Created Equal: What Do We Really Mean?

Those of us who have followed the case of the Trayvon Martin death investigation, saw that it took peaceful protests and a Change.org petition to bring charges against Martin's killer, and then followed the trial, have taken note of the painful lessons from that case and an acquittal that many disagree with. The deep divide that this case has caused, which was deepened by the "Not Guilty" verdict, indicate that many people do not see that the inequalities that exist in our entire system, toward those who are marginalized. This includes those who are poor, disabled or belong to minority racial or ethnic groups. This case is not just about racial inequality but also about the use of guns but it shows that there are deep inequalities in the justice system. This was seen in that the victim, Trayvon Martin, was vilified and maligned as I have not seen any other victim be maligned, not only during the trial but to this very day. Martin was as much on trial as was his killer, Zimmerman; the verdict of "Not Guilty" only deepened the conviction of many that Trayvon's Martin's life was not seen is as valuable as that of a Caucasian person if they had been killed in that same scenario. Martin is now seen as a symbol of how many minority, poor and other marginalized persons are not always treated as equal. That is, the system does not often go by the famous "All men (and women) are created equal."

           Here are fictitious (but true to life!) instances of this same painful lesson that came out of that above-mentioned trial:

          A boy from an affluent home shows learning and behavior problems so his parents take him to professionals, who research his issues. He is diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome; he is sent to the finest private schools where he receives top-notch services. Today he is a respected, successful writer. His peer, from a poor family, also shows similar learning and behavior issues. His single mom takes him to a professionals, who conclude, with little research, that this boy is "emotionally disturbed" and has a "personality disorder." He is sent to public "alternative" schools with watered-down curriculums, learns little, loses hope and, unemployable, he falls into deep depressions and enters the mental health system.

          A pretty teen from an wealthy family vanishes. Her dad and other relatives, blessed with the resources to keep her story in the media, keep her case high-profile; she's found alive months later and today is successful and much-esteemed. Another, younger girl, from a poor family, vanishes at about the same time. Her family lack the resources and support to get her any media attention. Today, years later, this girl is still missing.

          An affluent woman is diagnosed with cancer and is, of course, quite upset and distressed. Her mom tells her about a top-notch cancer treatment center in a nearby state. As money is not an issue, this woman and her family move so she can take advantage of this center's excellent care; today she remains cancer-free. Another woman, who uses government-funded health insurance, also is diagnosed with cancer and also is devastated. However, she "freaks out," as most health care providers and doctors won't take her insurance due to lousy government re-imbursement. After much searching, she finds care but not before her cancer has spread.

          In a wealthy city, you can find a private neighborhood where the streets are gated, crime is very low, people drive fancy cars, children can play in the streets, people can ride bicycles and homes are large, beautiful and well-built. Nearby, another neighborhood features many small, crumbling, drab "dumps." Crime, including drug dealings and violent crime, are commonplace. Drivers don't stop as this is a public neighborhood; children dare not play in the streets or people ride bicycles.

          A celebrity begins a Facebook account for self-promotion. He has very little trouble "adding" people to his page, thanks to his name recognition. His product sells very well. His peer, an "ordinary" man, who is seeking justice for his brutally murdered sister whose killer is up for parole, also sets up a Facebook account. Desperate to raise awareness about his sister and to get support, he seeks to "add" people to his page. Multiple times, Facebook warns him of "abusing" it, blocks him from adding other users (longer each time) and finally de-activates his account. He has to "start all over again" to shore up enough support to circulate a petition to the parole board to keep the murderer in prison.

          A boy from an affluent home attends the finest private schools, gets a top-notch education and, after graduate school, he starts up a business that soon becomes hugely successful and has made him a billionaire. His peer from a poor home, equally bright and talented, goes to mediocre public schools, drops out and sees little hope for his future. Desperate, he turns to drug-dealing to get his cash.

          A celebrity is accused of a brutal murder; he is able to afford a "dream team" of high-powered, fast-talking lawyers. He is acquitted. His peer is accused of "assault on a police officer" without evidence. Unable to afford a private lawyer, an overworked, underpaid public defender is assigned to his case. After a short trial, this guy is sentenced to years in prison and to years of parole upon release.

          A bright, motivated, well-trained woman with epilepsy applies for the career of her choice, having prepared her resume and done all she could to make a good impression. To "keep it real" and avoid being accused of dishonesty, she discloses her epilepsy on her application. She never hears back; it takes her months to find a job. Her peer, a nondisabled person, equally prepared, lands a job with little trouble; self-disclosure and discrimination are not issues.

           A caring, respected, bright, well-educated woman, diagnosed with autism and epilepsy, is unable to conceive and searches out agencies, hoping to adopt. She discloses her challenges but feels that her credentials would more than make up for her disabilities. Wrong. Agency after agency turn her down. Her peer, without disabilities, and also possessing a good reputation, a big heart and an education, easily is approved and soon her empty arms are filled with a beautiful baby and, months later, with another baby.

