Statement on the Shooting of Trayvon
Martin in Florida
A Pastoral Message to the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.):
Wake Up! The Struggles of Race and Gun
Violence in the United States Have Not Gone Away
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| Trayvon Martin |
Rejoice with
those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another;
do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than
you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble
in the sight of all. If it is possible so far as it depends on you, live
peaceably with all. (Romans 12:15-18)
Our nation is facing the terrible implications and
heartbreaking aftermath of the tragic shooting death of a young man. Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old African
American boy who was shot to death by George Zimmerman, a mixed race man.
Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, 2012.
George Zimmerman was acting as a neighborhood watch “captain.” Martin wore a “hoodie”
sweatshirt and carried Skittles candy and a can of ice tea – items that have
become symbols of solidarity with Trayvon and his family. Zimmerman claims he
was acting in self-defense. As the nation reels from this racially charged
incident, it is important that faith communities, especially churches, not be
silent regarding two important implications of this incident.
Prayer for the
Families
First, with empathy and compassion, we must join in
prayer for the families of both persons involved in this unfortunate incident. Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon’s parents) were
both active in Trayvon’s life. They mourn the loss of their son, God’s precious
gift to them. Trayvon demonstrated promise and had visions of attending college
like his older brother. He was actively involved in developing a future path for
himself, under the direction of his parents.
Today and in the days ahead, this family needs our
prayers. Parents who face the death of a child confront a lifelong sorrow that
the rest of us can only imagine and dread. However, our faith reminds us that “If we live, we live to the Lord and if we
die we to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the
Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord
of both the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:8-9).
As people of faith, we must also prayerfully lift up
George Zimmerman and his family. Although we do not know the full motivations
of his actions, our Christian faith teaches us "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against
anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your
trespasses." (Mark 11:25) Our prayers must be offered with the belief
that the God of salvation is able to reveal truth amid the confusion and anger
that this incident is causing.
I encourage Presbyterians to be in prayer while the
details are sorted out and these two families search for healing.
A
Challenge to Racism and Gun Violence
Second, this
incident is raising the issues of race and gun violence to the forefront of the
national attention. Our challenge as a Church is to recognize that racial
injustice is not a thing of the past. Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, a
controversial measure that allows armed civilians to use deadly force when they
feel they are in danger of imminent — but not necessarily lethal — harm, rather
than attempting to flee, is raising questions regarding racial profiling. Was
Zimmerman acting as a racially biased vigilante? Did the “hoodie” that Trayvon
Martin wore set off inner city racial stereotypes that labeled him a criminal
in Zimmerman’s mind? Was this a premeditated murder caused by the remnant of
historically racist thinking? These questions are among many being raised within
communities across the nation, including the African American community.
Protests are wide spread and racial tensions are high in our nation.
The complexities
of this shooting are fueled by both race and gun violence. The 219th General Assembly (2010)
adopted the resolution, “Gun Violence, Gospel Values: Mobilizing in Response to
God’s Call.” In that document it Encourage[s] the church at every level… to
become informed and active in preventing gun violence, to provide pastoral care
for victims of gun violence, and to seek a spiritual response of grief and
repentance, grace and courage to resist that violence and celebrate the Lord
and Giver of Life.
The 2010 policy
further restates the 202nd General Assembly’s resolution (1990) that
called on the U.S. government to establish meaningful and effective
federal legislation to regulate the importation, manufacture, sale and
possession of guns and ammunition by the general public. Such legislation
should include provisions for the registration and licensing of gun purchasers
and owners, appropriate background investigations and waiting periods prior to
gun purchase, and regulation of subsequent sale.
The 219th
Assembly also acknowledges that “little change has been seen in the policies
enumerated, and these same calls can and should be echoed today.”In this nation,
gun violence is responsible for about 35,000 completely preventable deaths
every year. The shooting of Trayvon Martin was facilitated by a law that gives
a person possessing a gun the right to self-determine when his/her life is
threatened, even when there is no indication of a lethal provocation. This type
of law opens the door for vigilante activity on our streets and in our
neighborhoods.
The 219th
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) called on churches to
ensure that “liturgies not only call for periodic preaching on gun violence but
also contain prayers for the victims and perpetrators of gun violence and
confession of our own complicity in the perpetuation and toleration of violence
in all its forms in the culture.” We
cannot remain silent!
Gun violence is the
intolerable by-product of a nation struggling with the essence of community building.
Our congregations are essential to communities overcoming the need to choose
guns over love. Let us use this tragic
event for good and work toward the “peaceable Kingdom.”
Reverend
Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, Director
Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness
100
Maryland Avenue, NE
Washington,
DC 20002
ga_washington_office@pcusa.org
