My 6 Boys Left the House this Morning Wearing a Hoodie....

Actually, I think a large portion of the 5 girls may have as well. At the risk of overstating it, if the weather doesn't warm up in a few minutes, I will throw my hoodie on, too. Does the fact that I am white (don't get me started on what my race is...I will be focused!!) make a difference in in whether or not I will safely return?

Trayvon and Obama, google photo

To say that it shouldn't be a factor is slightly naive, of which I claim more than my fair share. But I think that everyone should agree that it should not be the deciding factor in whether you will live or die...your skin color and choice of clothing. I think most everyone would agree that the choices we make should be more of a deciding factor in whether I live or die. I think that we could all also agree, if I am dressed like a gang member, walking around urban areas, steal a back pack, and run from the police as this recent story suggests, I should be at least fearful that something bad might befall me. Stealing at night is a bad idea...Stealing at night in the same area dressing in a hoodie and running at a time when racial relations are at its highest tension level since the 60's is not the greatest idea. But it still shouldn't be a death sentence.

A story that has captured the nations attention recently, however, is this one...regarding Trayvon Martin. According to one of the many reports on the Internet, Trayvon was 28 year old George Zimmerman is a member of the local Neighborhood Watch. As a member, Zimmerman is forbidden to carry weapons...they are not police. Zimmerman did not recognize Trayvon as a neighbor, so he watched him. Since Trayvon was walking off the path, Zimmerman followed him. Then it becomes more he said/he said/she said on the cell phone. We do not know the truth. What we do know is that

• Zimmerman disobeyed the rules of neighborhood watch
• Trayvon was black
• Trayvon was wearing a hoodie
• When he was killed Trayvon had nothing but his cell phone, candy, and an iced tea on him

I live in a neighborhood where we have an active neighborhood watch. Recently there was a rape on the trail through the park. Neighborhood watches went out to keep joggers safe. Hello...if I went for a jog at night on that trail, although the rapist is probably long gone, I would have some sort of a weapon for safety. If I was going out with a group to check on the trail, I would obey the rules. If I followed someone-alone-because he looked and acted suspiciously to me, I have some choices to make. Zimmerman made errors in judgement, mostly regarding violations in following rules when responding to neighborhood watch type assignments. In wondering if property was more important than young lives. Possibly crossing the line from his current course work in criminal justice at school to real life. Either way, these are things that he must live with now. The black community is making their voices heard through peaceful appeal to the local police and we should be able to move on. I for one would like to see this completed. I have many black boys, they wear hoodies, have been in trouble at school, and despite all my admonishes to eat green, love skittles.

This scares me...I don't worry about Obama because he is black. I worry about Obama because he has proven that he is wild card and will do whatever he want. This scares me...giving him myriad powers in the event of chaos is not something that he wrote, and he says he will not use it..He doesn't always do what he says he will. And this scares me...The New Black Panthers who self-identify as a "hate group", call for killing whites, and while not mandatory, many of it members are Islamic. They are not your mother's Black Panthers. I have a lot of black sons and they have a lot of friends, black, white, Hispanic, and Asian. They are mostly unsubmitted and rebellious...most of us are. And almost all of them wear hoodies and eat skittles. Most have been in trouble in school but that should none of these should be risk factors in living. Getting grounded, yes. Dying, no. Is it so hard to just follow the rules. If EVERYONE follows the rules, then we could breathe a little easier...whose rules, you ask. I know that I follow Gods rules as stated to us by Jesus Christ more than 2000 years ago, written down by his followers, and translated through tradition and through divine interpretation by His Catholic Church. I cannot tell you to follow it, too, but I invite you to...

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