Social Media 9

The case of Trayvon Martin is a very sad and emotional case. As many of you already know Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch member in Florida. I am going to talk about this  article, http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-04-26/trayvon-martin-reflects-rodney-king/54569324/1, that relates the Trayvon Martin tragedy to that of Rodney King's case way back when.

The King beating was caught on tape, which showed four white police officers brutally assaulting and unarmed Mr. King. This beating reflected the over 300 years of or racial struggle. When the verdict came in that the officers were acquitted of state charges the media exploded. Today a similar case as arose in that of young Trayvon Martin. This unarmed black teenager was shot and killed by a White/Hispanic neighborhood watch member who thought Trayvon looked suspicious because he was wearing a hoodie with his hood on. This neighborhood watch member has since claim self-defense, regardless of the fact that he shot dead an UNARMED teen.

Both cases are twenty years apart have garnered quite a bit of media attention. Some people feel as if the Trayvon Martin case was blown out of proportion because "murder happens all the time". What these people do not understand is this case shows that despite all the efforts of the black community to be equal there are still those who have put up walls. This case, I feel is something that needs to be heard by Americans because Trayvon Martin was a black innocent young teen who was shot and killed because someone thought he looked suspicious and killed him.

Rodney King's incident was about putting a black man down, plain and simple. Trayvon Martin's case was eliminate a threat, a threat that this neighborhood watch member did not like at first sight. This case has seen much media attention not because it was a murder but because there is something really wrong with some people. This case, I believe was highlighted to open peoples eyes to what is going on around them. A young boy from Florida who went outside to get some ice tea and skittles is now dead because of a misjudgment.