          For each of these example there are many more instances of inequality and there are many other examples that I could have given. We often hear the phrase "All people are created equal." But I wonder, judging from every area of our system and from our culture and actions, if we actually believe this. We can see the way that resources are so UNEVENLY distributed in every area of society and culture, in health care, education, the criminal justice system, our social class rankings, our wealth and income distribution and in our social relationships.

          Yes, I know that when it comes to functioning, we are definitely not equal. There are those in positions of power and authority who tells us what to do and can make decisions for us that affect our lives. There are the greater number of us who must follow their orders and live with the consequences of their decisions. There are our lawmakers who create our system and the rest of us who must live with this system that we did not create. There are the "1 percent" of the "Wall Streeters" who own and control most of our wealth and the rest of us who may live in decent comfort, struggle to make ends meet or exist without enough to eat or clothe ourselves. There are the majority of us without disabilities who are pretty much able to live and function as we wish. There are those who disabilities, visible or invisible, whose impairments greatly limit their options in many areas of life and who must live with limitations. And on a world scale, there are those of us in North America who own (or at least experience) most of the word's wealth. And there are many, many more people on the other side of the world, who often exist in deep poverty, hunger, want and destitution; many, including children, die of hunger or disease.

          Yet we are all created equal in personhood, when it comes to being. This truth is not only according to our own experience but according to the Scriptures. We all have the same basic needs for safety, food, clothing and shelter. We all want to be happy and to be loved. When we are hurt, we all inwardly are stung. Our bodies bleed when we are cut. We all get sick. We laugh when we are amused (and maybe uncomfortable). We cry when we are heartbroken. We feel guilt when we have done wrong. We all are born. We all will die. According to the Bible, we have all sinned and we all need a Savior; we all have equal access to God's grace and favor though faith in Christ.

          But it is because of our inequalities in functioning and our ignorance, prejudices and intolerance, that cause so many of us to treat each other as unequal persons not just in functioning but as unequal persons also in personhood. Even in churches, where our congregations formally claim to serve and worship a God Who has created all of us as equal, we see exclusion, snobbery and cliques. I can say this from experience because I have experienced these at the hands of fellow parishioners; I'm sure many other people can share similar stories of their experiences in churches. Yes, I know there are many wonderful people in every congregation but even people of faith are human. And I see cliques and exclusion on Facebook, where many in my social networks talk only to each other and ignore everyone else. Cliques, snobbery and exclusion are when people stick only with those who are "their kind" and ignore everyone else.

          Over a year ago, I saw this status update on Facebook, "All people are created equal." Underneath this status, a person commented, "Too bad they don't stay that way." This blog has been my lament of this person's comment on the status. Actually, it seems that we all start out as equals in that we come into the world "in our birthday suits" and we become equal, one again, only when we leave the world, to slip into eternity and stand before our Creator and answer to Him about what we have done with our lives.

          This is the core of what adversity, sorrow and tragedy do for us: They re-enforce the truth that we are indeed created equal. But as many of us survey the recent Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case, we wonder if even tragedy does this for many of us.  We need to change hearts as well as laws that are on the side of the more fortunate and privileged rather than in favor of marginalized persons.
     Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com Photo by Richard b This photo can be found here

The Trial That Is Dividing A Nation

There is a case and a trial, currently in its final stages. It involves a deceased 17 year old teenager and the man charged with second-degree murder in his death. Each one of us who knows anything about this case, and especially if we follow it, have strong emotions about it and what we think happened. This case has spawned demonstrations and peaceful protests all over the US. It has inspired a Change.org petition which over 2,500,000 people signed. This petition was to the Florida Attorney General to charge the defendant in this case with murder in the death of an unarmed teenager that he shot. The defendant, from the very beginning, has claimed self-defense under the "Stand Your Ground" law in the State of Florida. The defendant was the Neighborhood Watch volunteer and the eyes and ears of his neighborhood. One rainy, dark night, a 17 year old boy was walking through this neighborhood, with headphones, Skittles, iced tea and his cell phone. The defendant, who carried a gun and a flashlight, contacted Law Enforcement (LE) about this teenager, got out of his vehicle and, in the course of time, a fight began. It is unclear what happened during this fight. It is clear that the teenager involved is dead and that his killer, who shot him in the heart, is claiming self-defense, as a result of what happened in the course of this fight.

This case would not ever have become a case unless there had been nationwide protests and millions of signatures on a Change.org petition. All of this was a result of anger that the defendant in this case was not even arrested or charged with any crime, because LE believed his story about self-defense. Why is there so much passion surrounding the case of Trayvon Martin, the shooting victim, and George Zimmerman, the shooter? I know that many want to pretend that this case has nothing to do with race, but it would be intellectually dishonest to pretend that. The Judge in this case has omitted racial profiling in putting forth evidence in this case.  But of course race is a HUGE part of this debate! This is because, frankly, the shooting victim was Black and the shooter is Hispanic-Caucasian. We know that the criminal justice system, with its many flaws, has failed the Black community. Studies show that Blacks are overrepresented in our prisons and jails, in proportion to their numbers. I may be wrong, but it is unknown that there is one Caucasian defendant who has been sent to Death Row for murdering a Black person. Yet there are quite a few Black people on Death Row. We have to face the fact that had George Zimmerman been Black and Trayvon had been a Caucasian teenager, we would not have this kind of passionate debate on this case. Zimmerman would have been arrested and that without nationwide protests or a petition with millions of signatures on it. The defendant's charges may have even been first-degree, not second-degree murder. Let's face it. We have a Black US President but racism is far from dead. We have made much progress, as we have in so many things, but we have far to go.

