February 5 is Trayvon Martin's 19th birthday and the internet remembered him. Martin, the 17- year- old who was fatally shot by a neighborhood watchmen in February 2012 in Sanford, Florida has led many to open up the problem with unfair laws in this country.
Many have taken his birthday as a reminder that new laws regarding stand your ground need to be put in place. Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon's mother put up an image online with Trayvon's face on the American flag with the words "Happy Birthday Trayvon." Fulton, who has become an advocate for stand your ground laws in the wake of her son's death is hoping that real change will come soon. She told USA Today that, "We need to do something about this law when our kids cannot feel safe in their own community."
Online, people mourned and remembered Trayvon. #HoodiesUp and #NeverForget were some of the hashtags trending on Twitter along with #TrayvonMartin himself. Clearly, there is injustice with the role of race in the picture playing a tricky role. None of these discounts the pain which Trayvon's family must live with. Most of them are still waiting for the justice here and for better stand your ground laws to come through.
Fulton and Trayvon's father will be attending a remembrance dinner in South Florida for the slain teen. Channel 13 news, out of Orlando, reports that the dinner will be in benefit of the foundation which Trayvon's parent's created as support for the families of victims of violent crimes. Until real change is made, stand your ground still needs work and the right people behind it. The conversation needs to keep going on for that change to come through.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
