July 18, 2013
NewsRescue-Seventeen years old Trayvon Martin was walking from a store on Sunday, February 26, 2012. Trayvon Martin was walking back to the home where he was visiting. Trayvon Martin was “armed” with a bag of candy, a beverage, and the general human emotions that a teenager may be feeling on a weekend. Twenty eight years old neighborhood watch program volunteer, George Zimmerman was in his car; on his way to run personal errands when he spotted a child that met his personal standards of a “criminal” then he called the Police and started following Trayvon Martin.
We all respect the great job volunteer and non-volunteer security personnel across America do to keep us safe. In the same vein, George Zimmerman during the recorded call to the Sanford Police Department was told by the dispatcher not to follow Trayvon Martin. The rest is now history: George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin reportedly engaged in a fight.
During that fight between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, which arguably Trayvon Martin did not have a body frame larger than the one of George Zimmerman, George Zimmerman became so scared to the point where he shot to kill Trayvon Martin (Trayvon Martin was shot in the chest). I respect the laws of the United States of America including the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law in the State of Florida.
I respect and understand the role law abiding gun owners play to keep America safe. I just wanted to point out that the most severe punishment Trayvon Martin should have received from the “hands” of George Zimmerman, if need be, and within the context of what transpired on that Sunday evening was for him to have shot Trayvon Martin with the intention not to kill him.
This write-up is especially touching to me because I have two young sons aged four and five years old, born in the United States of America, that I have started teaching the importance of service to country and humanity.
Now I have to deal with a voice in my head saying: “What happened to Trayvon Martin could happen to Omotayo and Ayo”. Right now, my best response to that voice is “God forbid!”.
Omololu Omotosho writes from Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
