Message to NAACP President Ben Jealous

Dear Ben,

I have been receiving your organization's emails since the Troy Davis case. Now you are requesting me to sign a petition to Florida State Attorney Angela Corey telling her my views surrounding the Trayvon Martin case. I wonder is this the best way to approach the issue of injustice in America.

I cried after all hope was gone, when Davis' delayed execution played out as Georgia State troopers had time to line their police cruisers up so they could show their power in front of the state penitentiary while Davis lay strapped to a gurney with needles stuck in his arm. The visual affects of this on my mind and in my heart were devastating as is the thought of Trayvon receiving a bullet wound to the chest that must have killed him on impact.

I have been writing about both cases on my blog and also urging folks to apply to be on their local Citizens' Police Academy to voice their opinions about justice and learn more about public safety. The issue is violence and a nonchalant attitude towards black genocide.

Marching and petitioning makes us feel better because at least we are doing something, but what will be the outcome? Rallying for Trayvon may have the same outcome as it did for Troy Davis - nothing was done.

How can I as a concerned citizen help with the issues of unemployment, justice, and health care from a proactive, non-reactionary viewpoint? Our people are suffering. Things are getting worse instead of better, and like Jesse Jackson said, we're at war in a battle that appears we can't win because we don't have the right equipment.

The powers that be don't care about what we're feeling and deem us suspicious, emotional, reactionary, poor, drugged out beings. This Martin case is a diversion created to get our minds off unemployment, gas prices, and inadequate health care.

Instead of our students marching in hoodies, they need to stay in school and get those degrees so they can start businesses and pay those student loans. We need to march online and stay off the streets where we will become targets and our pictures and words will be noted by law enforcement.

In my opinion, going about change in the same fashion will lead to the same results, and justice will not be accomplished. Please come up with some new ways by which we can fight and win.

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.