English 101
We Do Matter
There are no more colored water fountains, and it's supposed to be illegal to
discriminate, but if I can be forced to sit on the concrete in too-tight cuffs when I've done
nothing wrong, it's clear there's an issue. That things aren't as equal as folks say they are
Nic Stone. The justice system does not see African Americans as a whole. Statistical
studies suggest that more than half of all African American males in large cities can expect to
be arrested at least once during their lifetime, while only 14 percent of white males are ever
charged. Over time, the wrong people have been detained for bad things. Living in the
The United States is where crimes are committed constantly; we count on this system to
make the right decisions, but African Americans do not have the same rights as whites. They
can not wear hoodies, can not be in a nice neighborhood, can not ask too many questions, and
can not breathe. Each case must be treated equally and with clear eyes when
carrying out justice to keep the United States safe and form a sturdy nation. However,
sometimes rights are taken from the wrong people. Our legal system is creating a dangerous
path for African Americans in our country because of its highest per capita incarceration rate,
its favoritism towards those in power, and its failure to carry out justice to protect people from
the dangerous acts of those who later aren't defined as criminals. Many people belittle these.
African American issues, but it's time to make a change in the unfairness of America's justice
system today.
On the night of February 26th, Trayvon Martin, a seventeen-year-old black male from
Miami walked from his father's house into a gated community to a nearby seven-eleven store.
When walking back, he was spotted by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old mixed-Hispanic man, the neighborhood coordinator for the gated community watch, driving
down the street. There had been several break-ins in the neighborhood over the last few
weeks, and Zimmerman thought that the young black man walking in the rain wearing a hooded
sweatshirt looked suspicious and reported it to the 911 non-emergency number that this person
might be on drugs and had his hand in his waistband while walking around looking at homes.
Zimmerman shot and killed Martin, who was unarmed, during a physical
altercation between the two after he tried to stop Martin. This event led up to the State of
Florida vs. George Zimmerman case.
Zimmerman, injured during the encounter with Martin, had a strong claimed of
self-defense in the confrontation, and thought that the case would be ended, but Tallahassee
civil rights attorney, Benjamin Crump, wouldn't allow it. Crump took the case to the media,
held press conferences with the parents of Martin, pressured the release of 911 tapes, organized
justice rallies, and pushed African American leaders to take up the cause. State attorney Angela
Corey, appointed by Flor...
