florida but in my opinion its just a law to hide
the given right for people killing eachother.

After Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, and Darius Simmons, you thought that you could be
sickened by racist violence but no longer shocked, you need to know the story of Jonathan
Ferrell. Jonathan Ferrell was a member of Florida A&Ms 2010 championship team. He was
going to turn 25 in October and was engaged to be married. He was called the shepherd for the
way he looked after those around him. On September 14, 2013 Jonathan Ferrell crashed his car
in Charlotte, North Carolina. The wreck was so awful that Ferrell, according to police reports,
had to climb out of his back window. He somehow stumbled in the middle of the night to the
closest home and knocked on the door banging on the door viciously, in the words of Charlotte
police chief Rodney Monroe and begging for help. According to police reports, the person inside
didnt call an ambulance but hit her alarm panic button, indicating to police that a home invasion
was in progress. As the Charlotte PD approached, Ferrell continued to attempt to gain the
attention of the homeowner. When they arrived, Ferrell charged toward them. One of the
three officers tasered Ferrell. When that did not stop his advance, 27-year-old Officer Randall
Kerrick opened fire, hitting Jonathan Ferrell ten times killing him at the scene.
Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to
meet, and hopefully we shall overcome. -Thomas Sowell. The color of our skin and where our
ancestors come from doesnt define the person within us. Trayvon Martin and Jonathan Ferrell
was just two victims of a racial bigotry. Racism may be defined as the hatred of one person by
another or the belief that another person is less than human because of skin color, language,
customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. It
has influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations, and legal codes. Thats where the word
Nigger came from. Through all the struggle we still live with racism today and its time for a
change.


http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/03/what-happened-trayvon-martin-explained
http://www.thenation.com/blog/176176/jonathan-ferrell-former-football-player-killed-
police-after-seeking-help-following-car-w
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/racism.html