Daily Archives: 02/26/2023

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Trayvon … Black History, a repost


 we’ll mourn the death of Trayvon Martin.Trayvon Martin video stillPlease share this video and honor Trayvon’s memory by building a strong movement for justice.Take Action

George Zimmerman shot and killed 17 year-old Trayvon Martin because he thought the young man looked suspicious.1 And one year later, what happened that night in Sanford, Florida still outrages us.

In a culture that inundates us with images of Black men as violent2 — not to be trusted, inherently criminal — we are continually reminded that something as simple as walking home from the corner store can draw unwanted attention that puts our very lives in danger. Black Americans face racial animosity every day, and far too often that animosity turns violent.

Tomorrow as we mourn, we must also acknowledge that if it weren’t for the hundreds of thousands of you who spoke up to demand basic dignity and justice, Trayvon Martin’s case would have been ignored — and George Zimmerman would have gone free. As our membership grows in number, so does our power to fight injustice. Please inspire others to join the fight by sharing this video with your friends and family.

The movement that came together to demand justice for Trayvon demonstrates the power of our collective voice. It’s thanks to the pressure from more than 200,000 ColorOfChange members, the work of our allies and tireless advocacy of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin that George Zimmerman will answer in a court of law for killing Trayvon Martin.3

ColorOfChange fights racial injustice and the danger it presents to our basic safety. We organize campaigns against racially-motivated police practices like the NYPD‘s Stop and Frisk.4 And we’re working to stop the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which pushed the “Shoot First” laws Zimmerman is using to claim his actions were justified.5

Our power comes from you, our members — courageous individuals from all walks of life who make bold demands and achieve important social change. Watch our powerful video about the campaign to demand justice for Trayvon Martin. Pledge to grow the movement to change our culture’s treatment of Black youth by sharing this video with your friends and family. Encourage them to join the fight.

Thanks and Peace,

–Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Johnny, Lyla, Kim and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team    February 26th, 2013

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter References

1. “Young, black and ‘suspicious’,” Salon, 03-20-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2282?t=9&akid=2828.1174326.taryav

2. “Opportunity for Black Men and Boys: Public Opinion, Media Depictions, and Media Consumption,” Opportunity Agenda, 11-30-11 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2280?t=11&akid=2828.1174326.taryav

3. “Trayvon Martin: The Latest, Week 33,” The Root, 10-18-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2284?t=13&akid=2828.1174326.taryav

4. “Hundreds Rally at City Hall to End Stop and Frisk,” ColorOfChange.org blog, 10-01-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2287?t=15&akid=2828.1174326.taryav

5. “Stand Against ‘Shoot First’ Laws,” ColorOfChange.org, 11-15-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/2288?t=17&akid=2828.1174326.taryav

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‘Shoot First’ laws protected Trayvon’s killer … Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org – In memory – Black History


Florida‘s ‘Shoot First’ law allowed Trayvon Martin’s killer to walk free without formal charges — for more than a month. Shoot First laws legalize vigilante homicide, even in circumstances that would otherwise merit murder charges.1 In Trayvon’s case, local law enforcement hid behind the Shoot First law as justification for failing to arrest George Zimmerman, saying that his claim of self-defense stopped them from pursuing even manslaughter charges.2

Florida’s dangerous Shoot First law was spread to many other states across the country by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Please join us in calling on our elected officials nationwide to take a stand against the shoot first agenda. It only takes a moment:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/Trayvon_ALEC

In 2005, Florida passed the nation’s first ‘Shoot First’ law using model legislation created by the National Rifle Association (NRA).3 The NRA leveraged its key membership in the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to push this agenda in communities across the country. ALEC has also pushed legislation to expand private prisons, impose harsher criminal penalties on juveniles, privatize education, and break unions.

