I have been following the Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman tragedy from it’s inception, like millions of other people.  I, too was infuriated when the bureaucracy in Sanford, Florida, had every intention of letting Zimmerman go free without being charged or even stepping a foot into a court room to answer for his actions but alas, Zimmerman was charged (thanks to a special prosecutor), had his days in court and now we are upon closing arguments.  Very soon, a verdict from the jury of either guilty of 2nd degree murder or manslaughter, or not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt on either charge will be handed down and the closer we get to jury deliberations, the more often I hear the “talking heads” expressing concerns about Black people rioting, should George Zimmerman be set free.

The first thing that concerns me about all of the admonitions against rioting is the indication that we, as Black people cannot contain ourselves in the face of disappointment or anger.  I resent those implications, time after time, the Black community has dealt with many disappointments from the criminal justice system, our families, our communities and even ourselves and have not rioted.  This is not Rodney King (not saying that there should have been rioting then either) there is not nine minutes of video footage that captured the Trayvon Martin tragedy from beginning to end while still, the perpetrators walked free.  I think that the “pleas” and public statements begging people not to riot should Zimmerman be set free indicated that we all think alike.  I think that those who make the admonitions are of the mindset that Black people are incapable of forming an independent thought and only act on impulse and emotion.  I didn’t hear anyone asking mother’s not to riot of Casey Anthony was acquitted and I seldom see such public concern after sports championships such as Hockey or Soccer when people truly tear up the streets.   No one is telling Latino’s and Whites not to riot should Zimmerman be convicted.

Something else that I have been thinking about regarding this whole rioting thing….. it is well known that people of color are grossly over-represented in the criminal justice system and moreso disenfranchised by that same system.  Knowing that, I have to wonder why the “talking heads” fear that so many Blacks would be willing to pledge the rest of their lives to the courts and the criminal justice system over the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case.  I think it was obvious when people (of all races) took to the streets peacefully in support of Trayvon Martin and his family, people lit candles, joined together, prayed, talked but never rioted.

At the end of the day, people are going to do what they are going to do.  I am sure there might be a knucklehead person that will do something stupid in the name of “the cause”, there’s always one.  If, at the end of the day, that “one” came to me and asked me some legal question or some question on how to “beat the system” after they did something stupid post the Zimmerman verdict, the only advice I could give would be that they (the “one”) should have kept their ass in the house, just like Zimmerman should have kept HIS ass in the car…………..