Dear America,
First let me start by introducing myself. I am a 29 year old African-American man. My name is not important. You might as well call me Trayvon Martin Oscar Grant Emmett Till III.
I’m writing this letter because my story, like so many other African-American men has left me confused and frustrated with society. I’m as American as Apple Pie, but why in 2013 am I still treated so much like an outcast in my own country? Law enforcement assumes I’m guilty, neighborhood watch : makes me feel like I don’t belong here, and you cross the street when my friends and I are headed in your direction. Believe it or not, hoodie on or not, I am a human being with feelings and emotions, who just wants to be treated like everyone else. So many men that look like me are treated as if their life has less value than that of their white counterparts. Just last week, I was pulled over by a police officer who couldn’t tell me why he pulled me over. He just wanted to see my papers. Knowing that I hadn’t committed any crimes or broken the law I just sucked it up and gave the police officer my license and registration. Here is where the conversation gets interesting. The officer then says, “What are you doing here, why you here.” I was immediately taken back by that question. Did I not have the right to travel as I pleased? I never knew I needed the police’s permission to head to the beach on my day off of work. A friend of mine, who was in the passenger seat started to make conversation with the officer. She told him how great of a guy I was and how I wasn’t out to cause any trouble. The officer said he would be the judge of that and walked back to his car to run my paper work. When he returned to my car he looked at my friend and said. “He has no warrants or outstanding child support so I guess he’s ok.” Then he laughed….
