Trayvon Martin's Cries for Help

On March 29^th the University of Minnesota's Northrop Plaza will be scoured with individuals wearing hooded shirts to symbolize the wide spread outrage stemming from heinous malfeasance on behalf of the Sanford, Florida law enforcement and the stultifying half-truths told regarding the homicide of Trayvon Martin. People around the world have rallied and petitioned to have George Zimmerman, the man who admitted to killing Trayvon, arrested. At this time Zimmerman remains free whereabouts unknown while a grand jury has been called to meet sometime during the second week of April although this death occurred on the 26^th of February.

Just last week I sat comfortable on my living room floor and listened as a recorded 911 call came through the speakers of my laptop. In the background just beyond the voices of the two women discussing what was occurring I heard a boy scream help and I grew uneasy as the inevitable approached. Screams for help persisted coming through the speakers as the woman in her Florida home explained to the 911 operator that she was inside hiding and suddenly a gunshot ended the painful cries with an immediate and deafening silence. Bringing assertion to the reality of what had transpired the operator asked a question:

… "I don't hear him yelling anymore do you hear anything?"

I knew that eventually I would have to author this posting. I recognized that I would have to face the disgust, frustration, and fear that I feel knowing that my wife and I are planning a move to Florida in coming months and put purposeful words on an empty page. The purpose of the posting is not to bring additional awareness to the issue. The purpose of this post is selfish, I want each reader to know that I heard Trayvon's cries, and that is worth knowing because we can recognize that when a life is lost unjustly, no matter where, the echo can finds its way around the world. Knowing this, I hope we can hold accountable those responsible for lives lost unjustly throughout this nation and the world as well as here in the Twin Cities.

-Proverb