Happy Hump Day, All!
Well . . . the happy thing may seem “over rated” but I still choose to be so . . . peace be still! Life indeed is a challenge, and, human history most certainly reveals that time and time again. I used to wonder why my only biological brother, Henry Charles, took his own life, though I had contemplated it myself once. That was when I had gone off to boarding school and come home three months later to find my “girlfriend” was going out with a good friend. I told my mother that I was so hurt that I couldn’t make it. She held me, talked to me and demonstrated that her love for me was deeper and more worthy than any “person” or girl I would ever meet in my life. The hurt that appeared in her eyes (and heart) forced me to rethink my selfish decision to end my teen-aged life … and the idea of suicide was aborted. RIP, Momma … I am yours forever!
For many in this great nation, in particular, African Americans, justice has been hard to come by. I ask you to recall what was called “The Miami 7” from last year when there was a tremendous outcry from the City of Miami’s African American population to stop the killing of “black men” … most, if not all, unarmed … by the Miami Police Department. It was clear that it was “black men” season in that City and folks were fed up with the lies and lack of investigations into these shootings by the Department of Justice and so-called “local law enforcement agencies”. One police chief was asked to step down, which he did unwillingly, as many of the killings were on “his watch”, so to speak. Recently, the Department of Justice has handed down a mandate for multiple reforms in the Miami Police Department, ranging from more “street supervisors” (available to officers on their beats) as well as more training. Being an African American male, and, with a business like Educational Excellence, I have seen the need for social training and/or diversity training for officers to learn how to handle different cultural groups and employ more social skills when dealing with that population.
Finally, as we see the final days of the State of Florida vs. Zimmerman Trial coming to an end, it appears that the defense has done an incredible job though much of the “facts” are flawed. The biggest flaw to me is where the call between Trayvon and his friend, Ms. Jeantel, in which you can hear Trayvon saying “Get off! Get off! Get off!” after being followed by Zimmerman in spite of the “911” person’s request to him to NOT follow Trayvon, is not being taken seriously. That call has not been included in the purported “animation” of the event done by a specialist in that field. The animation simply shows Trayvon facing off with George and delivering a “sucker punch”, rather than the facts of the phone call aforementioned. It is clear that Zimmerman was NOT in fear of his life but was indeed losing the fight. That was when, as Trayvon straddled him thinking it was a fist fight, Zimmerman manages to get his concealed 9mm pistol from his waist, press it against Martin’s clothing and fatally shoot him.
It seems the Scales of Justice are indeed tattered when it comes to many here in the USA, in particular, in Miami and other large cities, the African American male.
Peace,
John I. Cook, Director
Educational Excellence 