Zimmerman’s verdict reminds me of Verizon wireless

Back in the year 2000 I switched my cell phone service from Sprint to Verizon. I decided to give them a try, despite them not being a leader in the industry at the time. I went with a nationwide plan even though I didn’t travel as much then as I do now. However, I ran into a repeated unfixed problem. Every time I left my hometown of Atlanta, my cell phone service wouldn’t work. My phone either had no service at all or went into roaming. I remember calling them countless times after I left town letting them know of the problem. Each time they assured me the problem was fixed but, of course, I couldn’t tell when I was at my home base. I had to travel to test it, which was sometimes over a month or so. So I continued to pay my national plan rate giving them the benefit of the doubt. But the problem continued to prevail. I left town, it didn’t work. Really think about it. You are promised something will work and it takes the test to see if it does. You have trust. Imagine your airbag not working, but you only know in the midst of an accident. Imagine a grenade not working, but that soldier only learns of this in a war. After about 6 months I decided to cancel the service because the problem continued.

The most interesting part about that experience was I didn’t know the problem wasn’t fixed each time until their word was tested when I traveled. It was proven that their word was no good.

This experience is synonymous with my feel on the American justice system and our so-called post racial era. Every time I feel we are possibly in that era it is tested and we fail. Over time, our presidents have made promise-filled speeches, Government created symbolic changes and civil rights leaders ensure results. They continue to solicit donations for their groups, campaigns and posture in media. They have closed-door meetings and exit with plans and promises. So, Black people go about life playing fair. We take our talents and work for others, rarely seeing vice versa. We invite others to participate in our associations, clubs, movements and issues, while we rarely see the reverse, and if we do, it happens with resistance. We play fair until layers are peeled away. Then, everything they’ve said gets tested and they fail like Verizon did. This was not about the case, it was about the race. It was about how our young boys are regularly presented to America, whose life was more danger during the scuffle and the value of that life. I can’t help but to reflect on how Michael Vick was demonized for killing dogs. Now I think I understand where we are on the ladder. We, especially my young sons, are beneath dogs.

Black Americans are very trusting and forgiving. After all, the Union that prevails now in government did free us from the chains, correct? But for some odd reason, it struggles freeing us from mistreatment; the very Union that cared so much for our ancestors. What happened along the line? Did we believe in something a little too much or did we not fulfill the responsibilities of building a nation within a nation as a free group in America?

From Hurricane Katrina, to Professor Gates and James Crowley, to Oscar Grant and Sean Bell, the government has had a direct hand in marginalizing the black life. So it’s not odd for George Zimmerman, Don Imus or Paula Deen to join in the party. But until we upgrade our American systems like Verizon did, we will continue to ask other races “Can you hear me now?” And the answer will continue to be a resounding “NO!”

But you know, it must soothe one’s soul to know when something promises to work, it does. In this case, for some, the system worked like a charm.