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Guns, Trayvon and The State of Florida

TrayvonMartin201203by Frank LoBuono

My policy is when there is so much to say AND too much has already been said, say little. So it will be with sharing some thoughts on The State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman.

I’m not interested in discussing the legal aspects of the case. I am not a lawyer. Besides, The People have spoken and the law and verdict must be respected. However, I say this: my heart is broken. Trayvon Martin, a 16 year-old boy is dead.  A 16 year-old boy. A boy who went to buy candy and never returned. Now, a mother has no son. A father clings to memories of the boy whose photo he clutches in his hand. TWO families are broken. Why? A reasonable question to ask. Did race play a role? Perhaps? Many say likely. Fear? Certainly. Finding the answers, if we can, may help us to heal.

But my focus is on the singular force that altered the fate of not just two men, but two families. It is a small object that weighs no more than a few pounds. It was legally obtained and easily concealed. And it changed everything. EVERYTHING. That gun not only killed Trayvon Martin, it emboldened George Zimmerman to the point of unnecessary confrontation in the first place. The bottom line is: NO GUN – NO DEAD BOY.

Justice, as written by Florida law, has been served. I hold nothing against the jury or defense lawyers. However, morally, this is a tragedy in every sense of the word. It moves me to the point of exasperation. A young man, walking home from buying candy, walks no more. Ultimately, I don’t care if he was white, black, or green. He was a young man, a boy, with every right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These things, he was denied. And there are no words left to describe the grief . . .

Frank LoBuono has lived in Nyack for over 30 years writing and covering Rockland County in print, on TV and online. He works as a cameraman and an editor for a major TV News organization. You can read his blog at Talk-Frank.blogspot.com.


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