Should We Honor Trayvon Martin?

Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was in the news recently regarding their spirit week celebration for homecoming. On Wednesday, the students had planned a “Trayvon Martin Day’ to honor Trayvon Martin by wearing hoodies to school. The theme of the day was eventually shut down by concerned parents who were worried about the type of atmosphere it would create.

There are several ways to look at this. On one hand, it encouraging seeing young millennials take a stand for what they believe in. Trayvon was the same age as most of these students when he was killed, so of course they are going to feel a connection to him which is understandable. But what about Trayvon is there to honor? Trayvon’s death wasn’t a situation such as in Chicago a few years back when Derrion Albert was beaten to death for simply being in the wrong place and wrong time during a gang altercation. Derrion was an honor student, with no history of any trouble at school or with the law. He was one of the few young black men growing up in Chicago who tried his best not to get sucked into the “street life” such as his peers. Trayvon on the other hand isn’t someone I would want my little brother to look upon as someone to honor. Trayvon was a known trouble maker, and though it does not justify his untimely death, he isn’t a person deserving of the pedestal he has been put on following Zimmerman’s trial.

This also deflects the conversation as to what lead to Trayvon being killed. Despite what Zimmerman’s defense claims, Trayvon being a young black male put Zimmerman in a heightened state of defense when confronting him. When black men are seen as violent and unruly, we can’t be surprised when others see us they come prepared for a fight. However, the focus has been entirely on the fact that Trayvon was black and Zimmerman was “white”. How about we as black people finally open our eyes to how the world views us and work to change their perception, instead of crying racism every time we are treated due to how we allow ourselves to be perceived by the world? This further divides us as Americans, and isolates us as black people, because he is only being honored because he was black. Had it happened to someone of another race (and it has) it wouldn’t be seen as a big deal.

One parent was quoted as saying, regarding the students wearing hoodies, “I am a little worried about that with the different people, how they’re going to react.” The way I see this kinda relates to the previous paragraph. Kids these days are assholes. All it would take is one racist altercation to lead to all out Armageddon and a ‘race fight’ therefore ruining the entire spirit week celebration and bringing Al and Jesse to intervene like they ALWAYS find a way to do when it isn’t necessary. Some parents are concerned for their kids safety and what type of environment such a movement would create. It has nothing to do with the school not wanting to let the students have a voice, they are just covering their tails for what could lead to a volatile situation.

I commend the students at Carrick High for wanting to take a stand for something they believe in. I just hope that if anyone else does it does farther than wearing a hoodie for spirit week and leads to a serious conversation we, especially black people, need to have.