Trayvon Martin

This tragic news story has rocked me to my core.  You would have to be living under a rock to not have heard about this news story by now or else you've been watching Fox News and missed the one and only time they reported on the story.  A 17 year old black boy was killed, shot in the chest, by a "neigborhood watch commander" who found a black teen boy armed only with a bag of Skittles and a bottle of Iced Tea, a hoodie, and weighed a hundred pounds less than him threatening. This shooting was justified when the police arrived because of Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' law.  Simply put, if the person felt threatened to the point where bodily harm including the use of deadly force was necessary it's legal. 

Everytime they show Trayvon's face on the news my blood runs cold.  Why?  Because I see MY son's face.  The boy we've expressed interest in adopting is black.  He's 13.  He has the same innocent eyes, playful smile, and skin color as Trayvon.  The thought of my son being murdered because he was black, wearing a hoodie and armed with high fructose corn syrup products makes my heart break.

I live in West Virginia.  I've always lived here. I'm white from an upper middle class family and I've been very fortunate.  I've only experienced racism after telling people our goal is to adopt a black or bi-racial children.  The hatred we have in this country still in regards to race is nothing short of horrifying.

West Virginia has the same 'Stand Your Ground' law.  That means if we adopt R someone who can convey he felt threatened enough, may kill my son and walk away still armed with a loaded weapon and that thanks from the local police department.  This scares the shit out of me.

I'm an activist in small little ways for minorities and the LGBT community because it matters to me.  As a white suburban woman who is the future mother of African American children THIS IS MY CAUSE.  As a human being who cares about other human beings THIS IS MY CAUSE.

This post probably isn't making a bit of sense because of the emotion that I have in relationship to the topic but for the first time in my life I'm fearful for the lives of the beautiful faces of the black children I see in my neighborhood, at the mall, and just around town.  While West Virginia is a small, quiet, and safe state, it's also a very backwards and racist state where almost everyone is armed and ready to aim and fire. 

I have a different viewpoint now.  I have on parent glasses.  And for the first time in my life I see past the beautiful landscape, the mountains, and the wildlife.  And what I'm seeing isn't so pretty.  I plan on trying to find out HOW those of us in WV who disapprove of a 'Stand Your Ground' Law can fight it and then I plan on taking my fight as far as I need to.

I am Trayvon Martin's mother.  My future son is Trayvon Martin. All of our children black, white, Hispanic or Asian are Trayvons.  We must not allow another tragedy like this to happen. Not in my front yard.  Not in my back yard.  Not on my Country Roads.