Posted on 07/06/2012 11:34:57 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The city’s first known Trayvon Martin mural is going up on a wall of an East New York laundromat - adding to a brewing campaign to make sure history doesn’t snub the slain teen’s image.
Teenage boys will start painting the 100-foot picture July 16 on New Lots Laundromat’s wall underneath the elevated tracks of the IRT No. 3 train.
The East New York mural will join a growing list of similar street art popping up in black neighborhoods across the country.
“We want him to become a martyr, and it’s sad that we even have to say that,” said Catherine Green, executive director of ARTs East New York Inc., who is overseeing the project.
“We want to see change coming out of this. People see a young man with a hoodie and they think he is a criminal.”
The seven young painters will show off the outline for the giant image in mid-July but are set on drawing Martin dressed in the his famed sweatshirt.
“It goes back to hip-hop and how people dress. When you see that hoodie, it signifies what people think about our young men in our community,” Green said.
Neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman gunned down the hoodie-clad Florida teen in February telling cops he thought the boy appeared suspicious.
Initially, authorities didn’t arrest Zimmerman, citing the state’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law. A national debate on racial profiling ensued and officials later charged Zimmerman with second degree murder.
Martin snapped a picture of himself in a gray hoodie before his death. The image went viral as buzz surrounding the case intensified and is now on countless t-shirts and posters.
State Sen. Eric Adams (D-Crown Heights) used the picture on a June 7 flyer inviting young Brooklynites to a rally against a floundering Stand Your Ground bill stalled in Albany.
“The story of Trayvon Martin will find its way into the history books,” Adams said. “It symbolizes the frustration and anger of young men of color losing their lives — by their own hands, by the hands of the police, and by vigilante groups.”
The Martin family copyrighted their son’s hoodie photo earlier this month, along with the phrases “Trayvon Martin,” “I am Trayvon Martin,” and “Justice for Trayvon Martin,” said Michael Hall, co-founder of the Justice for Trayvon Martin Foundation, an advocacy group tied to Martin’s legal team.
“We want to stop people from making a profit from [the image],” said Hall, explaining that while he was unaware of the East New York mural, he doesn’t have a problem with the plan.
Still, Hall was skeptical about whether street art will push history book authors to include the Trayvon Martin case.
“History will dictate what it wants to acknowledge. They will dictate what they want to pay attention to,” Hall said.
First he said TM was suspended for 10 days for mj possession and then later that it was for being in a place he didn't belong.
Then he refers to Chad as TM's little brother but they are not related.
Then he refers to Brandi as his fiancee, but he is still married to his second wife -- Alicia Stanley Martin, who apparently raised TM for the last 10 years until their separation a few weeks before the 26th.
So then who was he living with down in Miami -- Sybrina or Alicia. So where's Alicia in all of this???
My understanding as to why his parents numbers weren't called is that the phone was not working. Tracy said that he called that AM and his phone didn't ring but just went to message recording.
I think the police gave the phone back to him too early in the investigation, perhaps even the next day. They should have kept it. It had vital forensic evidence in it and on it. I think I read that they tried to get it back and he refused, and lawyered up. That should have been the SPD's 48th clue that something was wrong with his story.
And AFAIK, he has still not turned over his phone bills to investigators.
By Golly, Vet, so do I!
I leave for Rome as soon as the Martin Family sends me a bit of the money they are making on Trayvon Copyright Gear. I plan to present a Trayvon Copyright Hoodie to Pope Benedict and each member of the College of Cardinals. I know they will canonize Trayvon. St. Trayvon Ghetto parishes would attract young gang-banger wannabes who want to turn their lives around.
I also plan roll-outs of Trayvon Ice Tea, Trayvon Skittles, Trayvon Recreational Legal Drugs Made from OTC Cough Syrups, Trayvon Baby Gear for Single Moms, Trayvon Phone Cards, and Trayvon Protective Gloves. The way that Zimmerman boy made Trayvon skin his knuckles on his face was racist and outrageous.
My bizplan calls for the Martin Family to invest about a quarter, I am sure that Oprah, and the Revs. Jesse and Al will approve. For another 150, I can probably get them ordained.
Your questions to Tracy Martin are outrageous. Trayvon is soon to be canonized. Asking such questions of the father of Saint is just plain wrong!
Yes! I'll be more careful next time. I'll send him some Skittles as reparation.
5.56mm
Go now and sin no more.
BTW, the Skittles to Tracy was a nice gesture and shows your heart is in the right place.
Who is this guy?
I’m still trying to figure out how people can drink Robitussin; I can’t even handle a spoonful of it. Blech.
*Shudder*
Oh,it’s so nasty. :(
In an area close to where I live, after the incident, “TRAYVON MARTIN” was painted in huge white letters on the roof of an abandoned building facing a very busy street. It stayed there several weeks, until someone else wrote “IS DEAD”, in equally large letters across the first. Couldn’t believe how quickly all the graffiti was scrubbed away after that.
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