This is most assuredly a difficult conversation to have, yet another outcropping to the death of Trayvon, has been conversation about Black on Black crime. It has been brought up recently on this forum and the conversation was not one initially welcome. In my view it had much to do with the timing for the opening of the conversation which was not very long after Zimmerman was found not guilty. People were reeling in response to the outcome of the trial and quite frankly were not ready to talk about anything that pointed a finger back to the Black Community after the death of a young Black man at the hands of a White/Hispanic. When emotions calm a bit, people can speak and listen a bit more clearly.
I hold many people close to my heart who are of a variety of races. Many of those persons are black and I love them dearly. I do not even begin to speak for them with regard to this topic but have worked with Black organizations and individuals have spoken to me in depth about their deep concerns regarding Black on Black crime.
Should a discussion about Black on Black crime be used to deflect feelings about the death of Trayvon? Absolutely
not. But this is perhaps a conversation needing to be had. Some non Blacks wonder why outrage only seems to come when a crime includes people of different races. Real or imagined this perception needs to be understood and discussed if we are ever to get to the bottom of how racism and crime impacts us today.
Let me offer a post from a FB acquaintance who is a Black woman. I think it is clear that the concern of Black on Black crime is not just an observation about crime but a real concern in the eyes of many.
What is more sickening then Trayvon Martin's murder? Black on Black murders. We have become so immune to them that we don't even raise an eyebrow when the news speak of a shooting on Moncrief, Soutel, Lem Turner, Edgewood, Phoenix, Eastside of town or the Northside of town. We just go on about our life as though it's business as usual. It's really disheartening that we pick and choose what murders we want to polarize or demonstrate about. People wake up. Murder is Murder; regardless of who pulled the trigger. Regardless of what life style the individual lived. It's not the choice of no man on earth decision as to when another person's life should end. That is up to our creator. My nephew RIP Bernard "Hard Nard" Cason was shot and killed 03/11/12 during a senseless Black on Black murder. My family lives for the day we can sit in a courtroom for the trial of a coward. I know there are plenty of others that have experienced tragic family murders and live today to see justice served. We must first start respecting our own color before anyone else does. Missing my nephew!
