When Travyon Martin was shot, I told myself that kid could have been my future kid, or my future nephew or my friend. The state of Florida in the US is heavily endorsing hate backed with a mistrust some people cannot explain, fueled by a gun, resulting in nothing but death of innocent people. A gun in an angry man/woman’s hand who wants to hate. In my near future or my distant future, I honestly do not want to hear about a friend’s kid who gets shot thus.
When Travyon Martin was shot, I, as a non-black person was worried. Not because I feel for the general good, which I do. But because some of the most amazing people I know are black. If I recount each one of their faces and then think about a shooting that randomly happens to them, or their future kids. I will cry.
In the aftermath of 9/11 when the US was on a rampage of cornering innocent muslims at airports and random checks all over the country, and more often than not throw them off into Guantanamo bay, it teared my heart apart. I would sit in the classroom scrolling thru all the Mohammads and the Khans in my phonebook, and wonder how many of them face the humiliation everytime they travel, and my heart wrenched at the thought that, it is likely if not impossible that in my lifetime one Mohammad, on Khan or idk someone with an “islamic” name, that I know, I have shared a conversation, a meal, a moment, a friendship with, will disappear.
It also wrenches my heart to think of every black person and friend I have ever meet, innocent. But some angry dude with a gun, would some day shoot one of them or their kid. Its highly likely, if not impossible. No amount of rallies will then bring them back, you can change all your laws afterwards. Nothing would make a difference then. Atleast not to me, and their families. We would just be morning our loss. Why aren’t gun laws be amended right now? Before we actually loose the ones we love?
Why is it allowed to have weapons in a civilized society? In the hands of civilians who know not better. Clearly.
The question is, how many more little black boys will it take?
an overdue 