Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, and the Story That Defines a People
July 14, 2013, I was kicking back at home when the news flash came on that George Zimmerman was found not guilty for the second degree murder of Trayvon Martin. Backtrack to February 26, 2012, when George was on the neighborhood watch, saw Trayvon, perceived the lad was acting suspiciously, through a course of events the two got into a scuffle, with Trayvon dying of a fatal gunshot to the chest. Befuddlement is what I felt after hearing the verdict, as I was certain the accused was facing a guilty verdict. Yet, it is still surreal that this incident has sparked a national debate, with two sides calling the greater populace being defined by a story. Truth is really secondary to the whole debate. What the debaters are speaking about never really touches upon cardinal issues of American jurisprudence, such as a speedy trial by jury of one’s own peers, the principle of being innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt, and the like. These ideas are important, but the nationa...