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| Trayvon Martin |
I’m going to go off script somewhat today and talk about the
black experience in America. Ever since the not guilty verdict for George
Zimmerman – acquitting him of the murder of Trayvon Martin, this subject has re-emerged
in the forefront of American consciousness. For Jews it is important for us confront
this issue because as Americans we cannot avoid being influenced by the same things
our fellow non Jewish Americans are.
Just to review the case, George Zimmerman saw what he
thought was a suspicious looking black man in what is essentially an upscale white
neighborhood in Florida. Zimmerman was licensed to carry a gun and was a member
of a civilian watchdog group. After calling 911, he was told to
stay in his car and wait for the police to show up. Zimmerman instead decided to
confront Martin. A fight between them ensued. With Martin eventually seeming to have the
upper hand and bludgeoning him, Zimmerman, fearing for his life drew his weapon and fatally shot Martin.
Reactions to Zimmerman’s acquittal seemed to reflect whether one
viewed the event along racial lines or justice system lines. The former saw
this as an injustice. The latter saw this as justice. The verdict has resulted
in many protests against the verdict - viewing it as racist. And although not universally
the case, it was mostly the black community that tended to see this as an injustice.
Most white people saw it as a just verdict by a jury of Zimmerman’s peers.
I am not in any position to judge which side is correct,
except to say that the jury has spoken. They were in the courtroom. They saw
the facts presented in an adversarial way… and decided that the evidence presented
by the prosecution left reasonable doubt about Zimmerman’s guilt – which of
course required a not guilty verdict.
My issue is not so much about the correctness of the
verdict. But I do think there is a very racial element to this case. This was
brought home to me by comments made earlier by Attorney General Eric Holder;
and more importantly – and accurately by the President in his extemporaneous comments
last Friday. I think he hit the nail on the head.
The fact is that racial bias against blacks does exist in
this country. And yet I don’t think it is generated by racism or any special
hatred. I further think that this bias played a part in the death of Trayvon
Martin – even though I don’t think George Zimmerman is necessarily a racist.
This can be illustrated by an event that happened to Jesse
Jackson many years ago. Thinking he was being followed by someone in an alley in Washington DC, he looked
over his shoulder with concern. When he realized it was a white man who was
behind him instead of a black man, he felt a sense of relief.
Now I don’t think anyone can accuse Jesse Jackson of being racist
against his own people. What this episode demonstrates is the sad reality that
the black community has an excessive share of criminals and victims. The Bureau
of Justice Statistics (1976 – 2005) shows that blacks, who make up 13% of the
population commit more than 50% of the murders. And that 93% of black murder
victims are killed by other blacks. These statistics are breathtaking!
Why this is so is beyond the scope of the post. Suffice it
to say that some (but certainly not all) of the blame lies with a history of prejudice against our
black citizens that denied them equal opportunities in education and jobs… and
a culture of poverty that evolved - which fostered a disdain for the law by many young blacks. That
contributed to a mentality that encouraged highly illegal ways of making money
and violent ways of protecting it.
The sight of a local pimp or drug dealer who
is surrounded with the trappings of wealth, power and even prestige makes it
very difficult for young black people (with poor educational and job opportunities)
to resist joining them in that way of life. Even parents in poor black neighborhoods
who have succeeded in resisting that way of life for themselves have a hard
time convicting their children of it. Which says a lot about the vast middle
class of black people who managed to overcome adversity; buck those influences
and better their lives.
Nonetheless law enforcement and the justice system reflects
a bias based on the reality of the statistics cited above. They tend to see –
at least subconsciously - black men as guilty until proven innocent and
therefore more likely to be sent to prison.
That black people do have a larger share of criminals in
their population than white people was courageously alluded to by President in
his remarks on Friday. It was in the context of explaining why an unidentified
black person is looked at with more suspicion than an unidentified white
person.
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| George Zimmerman |
This explains why Zimmerman saw Martin’s skin color as a threat.
It is - as the president described - why a white woman in an elevator will
clutch her purse more tightly in an elevator when a black person enters. And why
Jesse Jackson felt fear when he at first thought a black man was following him
and then relief upon discovering it was a white person. It is why security
people in department stores tend to keep a sharper eye on a black customer than
a white one. It is why a black person cannot hail a cab as easily as a white
person. The President said that he was a victim of this kind of reaction all
the way up to the time he became a US senator. By then he was recognized and no
longer feared.
So this is not really about racism but about fear – a fear
based on both perception and reality. I do not think that there is any inherent
racism in most Americans. Although we do have our share of actual racists, they
are a small minority.
Exacerbating the problem are portrayals of blacks in the entertainment
industry. Often they are portrayed as gang members, drug dealers, pimps, and in
various other negative ways… even as they try and portray black leading men and
women as positive role models – often being more ethical than their white
co-stars. The problem is that aside from these black protagonists, the role of
other blacks are often portrayed stereotypically - as bad.
The entertainment industry is a very important factor here.
The influence they have on public perception is huge. Does art imitate life? Does life imitate art? Or does that even matter?
As I said, most black people are like their white counterparts
– having the same middle class values as everyone else. They just want to live
their lives and ‘pursue happiness’. They are the same morally, ethically, and
even culturally as their white counterparts.
Many are highly educated and have assimilated very nicely
into society with decent jobs as professionals, entrepreneurs, craftsman, academics…
what have you. But there is also that segment of the black population that is like
the negative stereotype - exactly as portrayed in the entertainment industry. Of
course there are many whites that are just as bad as this segment of blacks. But
the entertainment industry too often puts black people in this role thus reinforcing
that negative stereotype. And unfortunately statistics like the ones I quoted
above feed that stereotype which feeds the public perception.
By looking at the black experience through this lens, one
can begin to understand why black people are upset by the Zimmerman verdict.
They feel persecuted. Like it or not – the bias is there even though it not necessarily
sourced in racism.
What about us? How do Jews view black people? I’m afraid to
say that we are no better than the rest of society. We have our racist bigots
too. Some of it may even be subconscious… but it’s there. However even those of
us who despise racism, might feel like Jesse Jackson did under the same
circumstances.
This is a terrible way for any decent human being to live. Imagine
that even though one is an ethical and moral human being, he is nonetheless treated
with suspicion almost all the time because of the skin color he was born with.
I could see the anguish in the President’s eyes when he
described his experiences along these lines. As I said the vast majority of
black people in this country are ethical and moral people with middle class
values – just like white people. And just like white people - they try and
transmit those values to their children. But the depressing feeling a black
father must have when he tells a child that he will always be looked upon in
life with more suspicion that his white counterpart must be very great!
How we fix this is the $64,000 question. I don’t think
simple dialogue as some have suggested (including the President) is enough. I
don’t have any answers. Just a lot of questions. The president has said that
things have gotten better. True, he was elected to the highest office in the
land by a majority of the people. Twice. But Trayvon Martin’s death at the hand
of George Zimmerman has reawakened racial tensions. Understandably so. Had
Martin been white, he’d probably still be alive. There is little doubt about that in my mind.
