The Case for Self-Defense

by William Richardson

What we have seen with the Trayvon Martin case is a community watchman who is socially white (his actual race is half Hispanic) shoot an unarmed black teen, the police not arrest him and the federal government not step in to even consult on the case until there were hundreds of protests and millions of people calling for justice. All the while this was going on the same police who were supposed to investigate this case are shooting up unarmed black teens, men, and women in our communities across America. Let’s also mention for coverage that the feds was allowing our military to murder US citizens and kill foreign civilians in the many countries where they have deployed troops.

Yet Trayvon’s family (total respect to them) and our black “leaders” wanted to bring Zimmerman to justice through the proper authorities. What is wrong with this picture? We are asking people who kill us and hate us (and kill and hate other people too) to protect us from people who hate us and kill us. This is my argument against trusting the police or any authority to achieve justice for the African community when they are part of the system that created the conditions that led to Trayvon’s death in the first place.

1,000,000 Hoodie March for Trayvon Martin – “I Am Trayvon Martin”

YCL Hamilton Media Committee

The tragic and senseless shooting to death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black youth visiting his family in the Orlando suburbs, is yet another high-profile example of the racism that permeates American culture.

A seemingly paranoid and deranged “neighbourhood watchman”, George Zimmerman, tracked Trayvon as he walked home from the local 7-11 where he had gone to buy candy and confronted him. When Trayvon rightfully resisted Zimmerman’s groundless racial profiling and harassment, Zimmerman shot him three times fatally. Witnesses say they heard Trayvon begging for mercy before he was shot in cold blood.

That night, Zimmerman went home and slept peacefully while Trayvon’s family members were confronted with the reality of his death by vigilante violence.

Below is a link with photos of a massive march at Union Square Park, the birthplace of the Occupy movement.

YCL Hamilton extends our sincerest sympathy over this disgusting, racist act of extrajudicial violence; our deepest sympathy with the Martin family over their painful loss; a strong call for any American law enforcement office to step in, remove Zimmerman from public life and charge him to the full extent that the law allows; a strong call to abolish Florida’s lunatic “stand your ground” law that allows Zimmerman to claim self-defence for stalking and killing an unarmed and innocent youth; and our full solidarity with all those standing up to fight in the name of Trayvon Martin against a revolting culture of racism, wherever it rears its ugly head.

Solidarity from YCL Hamilton with anti-racist warriors everywhere! Give ’em hell!

Photos of the Million Hoodie March for Trayvon Martin