Yes We Can

In 1997, when Bill Cosby went on the air in America and announced that his son had been murdered, one thing was clear: Violence can hit anyone in the United States. Although “anyone” is often black.

Last month, the security guard, George Zimmerman followed the 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. He had exhibited suspicious behavior. He was black. Zimmerman shot and killed Martin in self-defense, on grounds that Martin had attacked him.

And that is a good enough explanation. Self-defense is one of the most sanctified constitutional rights in the American constitution. It dates from 1776, is celebrated with great festivity every year on the 4th of July and is more sacred than a Scandinavian Christmas. As Palin said to Obama, “Keep your change. We’ll keep our God, our guns, our Constitution.”

In the U.S., one group of people, more so than others, is paying the deadly price for this right: African Americans. The case of black teenager Trayvon Martin has sent tensions to the flashpoint in Europe’s ideological big brother. A case that represents a conflict, that defines the U.S. as much as its black jazz and blues, versus the white varieties, rock and country. It has come to stay. It is so cemented that Touré, a New York Times commentator, this month wrote an article containing eight good pointers for young black boys. The article was titled “How to stay alive while being black.” To be black, Touré writes, is a fatal condition. The advice in a situation, when feeling threatened by a security guard or police officers, is to stand with separated legs and make sure your hands are visible, essentially acting guilty.

Of course this is unfair. Touré knows. But he doesn’t care. After a certain point survival, not fairness, is paramount.

It is to a large extent the fight against crime — and how it is handled —that is one of the greatest challenges facing the U.S. Today there are more inmates in American prisons than in Stalin’s Gulag at its peak. There are 760 prisoners per 100,000 citizens or seven to ten times as many as in other countries. For example, France has 96 per 100,000 and Japan 63. The U.S. is in the heavyweight category, even surpassing a country like Mexico, which has 208 prisoners per 100,000 citizens.

Americans make up five percent of the world’s population, but 25 percent of prisoners globally. But then again, the United States seems to really invest in this business. In the past 20 years, the various states have spent six times more on prisons than on education. This scary crime statistic is said to be caused by “the war on drugs.” The solution to a problem is to imprison people. At least one ends up in prison following a sentence, as a result of a proven criminal act. A legal system. Fair or unfair. Trayvon Martin was killed, because he looked suspicious.