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Criminal InJustice† is a weekly series devoted to taking action against inequities in the U.S. criminal justice system. Nancy A. Heitzeg, Professor of Sociology and Race/Ethnicity, is the Editor of CI. Criminal InJustice is published every Wednesday at 6 pm CST.
For The Casualties Of Racial Ideologies*
by: Chia (Chilli) Lor
Dedicated to the Trayvon Martin Family and all those who were victims of racial hate crimes
For the justice of humanity.
For the justice of Fong Lee
For the justice of all casualties
Of racial ideologies.
For the killing of Trayvon Martin
who had a bag of skittles
But was shot for the color of his skin.
We stand up to manifest
This crime, created by mankind
Which separates us into human species,
assuming difference in pigment biology.
You know what it is: racial profiling.
Under the law, it is not a crime
to stereotype, to criminalize, a person within sight,
But it IS a crime
To be black and wearing a hoodie at night.
Recall George Zimmerman’s 911 call saying:
“This guy looks like he’s up to no good, on drugs or something.
It’s raining and he’s just walking around looking about… These a**holes always get away.”
As if the black, brown, non-white skin
carries a deep, dark secret creeping within.
As if that secret will unleash at a certain place
Therefore, you feel the need to defend yourself
By shooting that fear in the face.
I am done with “Minnesota Nice!”
I am done with taking race out of the injustice equation
so that others can be comfortable.
Comfort doesn’t bring change… the TRUTH does!!!
For the justice of humanity,
For the justice of Shaima Alawadi,
For the justice of all casualties
Of racial ideologies.
For the killing of Amadou Diallo,
who had a black wallet,
But was shot 41 times with pistols.
I am done with putting race cases in the hands of law makers
Because too often, they are judged by
A corrupted system
Run by color-blind racism,
police cover ups,
And justice where money drops.
Too often we’ve seen laws
that were twisted to benefit
the dominant culture.
The Law of self-defense seems fair.
But if self-defense is so fair,
then why are the guilty running free,
And the victims in misery?
If self-defense is so fair,
then why are hundreds of police officers’ hands red,
stained by the blood of unarmed colored citizens?
If self-defense is so fair,
Then why did Chai Vang’s case
Took only 3 hours for
For an all-white jury to find him
guilty on all counts of first-degree murder
for the shooting deaths of six white hunters?
Although, Vang’s life was threatened and he argued in the name of self-defense!
If self-defense was fair,
Scott Osborn would also be in jail for brutalizing Neng Yang, yet claiming self-defense.
If self-defense was fair,
Zimmerman would be in jail because Trayvon didn’t get the chance to defend himself!
Until I see justice served,
Don’t tell me that there is no racial bias in the law,
because it is UNFAIR!
How many more marches and rallies must civilians make,
until true justice will take place?
How much more tears will drench the earth,
and outcry will reach up to the sky,
until we stop living in a Post-racial lie?
As long as we let the color of the skin justify our actions.
As long as we let the judicial system,
discriminate our colored men and women.
As long as racial ideologies drive our minds and our hearts…
There will be more Trayvon Martins…
For the justice of humanity.
For the justice of Trayvon Martin
For the justice of all casualties
Of racial ideologies.
REST in PEACE.
*A spoken word piece that retains the power on the printed page.. Honored to have Chia as a student..
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