If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
A political science professor at Kent State University once told me that the history of our democracy is as much defined by who has been excluded as it is by who is included. Why do we exclude?
If this is not the moment that we all stop pressing snooze on our alarm clocks and wake up to the fact that our gun use in this country is out of control, then I am not sure we ever will.
There's no doubt that both those who love guns and those who detest them want to lower the number of people killed by guns each year. However, comments by the NRA's Wayne LaPierre simply do not help us reach our common goal.
America's role in the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman tragedy goes down as smoothly as any toxic cocktail: one part guns, one part race, one part stress.
NBC News found itself immersed in some big hot water recently because of one small editing decision. Having worked in TV and radio for many years, I'm frankly surprised that these embarrassing dust-ups don't happen more often.
Last week brought major developments in the George Zimmerman case, from the cancellation of the grand jury, to the bizarre press conference by Zimmerman's former "attorneys" to the announcement of second-degree murder charges.
Racial profiling means increased surveillance, which creates a positive feedback loop that justifies more racial profiling. When the arrest rate is increased, then the crime statistics increase, and then there is justification for more surveillance.
We must look at the two sides of this effort -- the powerful role the media played to spread the news and get a defendant to even stand trial. But at the same time what evidence was being discovered and described and shown in infinite detail by this same media process?
Cars don't kill people. And we all accept the common sense rules around car ownership and driving. Why do people not interpret these laws as infringing on their rights? Because these are rational ideas and for the common good.
Half a century ago, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. observed, "The most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o'clock on Sunday morning?" Talk to your black friends. They still feel the curse.
What killed Trayvon is more important to discuss, than whom. While justice will hopefully take care of the who, it is up to us as a collective to problematize the what. In some regards, grappling with the problems on an individual is a far easier task than delving deeply into the societal ills informing individual mindsets and actions.
It is still news that the risen Jesus dwells with Trayvon, that he roams around Afghanistan, and that he resides in solidarity with Shaima. That's news, it's scary news.
I haven't spoken with Al Sharpton in a few months. But if we were still speaking and he were to ask me what to do with the mother of Trayvon Martin, my answer would be very simple: Get her off the stage right now.
The most amazing thing I've witnessed during this tragedy is the patience, restraint, and class of the family of Trayvon Martin. They've remained determined to get justice for their son, while carrying themselves with great class and dignity.
Now that George Zimmerman has been charged in Trayvon Martin's death, I am wondering what's next. I'm not talking about the next steps in the judicial process, I want to know what's next when it comes to America's relationship with race.
In the wake of the murder of Trayvon Martin, some people have been reminded that anti-black racist violence is, in fact, a regular problem in the Unit...
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