Familiarize yourself with the Trayvon Martin case from Florida by reading the main article on the NY Times topics page, and then poking around huge selection of other resources available through that page.
George Zimmerman, the "volunteer neighborhood watch"man was not charged with a crime. Many of Florida's The frankly disturbing and vulgarity-strewn (you are not required to list to these, and should not if you feel they may upset you) 911 calls, one during which you can actually here the gun going off, accompany an article about Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law which is the most troubling culprit that gave Zimmerman the ability to shoot down a well-liked, unarmed black teenager without any repercussions (yet).
As Trayvon's parents cry out for the federal government to step in to investigate since they feel that they "cannot trust" the State of Florida, the President has made official comment (below):
As you may have read, the hooded sweatshirt, staple clothing of teen-aged America has also come under fire in the wake of this tragedy:
In my view, there are three particular views to take when considering the intricacies of this:
1. Race: Trayvon Martin was a young black man in a gated white neighborhood. He was killed because he wore a hoodie and went to buy Skittles and iced tea while visiting a friend. And it's not considered a crime in the State of Florida. Here's some writers who speak to this:
A particularly affecting commentary.
Another. From NPR.
2. Gun Laws: Florida has some of the nation's most controversial gun laws on the books, as seen in the above article...yet, the rest of the country seems to be moving closer to Florida's style of gun legislation, rather than against it.
Looking for a more conservative view? The NRA spoke to the Miami Herald in an article I posted on the blog below this.
3. Legality. This issue will most likely lead to the US federal government stepping in and taking precedence away from state law...while it will not be the most media-exposed of all the issues stemming from this poor young man's death, it will be an interesting and lasting one. This link..., the AP takes us in for a more local look at this issue. Meanwhile, USA Today looks at the possibility that the US will push for "hate crime" status for this crime which would ELEVATE a crime against George Zimmerman, a man who, according to the State of Florida, committed a crime.
Your assignment: Use this tragic event as a catalyst to discuss one of the more controversial issues that surround it. Craft a well-researched and well-written reaction to the death of Trayvon Martin that focuses specifically on one of the three issues above. Consider this to be an Opinion piece you are writing for a local newspaper. Be sure to hone in on a well-developed thesis that evinces your main argument. Remember, simply pointing out your take on Martin's murder is NOT ENOUGH. You must speak specifically to a call to action that deals with race, gun laws, or federal vs state jurisdiction.
You may take ANY side on this issue.
Minimum of three pages, due Monday, April 1st (no fooling)
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