ALEC is funded in part by the multibillionaire Koch brothers,4 the same family that helps to bankroll the reactionary Tea Party. It also receives funding from large corporations, many of which are household names. Nearly 100,000 ColorOfChange members have demanded that such companies break from ALEC over its championing of voter suppression laws that threaten Black folks’ ability to participate fully as citizens in our democracy.5 ALEC’s shoot first laws threaten our basic ability to walk in our own neighborhoods without fear that our lives can be taken by unaccountable vigilantes.

Even with Shoot First on the books, Florida authorities should have arrested Trayvon’s killer.6 Yet, Shoot First gives police and prosecutors cover to incentivize bad police work, leading to incomplete investigations and a failure to prosecute homicides. Shoot First laws present a grave threat to public safety, and particularly to young Black males, who are nearly five times more likely to be victims of fatal shootings. With the criminal justice system already stacked against Black victims and defendants,7 and with the prevalence of racial profiling in a culture that treats people of color as criminals, our families and communities will continue to pay a heavy price for these laws.

Trayvon’s entirely avoidable death shined a spotlight on ALEC’s reckless push to enact deadly Shoot First laws across the nation.8 Shortly after, ALEC began to buckle under the public scrunity and attempted to salvage its public image. The group responded by disbanding its Public Safety and Elections Task Force, claiming that gun issues were no longer a priority. This move was quickly revealed as a PR stunt after the Public Safety Task Force chair, Republican State Rep. Jerry Madden of Texas, said that “many of the issues will be transferred to other committees.9” When asked during a later interview, Rep. Madden refused to commit to taking Shoot First laws off the table.10

Shoot First is now the law of the land in at least 25 states, and at least six others have considered such legislation in 2012.11 So long as these laws exist — and ALEC’s efforts to spread them go unchecked — this won’t be the last time we bear witness to racial profiling ending in senseless violence. Please click the link below to help prevent future tragedies like Trayvon’s, and please ask your friends and family to do the same:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/Trayvon_ALEC

Thanks and Peace,

— Rashad, Gabriel, Dani, Matt, Natasha, Kim, Arisha, Kira, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team     May 24th, 2012

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/205?t=6&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

References

1. “Broward murder suspect wins Stand Your Ground decision,” Sun Sentinel, 12-12-2011 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1272?t=8&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

2. “Police: No Grounds For Arrest In Trayvon Martin Death,” WESH Orlando, 03-16-2012 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1227?t=10&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

3. “The Money Trail Behind Florida’s Notorious Gun Law,” Mother Jones, 03-29-2012 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1399?t=12&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

4. “ALEC Exposed: The Koch Connection,” The Nation, 07-12-2011 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1276?t=14&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

5. “Stop corporate-funded voter suppression,” ColorOfChange campaign, 12-08-2011 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1275?t=16&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

6. “Gun Violence Facts by Race/Ethnicity: Overview,” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1265?t=18&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

7. “1 in 3 Black Men Go To Prison? The 10 Most Disturbing Facts About Racial Inequality in the U.S. Criminal Justice System,” AlterNet, 03-17-2012 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1400?t=20&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

8. “Chuck Todd Takes ‘Deep Dive’ Into How NRA, ALEC Pushed ‘Kill At Will’ Laws,” MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown, 03-29-2012 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1264?t=22&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

9. “ALEC leader admits last week’s announcement was a PR stunt,” ColorOfChange blog, 04-24-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1402?t=24&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

10. “Disbanded ALEC Task Force Chair: Gun and Voter Issues No Longer Priority,” Media Matters, 04-26-12 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1403?t=26&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

11. “Trayvon Martin: A Victim of Florida’s Gun Laws?,” Legal Community Against Violence, 03-20-2012 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/1262?t=28&akid=2503.1174326.w9kISx

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Honoring Trayvon – In memory


There’s no way to bring back Trayvon Martin — or the thousands of Americans who have been murdered with guns since his death.
What we can do to honor Trayvon Martin is to prevent similar tragedies from happening to other families.
Please share the powerful words of Trayvon’s mother Sybrina Fulton, and ask your family and friends to join you in the fight to reduce gun violence in America:
Click here to share the graphic on Facebook.
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