Last year, President Obama was heard to with in on Trayvon Martin and ended with, "If I had a son, he would have looked like Trayvon." I have read posts that suggest the President was trying to influence the outcome of this case, or intended to stir up racial unrest. I have no way of knowing what was going on in the President's mind when he made those comments. Because of the racial factor in this case but also because of the gun debate (Stand Your Ground in the State of Florida), this has been a very divisive case. Those who support Trayvon tend to be Black, tend to be child advocates, more likely to have been crime victims, and often have known some form of discrimination or marginalization. Many are simply people of good will. People who tend to support George Zimmerman tend to be Caucasian, may have had bad experiences with the Black community, tend to be Establishment people, often identify with LE, or are advocate for gun rights. Many just think, for their own reasons, that George Zimmerman acted in self-defense and is a victim of an angry teenager who attacked him. This case is unlike the Jodi Arias trial where the public overwhelmingly support Travis Alexander and opposed Jodi and most people have been sure of that defendant's guilt. There was no racial element in that trial, as both the victim and the defendant are Caucasian. However, in this Trayvon/George Zimmerman case, we clearly are split on this case and it may be reflected in the jury's verdict which may likely end up in a mistrial.

I have followed the trial on cable TV and have been struck by the expressions of hate and bullying that I have seen in one comment after another, both on Facebook and on the Internet. What is the cause of so much of this online bullying and hate? I have read many libelous articles. Some Trayvon Martin supporters have posted articles that expose George Zimmerman's past. These articles have included instances where Zimmerman molested a girl for many years and told her that it was "our secret." The Prosecution was denied permission to bring in elements from Zimmerman's past, such as when he assaulted an off-duty police officer and another time when he assaulted an ex-girlfriend (s?) and she got a restraining order against him. I have heard somewhere that Zimmerman had to go to anger management classes. The George Zimmerman supporters have made a big deal of Trayvon's marijuana usage, a past history of fighting and I read an article claiming that Trayvon had a history of burglary. I am not going to go into the name-calling on both sides as many of the names are not fit to be put in print. But I find it very offensive to trash murder victims the way that Trayvon has been trashed, complete with name-calling and libelous articles and comments. I know that victims are often trashed in trials as a part of defending criminal defendants. It was done in the Jodi Arias trial, where the defense brought forth accusations that Travis was abusive and a pedophile who was a sexual deviant. In the Casey Anthony trial, the defense brought forth molestation accusations against Casey's father George Anthony. And so on and on. But the victim trashing seems especially vicious in this George Zimmerman trial because of the very way the defendant is being tried for whether his shooting of Trayvon was justifiable self-defense or second-degree murder (or manslaughter). This of course implies that if you believe that Zimmerman is not guilty, that Trayvon caused his own death.

Emotions are running very high. Much hinges on the outcome of this trial, not only for Trayvon Martin's family and for George Zimmerman and his family, but how the justice system will handle other murder cases where self-defense is the defense. The outcome of this trial may cause racial unrest, if not racially-motivated violence and will certainly affect the public's view of the justice system. I suspect the outcome of this trial will affect the rate at which violent offenders will claim self-defense. The tension of the two sides, the supporters of Trayvon Martin and the supporters of George Zimmerman, is profound. We have two worldviews, one that leans more toward the life of the victim and the other worldview, that which values more the right to defend oneself. As I write this, the Zimmerman jury is now deliberating his guilt (or lack of it).

If we have basic knowledge of this case, we have strong and passionate feelings either for Trayvon or for George Zimmerman. It depends on our worldviews that come from our own values and life experiences. But there are facts in this case with which no person can disagree. One person is dead. His life was cut off at the age of 17. He was a teenager who was Black. He was 5'11 and 158 pounds. He was shot in the heart with a firearm. The defendant is the volunteer co-ordinator of a Neighborhood Watch in his community. He was driving in a vehicle. He had a flashlight and a gun. He is 5'8 and was 204 pounds (at the time). He made a 911 call expressing suspicion of the victim, his conversation laced with profanity. His statements to LE are laden with inconsistencies. He caused the untimely death of an unarmed teenager. He claims lawful self-defense. His life, the lives of his family and the lives of the victim's family are forever scarred by his actions on that rainy and dark night. The jury verdict will have a profound emotional impact on an entire nation.

Whatever the Zimmerman jury decides, my hope is that we will use all this to work together to change hearts, which cause what comes out of our mouths and what we do.