The death of Trayvon Martin is a tragedy – an unnecessary tragedy. That the trial brought forward the reality that his death was caused by his own violent actions does not make it any less tragic – and unnecessary. To make matters infinitely worse, his death has escalated the polarization of our nation along racial and ideological lines. Some are using what they perceive as injustice to excuse their own commitment to injustice and general lawlessness – including high ranking officials in the federal government. Yet Christians and others committed to peace and a healthy culture have an opportunity to stand for the template God gives for society in the face of hysteria and violence.
Attorney General Eric Holder has promised the NAACP to investigate whether or not George Zimmerman violated Trayvon Martin’s civil rights. (Of course it would be necessary to demonstrate racial bias in Zimmerman to try him on federal charges and even the prosecution in the case found no such evidence.) Holder has declared his certainty of Zimmerman’s bigotry. The problem here is that only Zimmerman’s rights have been violated in the way Holder imagines – as a matter of fact.
Zimmerman – not Martin – is the man who was assaulted and threatened with death while walking on a public street. He is the man who was prosecuted for second degree murder and had the additional charge of manslaughter illegally added during summary arguments – a violation of his sixth amendment rights. He is the victim of a prosecution team that held back evidence and introduced perjured testimony against him, and of an NBC News effort to compromise his defense by editing the tape of his 911 call to make him sound racist; he is suing NBC for this and he ought to sue prosecutors. One might ask why Eric Holder is not investigating and arresting New Black Panther leaders like Micah Muhammad for conspiracy and making the terrorist threats anyone can see on You Tube. Muhammad calls Zimmerman a wicked white beast and a dirty Jew while placing a $10,000.00 bounty on his head days before Holder addresses the NAACP.
Authentic reconciliation begins with a commitment to deal with the realities of a situation. It does not end there, but it must begin there. Reality begins with facts but includes much more – if justice is truly the goal. President Obama should be commended – I have often criticized him for fanning flames, but not this time – for expressing just such a commitment. In a recent surprise appearance the president accepted the jury verdict as final and appeared to rule out any further federal investigation of Zimmerman. At the same time he expressed the reality that many black men – and Native Americans and other minorities – have experiential and historical reasons for believing they cannot get fair play. He said he could have been Trayvon Martin thirty-five years ago; this is not inflammatory rhetoric, but simply harsh reality. I have many black and native friends who share how their children begged for different skin so they would not feel judged and persecuted. They have been boxed and labeled and refused services I can take for granted. They have also had my back in multiple nations and I am proud to have theirs. So how would Jesus re-frame the present conversation?
First He would say truth is objective, not subjective. He calls on His disciples to let their yes mean yes and their no mean no. He reminds them that the moral law is not finished but enabled by His death and resurrection; that includes the parts about not bearing false witness against neighbors or attacking them in the street. People who do these things, whether prosecutors, activists, or criminals should and usually do receive consequences. So much for persecuting George Zimmerman for defending himself, making him out to be some sort of symbol of historic oppression of minorities.
But Jesus likewise makes it crystal clear that the model for neighbor is the Good Samaritan who bound the wounds and paid for the care given his natural enemy when he found that enemy helpless and bleeding in the road. That means I can no more get away with writing off a Trayvon Martin – or an angry demonstrator – because they “have it coming” – than they can legitimately attack me for insisting the Zimmerman case be decided and resolved on its own merits and demerits. It means the time is here for Christians – and any Americans who believe the American dream is for every American – to be the Good Samaritan rather than just admiring him. It is time for honesty across the board. That’s what repentance looks like.
James A. Wilson is the author of
Living As Ambassadors of Relationships and The Holy Spirit and the End Times – available at local bookstores or by e-mailing him at:
praynorthstate@charter.net
