Thousands overran Sanford Thursday evening during the rally for the arrest of the killer of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Martin died on February 26, 2012 when a self-appointed head of the Neighborhood Watch, George Zimmerman, shot him. There is much controversy surrounding the incident, and it has since gained international attention.
Most of the dissent surroundings what many believe to be the inaction of local law enforcement to arrest Zimmerman in connection with Martin’s death. Zimmerman has admitted to the killing, but claims it was in self-defense and that he was within his rights.
Many doubt the validity of his claims due to the fact that Trayvon was unarmed except for the hoodie he was wearing along with a bag of Skittles and some ice tea.
Many in the rally actually wore hoodies, adorned their signs with Skittles bags, and brought empty tea cans.
Zimmerman’s claims were further brought into public scrutiny when the Mayor of Sanford, bowing to public sentiment, released the 911 tapes of both Zimmerman and Martin from that night.
The crowd had a multitude of slogans that day, but the most recurring was, “No Rest until an Arrest!” That sentiment was shared by local UCF students in attendance.
“I really thought this was a good cause,” says UCF MBA student Dan’elle Bellamy. “It’s not just black people [here]; everybody’s out.”
That was echoed by the mother of the victim, Sybrina Fulton, who said, “This is not just about black and white. It’s about right and wrong.”
Fulton, and Trayvon’s father, Tracy Martin, repeated to the crowd that Trayvon was not just their son, but that he was everyone’s son and that Trayvon Martin was every person in America.
To support that philosophy many in the crowd could be seen with signs and shirts that read, “I am Trayvon Martin.”
“I really liked it. It was moving, so many people showed up and nothing got out of control,” said Mallory Minor, a University of Central Florida Junior in International Relations who also attended the rally.
Minor tried to organize a group of students to attend the rally as a way to signify UCF’s student support of the Martin family.
Yet, UCF students were not the only defenders of Trayvon Martin.
“You can’t defend yourself against a pack of Skittles and some ice tea…don’t talk to us like we stupid,” declared notable Civil Rights icon, Reverend Al Sharpton.
And he was not alone in his sentiments. Sharpton went on to denote the various high profile individuals who stood on stage with him.
The list went across professions, ages, and experiences, but most fell into the category of noted Civil Rights or civil/social justice leaders, such as Judge Greg Mathis, nationally syndicated talk radio host Michael Baisden, NAACP President Ben Jealous, members of Florida and other state’s Legislature, and even Congresspersons at the Federal level.
“I didn’t come here by myself. Get ready Florida. You thought it was hot. The heat just arrived,” said Sharpton who is determined to see Zimmerman arrested.
Also, Sharpton and the NAACP demand that the law enforcement agency over the case be investigated and those officials directly involved removed for what they believe to be an inability to uphold the standards of the law.
They got part of their wish, as announced part way through the rally.
The prosecutor voluntarily removed himself from the case and the Sanford Chief of Police stepped down temporarily, both on the same day as the rally.
But the Empowerment Movement, a national coalition of predominantly black churches, civil/social justice organizations, community leaders and Greek-letter organizations, working to increase civil and social justice in America in the wake of, and specifically in relation to, the Trayvon Martin killing, is not done yet.
There will be a March on Monday, March 26, 2012 from Centennial Park in Sanford, to Sanford’s Civic Center, where the City Commission meeting will be held.
Fulton will speak again on this day and concerned citizens will rally once again for Trayvon Martin.
Though the shooting was a one time occurrence, it will have far reaching effects into the future.
The killing has brought out public unrest in regards to racial discrimination, state gun and self-defense laws, as well as national hate crime standards.
None of these are simple or short term conversations, and none are going away soon as people seem tired of dealing with what they feel to be recurring issues.
As Reverend John T. Long, III, who chaired the event said, “It is a sin, too long black life has been undervalued. It is a sin too long do we sit back in silence and it happens over and over again.”
