Justice Forged on the Bodies of Children of Color: Lessons of Compassion From the Trayvon Martin Case

Abstract

There are many reactions parents can have to the loss of children by gun violence. Of course, grief and disbelief are perhaps the most common. Seeking explanations for the loss is also an essential reaction. Most destructive is the need for revenge and retribution to the offending party. Much less common and less documented is parents who react to the loss of a child by violent death with compassion. I discuss the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer. Zimmerman was acquitted of the shooting even though Martin was unarmed and there was no clear evidence of an altercation. Trayvon Martin’s parents reacted to the killing and the acquittal with compassion for other parents who have experienced loss and by becoming advocates against gun violence. Compassion and social justice were forged on Trayvon Martin’s loss rather than revenge and hatred. An important lesson for all.