Until this past month in my corner of the world we had come so far. Then came the news of a child’s senseless death. The first I heard about Trayvon Martin was on Twitter on March 17th. I didn’t know the story at that time, but the message in her tweets broke my heart. Since then much news has come out about the two males involved in this travesty. We still do not know for certain what happened that evening or why there has not been an arrest. Personally I would like think that it has more to do with the evidence and legalities of the case rather than with the color of anyone’s skin.
Then again, I was the one who thought we had come so far.
There has been some talk that maybe the hoodie Trayvon Martin was wearing gave off a suspicious impression that he was hiding himself from view or trying to be inconspicuous. Hoodie sweatshirts have been in fashion, especially for kids and teens, for several years now. My boys have several of them. Maybe there is some truth to that theory and maybe not. We will never know.
Do you think the hoodie played a role in the events that led to Trayvon Martin’s death? Consider this:
How much of a role do you think the grey hoodie played in the events of that fateful night in Florida?
Do I think this is about the hoodie? No, but I do think that the conversation is an interesting one.
None. Trayvon was profiled and assumed to not belong in that white neighborhood because he was black. Zimmerman was told NOT to pursue him and ignored the cops instruction because he just knew this black teenager HAD to be up to no good. He confronted him, they got into a fight, and he decided that killing him with a shot to the chest was the only way to not get beat up. None of that has anything to do with a hoodie except for the fact that a hoodie on a black kid means he’s a thug, has something to hide, and doesn’t deserve to live long enough to be any more of a danger to society than he already is.
If Zimmerman had shot your child, he’d be in jail. It’s a hard pill to swallow knowing that if he had shot mine, I’d be going through what Trayvon’s mother is going through. Jessica, you’re a great person with a huge heart, but I’m here to tell you from life experience — we haven’t come all that far.
Thanks for your comment, Kat. This whole thing is such a travesty on so many levels. The events of this past month, both the Trayvon Martin story and the Jewish children in France is such a sickening reminder of all the hatred that exists in the world.
The imagery of that teddy bear in the hoodie is so poignant. It really makes me stop and think! I am not comfortable offering an opinion when I have only read a few tweets about the incident and haven’t read a single news story. But you make a really good point – a good person can send off bad signals based on what they wear. This happens with good girls wearing skimpy clothes….goths in all black….yes, we want to believe that looks don’t matter. We want to be able to wear whatever we feel like, but how we look DOES send off signals. I’m not saying we are responsible for how people react to these signals! But I am saying there are unspoken messages sent out when we wear certain things……
I hear what you’re saying, but the way society views Justin Bieber in a hoodie and the way society views my husband in a hoodie are two completely different things. So I can assure you — it’s NOT the hoodie.
I am not saying it was about the hoodie, Kat. Personally, I am in agreement with you that it was about Trayvon’s skin color (based on Zimmerman’s own statements) and not the sweatshirt but I do think that the debate about the hoodie and other clothing is an interesting one. And you make a great point about Justin Bieber.
I got you — and I should have included that I definitely agree in certain circumstances, clothing can play a large role but in this one, that clothing on anyone else wouldn’t have yielded the same result.
Thanks for your comment, Annie. This whole story is just so sad. Yet it’s oddly interesting to me that the hoodie is even part of the story. (That’s the sociology minor coming out.) Clearly this Zimmerman guy is a killer and had no right to shoot a gun regardless of any clothing. Is this the same type of thing as when someone makes a ridiculous statement that a woman was asking for it because she was dressed in a short skirt? It’s definitely something that we should be able to talk more about, I think.
Trayvon’s death is a tragedy. I see the hoodie as a symbol for how we misjudge people. My children all wear hoddies frequently. Two are white and two are black. The fact that when the older two hand down the hoodies to the younger two, those same clothes mean different things to the outside world is just sad. It’s not the hoodie that made him suspicious to Zimmerman, it’s the combination of the hoodie and Trayvon’s skin color.
And Kat’s comment: “If Zimmerman had shot your child, he’d be in jail. It’s a hard pill to swallow knowing that if he had shot mine, I’d be going through what Trayvon’s mother is going through.” really hits home.
Thanks, Jen. I put those photos in there to try to show what you said, that the hoodie is a symbol for how we can misjudge. This whole debate over the hoodie is just really intriguing (to me). Your point about the clothes meaning different things depending on which one of your children wears them is so poignant. Thanks for including that in your comment.
I’ve been following this case with a mix of sadness and outrage. Your post has made the biggest statement by saying the smallest.
This is a story of hatred and prejudice on so many levels. We have to look past the hoodie (which I think is a fully acceptable garment for anyone to wear, by the way), and more importantly, past the color of a person’s skin.
Thanks, Sarah. This is just such a sad story all around.
I haven’t been following this story. Sadly some people judge by clothing (appearance). I don’t know if the hoodie played a part in this or not but I can tell you it SHOULDN’T have nor should the color of his skin. My heart just breaks for his mom.
Your photos are so poignant. They make a statement so loud and clear.
Thank you, Nanette. I do hope that the photos make a statement, but it’s so interesting to read everyone’s thoughts.
I think we have come so far.. only to realize we have not. It make me sad.
Exactly, Sherry.
I will keep saying this until I am blue in the face. Racism is a problem. I just had an incident today that left me feeling powerless because of my skin color. But if we look past skin color, we will see the real war is the haves versus the have nots. Today it will be skittles and a hoodie, next week it will be guys with braids. When we claim our power as a country, as a people, as parents, as AMERICANS, we won’t have to have these conversations.
By the way, loved, loved, loved the teddy bear in the hoodie.
Your point about the haves versus the have nots is really interesting. Frankly I hadn’t thought about it that way. Thanks so very much for adding your perspective!
I have to agree with Kat. He didn’t kill him because he was wearing a hoodie. He killed him because he was black.
I agree with you. In this situation I believe that was the case. It’s horrible and sad, but true in my opinion.
What a great post and example.
I am so touched and tormented by what happened to Trayvon – as the mom of 2 boys who always wear hoodies, I cannot imagine if that were them. What a travesty and injustice and glowing example of how not to act (as in Zimmerman).
Thanks, Rachel. This is such a sad, sad story.
That is a very eye-opening truth about grey hoodies lol. But seriously, it’s an awful situation, what a senseless death of such a young person… I also like to think its not as racial as everyone believes. I sure hope it isn’t.
I would love to think that it isn’t, but in my heart of hearts I don’t believe that.