I had the displeasure of being able to hear the news as it happened of the #TrayvonMartin Case. I was so sad when I heard it and while it has taken me a week I understand why the jury had to say not guilty there was a gross mismanagement of the case by the prosecution. But that does not take away the sting of this man getting away with killing a young man who had nothing on him but skittles and a drink.
I have story like this. When I was younger, my brother and I were followed home. He was a creepy old man and he looked like he drank all day. My brother and I have always been taught to look at our surroundings and to make sure that we react when things are happening to or around us. Both of us noticed this creepy old dude following us and we ducked into a store with people in it and waited for him to pass by. We were so excited thinking we had lost him and continued on our way. He appeared from an alleyway and began to follow us again. We did NOT want him to follow us home but we were not old enough or big enough to confront this man about following us, so we ran home and told our mother. Who came out ready to take him down. We found the man at the park later that night when we went with the police. It turns out he was a pedophile.
I pose this question. If my brother and I had been older and noticed this creepy ass old man following us and we had felt confident confronting him in the hopes of scaring him off would our rights be in question? If we were killed by this man would his right to follow us be upheld? We didn't know who he was, he was following us and scaring us. To me the circumstances are not different. A man following you is not a pleasant feeling worrying that they could watch your house if know where you live, all of this is creepy ass shit.
More than anything I find it disturbing that my reactions my fears would be disregarded that there are people who would hold my past against me and say I deserved it because I might have made mistakes as a teen or a young woman. Is this the society we live in today? Only the perfect can live? Only the perfect do not deserved to be followed and shot?
If this is the criteria for this I tell you now that we should all be worried about being followed in the dark.
Live long and don't throw stones
