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Editor’s Note: Interested in what their community at large thought of the Trayvon-Zimmerman case, We’Ced reached out to their peers and interviewed various local young people on their thoughts and reactions to the Florida trial.
Leo Gonzales, 17, Merced
What did you think when you first heard the verdict for the Trayvon-Zimmerman trial?
I don’t care. It’s not affecting me and not people’s business. You have to be there to know.
Do you think race played any part in the killing of Trayvon Martin or the trial?
Maybe that’s why people are reacting to this so strongly. Everyone tied race into this.
What message do you think this outcome sends to young people of color?
That young people of color are automatically guilty.
Kayle Calos, 16, Merced
What did you think when you first heard the verdict for the Trayvon-Zimmerman trial?
Total BS! Murder is still murder. There are people who do it in cold blood and he was one of those people. I mean, he had a gun there was no reason for him to feel threatened and the police told him to stop following Trayvon, yet he didn’t. So he was looking for it.
Do you think race played any part in the killing of Trayvon Martin or the trial?
It does, but then it doesn’t. The real issue here is self-defense. Whether what Zimmerman did was an act of self-defense or not.
What message do you think this outcome sends to young people of color?
Pained, hurt. It adds more reason for youth of color to do bad things.
Jennifer Vega, 15, Merced
What did you think when you first heard the verdict for the Trayvon-Zimmerman trial?
I thought it was a very bad decision, mainly because he probably got away with it because of his race.
Do you think race played any part in the killing of Trayvon Martin or the trial?
Yes, because he was a white male, the same race of the entire jury. Trayvon was African-American. Nowadays, there are still people out there who still treat people differently because of their color. This case was an example of that.
What message do you think this outcome sends to young people of color?
That this world is very judging of everyone based on what they look like but that they should still be careful and okay with themselves.
Patricia Torres, 17, Merced
What did you think when you first heard the verdict for the Trayvon-Zimmerman trial?
I think its kind of fair. The teen did charge at him first. The man defended himself. Was it necessary to shoot him in the chest? I think not.
Do you think race played any part in the killing of Trayvon Martin or the trial?
Between the boy and the man I don’t think it was racial. It was self-defense. I think people are just making it racial.
What message do you think this outcome sends to young people of color?
That they are not equal and the case is racial. I think they would feel oppressed.
Chris, 16, Merced
What did you think when you first heard the verdict for the Trayvon-Zimmerman trial?
Even though I was not following the trial closely, I had a general idea of the case. I was surprised by the not guilty verdict. Zimmerman basically profiled Trayvon and followed him though the police told him not to, so I thought he was guilty.
Do you think race played any part in the killing of Trayvon Martin or the trial?
Not necessarily. I can see why the jury made their not guilty decision. I believe race played a role in the enormous public response to the case. A neighborhood watchman mistakenly thought Trayvon was a thief and Trayvon happened to be black.
What message do you think this outcome sends to young people of color?
This goes to show that profiling people is still happening and it may be done by more than one race.
Daniel, 18, Merced
What did you think when you first heard the verdict for the Trayvon-Zimmerman trial?
I thought it was an interesting choice. There were many pieces of evidence against Zimmerman that indicated he was not guilty. In the 911 call, he was told not to pursue but did anyway.
Do you think race played any part in the killing of Trayvon Martin or the trial?
Somewhat. The people who were supporting Trayvon seemed to try to turn this case into a race thing. The case wouldn’t be as big if Trayvon wasn’t black. As a result, this trial blew out of proportion.
What message do you think this outcome sends to young people of color?
This sends out a bad message for youth. This shows that the Stand Your Ground law is broken and you can get away with murder without punishment. Zimmerman should have received some punishment for his actions. Not the death penalty or life, but something.
Cristian Hernandez, 19, Merced
What did you think when you first heard the verdict for the Trayvon-Zimmerman trial?
I found that the verdict Zimmerman received did not show any justice because when it comes do it, a human life was lost and a family has to suffer the consequences of losing a child. To see their child’s murderer being found not guilty baffles me because Trayvon Martin will never get to live his life and its unfair that George Zimmerman walks off as a free man and can look past while a family on the other side is suffering and looking for justice. It’s unfair that they’ll never get to see their child fulfill his dreams.
Do you think race played any part in the killing of Trayvon Martin or the trial?
To be honest, I believe it did. If you look at it the other way around, if Trayvon was the killer, he would be found guilty because of the color of his skin and being a young man of color people often label you as a thug or as a threat when you’re not.
What message do you think this outcome sends to young people of color?
As a young man of color, I feel that this decision shows just how much a young man of color’s life is valued in this country.
