By Eric and Stephanie Stradford
AMWS, April 7, 2012, Virtual – American Poet Langston Hughes posed an enduring “soul searching” question in his epic characterization of “A Dream Deferred.” The poet asks,
“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun, or fester like a sore and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load, Or, does it explode?”
In this season, thousands of citizens have pressed their way to hear a good word about the slain youth, Trayvon Martin. Or to exact justice on the “thief” who stole a young life. Early cries of injustice separating a family’s need to know and a state’s right to bear arms now feeds a debate on American values and the value of being, “I Am Trayvon.”
Today, 1.3 billion Christians around the world reflect on that historic period in which jeers of terrorists eclipsed cheers of the citizenry. The story of the cheers, “Hosanna!” was the lead news story of its time until an under reported financial exchange moved masses from cheers to jeers.
The shooting of Trayvon Martin took place on February 26, 2012, about 40 days ago in Sanford, Florida. Martin, a 17-year-old African American, was shot and killed by a 28-year-old man, armed with full rights and responsibilities as a citizen of the United States.
About 40 days ago, several Christian pastors, including Jamal Harrison Bryant and Valarie Houston, were already on a mission to “set some captives free.” Too many Trayvon Martins, ‘obituated’ and eulogized in the prime of their temporal economies gave weight to a season for desperate measures.
Practitioners of “Liberation Theology” stand on a brand by which “good church folks” in political mode can threaten or be threatened by the inalienable rights of fellow citizens. Some folks ponder, is there truly a separation of Church and State or is someone’s perception of a dream really a nightmare? Heated political rhetoric and failure to compromise has brought America to a biblical reality. One can continue to fight fire with fire, or call 911.
Christian neighbors in a small town just north of Atlanta, Georgia celebrate diversity through their free speech, religious choice and even the right to bear arms. Two U.S. Marine veterans shared a moment of diversity via Facebook about a group of fellow Marines who had recently received the Congressional Gold Medal. Ordinarily, the story might have followed the norm of cheers and jeers; but, the season just seems to be right for doing the right thing.
CNN Television commentator Piers Morgan appeared perplexed by a discussion with MSNBC contributor Touré. The two escalated “Tweets” to televised banter on telling the Trayvon Martin story. Morgan’s defense of the possibility that self-defense could have been a distantly considerable factor now has some new media commentators like Touré calling for his deportation – or, at the very least, revoking his credentials for reporting on American diversity.
In this particular season, the narrative on “how this could happen” to a Trayvon Martin calls for insight among those who share in The American Dream. The perception of a “minority,” based on the color of one’s skin is the root of a problem that is so deep, it will take Jesus to make it right.
To our misfortune, too many Christians cheer Jesus The Christ twice a year. After Easter, we quietly regress to business as usual, finding fault in others instead of finding cause for celebrating one another. But, the opportunity for reflection on these times and history from which values are drawn is as obvious as it has ever been.
One of the challenges of being Piers Morgan in America is in being a minority who might not necessarily be considered less than equal. Fair and equitable commentary on the Trayvon Martin case demands investigation beyond race and into our common values as Americans. At the core of the problem is how each American views his or her National Security.
One might take a look at related cases where the value of some has been diminished in the values of others. Over the last 40 days, the U.S. Justice Department reported that three white Mississippi men pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes in connection with the 2011 death of James Craig Anderson, an African-American man in Jackson, MS.
Deryl Dedmon, John Aaron Rice and Dylan Butler each admitted to conspiracy and violating the 2009 federal hate-crimes law in last June's killing of Anderson. The 19-year-old Dedmon pleaded guilty to state murder and hate-crime charges and was sentenced to life in prison. Rice, 19, and Butler, 20, made their initial appearances in federal court. They face sentences of up to life in prison and $250,000 in fines.
The men are among the first defendants to be prosecuted under the federal hate-crime statute that President Barack Obama signed in 2009 and the first to be prosecuted in a fatal attack. Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez commented, "The Department of Justice will vigorously pursue those who commit racially motivated assaults and will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that those who commit such acts are brought to justice."
Many supporters of the President view some actions and attitudes by fellow citizens and particularly members of Congress to be disrespectful at the least, insensitive for certain, and perhaps to an extreme, a threat on America’s National Security.
The case, seeking just prudence in an appropriate venue investigates a Black Family residing in Public Housing. His birthright has been questioned for generations. Her birthright, and that of her children reflects a history of American values where the value of some has been considered less than.
Her great-great grandfather, born in the 1850s, was an American slave on the Friendfield plantation in Georgetown, South Carolina. The family believes that after the Civil War he remained a Friendfield plantation sharecropper for the rest of his life and that he was buried there in an unmarked grave. At least three of her great-uncles served in the military of the United States.
Their lineage dates back to the 1770s when an American slave, merchant seaman and dockworker of Wampanoag and African descent became the first “person” shot to death by British redcoats during a National Security encounter remembered as the Boston Massacre. The investment of Crispus Attucks and that of soldiers, sailors and airmen throughout American history pays for the moment. And, just like the case of Judas Iscariot, the bagman for Jesus, the cost for the moment far exceeds the thirty pieces of silver paid up to now.
A miracle in the making looks at the insurmountable U.S. Debt of more than $15 trillion. Then it considers the debt equity represented by that family in Public Housing. Then it considers the evidence presented for a “Great Awakening” in a vision of America’s future.
About that lady who lives in Public Housing, her great-great grandfather, earliest known relative on her father's side, is Jim Robinson. And the reason her husband can identify with the “I Am Trayvon” movement, is because he lives in the same gated community with her, her mom and their daughters.
At home, in the basement, he exercises his right to bear arms and a requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power.
That blister festering beneath his brown skin is America’s dilemma. As one expressionist might have put it, “When they use to call you “n____r” and now yo finga’s on the trigger, America has a need to know, who’s the enemy…and who’s yo daddy now?”
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