“Will Not Live to See Adulthood”

My heart is full like so many other citizens in the Republic over the brazen murder of 17 year old Trayvon Martin. Originally, I didn’t want to write about Trayvon, because like him, there are so many of our youth murdered that I simply didn’t think my heart could take another child never seeing adulthood; but, here I am doing just that. Trayvon Martin didn’t have to die. The police should have been allowed to do their job and if that had happened, he would have gone home and maybe the next time we heard the name Trayvon it might have been Trayvon, Ph.D., senator Trayvon or President Trayvon of the Republic.

Unfortunately, an overzealous neighborhood watch captain thumbed his nose at law enforcement and took matters into his own hands murdering an unarmed and frightened child that was in possession of only a bag of Skittles and a bottle of ice tea. However, when law enforcement did get involved, they let the perpetrator of this ghastly crime go home-case closed. How can this be? Have we become so apathetic about African American teens that when they are murdered it is somehow their fault, that violence is part of their nature and follows them wherever they go? No. No! That’s not intelligent. Trayvon was a good kid and not the “good kid” that has a rap sheet longer than the Eiffel Tower. He was a good kid, pure and simple.

We are in the midst of a generation of youth that is bitter and apathetic about society because they simply believe there is no justice for them. Alas, the murder of Trayvon is feeding their apathy. The individual that pulled the trigger believes without a doubt that he did the right thing and he is not alone, because there are some citizens in the Republic that share his belief system. But ask yourself; if your child or children were murdered wouldn’t you want every iota of the details that led to it? Doesn’t the Martin Family deserve all the details that led to the death of their child?

No matter what happens now, Trayvon Martin will never come home to his parents, family or friends that love him. But what we can do as a civilized society is demand justice for his senseless death and bring some closure to a heart wrenching chapter that has galvanized and awakened the citizenry to a harsh reality—due to rampant violence and the knee jerk reaction to shoot first, many of our children will not live to see adulthood.


Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative, 180th District, 2012