Source/Credit: Miami Islam Examiner
By Mansura Minhas | March 28, 2012
In the aftermath of Treyvon Martin’s death, there has been an outpouring of solidarity and calls for justice in his killing. The hoodie, a most commonly used piece of clothing, carries powerful symbolism in this fight. Nationwide, the ‘Million Hoodie March’ has been embraced by people from all backgrounds- black, asian, latino, white. It sends out a strong message, that overwhelmingly, people are moved by this grave tragedy. Anderson Cooper of CNN, while commenting on the case, admitted to wearing exactly the same attire as Treyvon, almost every day, when he’s not in front of the camera. The only difference being that, Anderson is white and Treyvon was black.
The unanimous support of the hoodie is remarkable and signals that Americans are outraged by the racial undercurrents of this case. Hoodie has become an influential symbol in the cause to thwart stereotypes and alter societal mindsets. Miami Heat’s players paid their solemn tribute by wearing hoodies. Rep. Bobby Rush wore it to the House Floor this morning, to show his support for the cause.
However, the problem stems not from the hoodie itself, rather from the perception, that transforms this benign piece of clothing, and renders certain wearers (read black men) ‘suspicious’. It begets suspicion only if donned by a black man, an exact thought that crossed Zimmerman’s mind, as he reported Treyvon to 9/11, before deciding to confront him himself.
Some argue that it is premature to discuss a case that is still pending and it’s unfair to have a trial before a trial. The merits of the case that have emerged so far, show that Zimmerman was clearly given the benefit of doubt ( with the contentious Stand your Ground law on his side) by Sanford police, and set scot-free after killing an unarmed teenager, despite being advised by 9/11 operators to stop following the victim. The gun totting, trigger happy Zimmerman, was apparently blinded by a false sense of authority when he shot Treyvon. A parallel debate about the lax gun law has erupted, and lawmakers are now being urged to repeal it, as it has resulted in an increase in homicides.
My affinity for Treyvon goes beyond the fact that he attended a school in same district as my daughters -Miami Dade County. As a Muslim who wears the Hijab, the increasing talks of a correlation between the hoodie and ‘suspicion’ were disturbing me. I already counter numerous stereotypes about the ‘Hijab’, that render me repressed, subjugated, brain washed and my husband’s property. I had failed to recognize, until that moment, that the woes of stereotyping didn’t end at just that. It could be a difference between my life and death!
Just as these thoughts raced my mind, the news of Shaima Al Awadi’s death hit the airwaves. Still reeling from the Treyvon tragedy, the horrifying news of the gruesome murder of a Muslim mother of five, beaten to death in her California home, with a message “Go back to your country, you terrorist” emerged. I’m quite sure there won’t be a ‘million hijab march’ for her, at least not in the near future.
Kudos to all those who came out to support Treyvon, and adorned the hoodie- a result of America’s centuries long coming of age with regards to race relations. The tragedy has resulted in candid talk about race and the need to address the grievances of the black community, which still feels alienated. Can Shaima’s family expect the same show of compassion and hope that the hate that took her life, will be countered with the same zeal as Treyvon’s case?
America’s struggles for racial equality and strive for paramount justice has come a long way since the Civil Rights movement. Tragedies like this, allow us to pause, reflect and attune ourselves, yet once again, towards improvement. America seems to be still working on Martin Luther King Jr’s dream where he envisioned that “my four little children live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”.
Hopefully, when my daughters decide to adorn the Hijab one day, they would be free to do so, without the fear of a backlash and a burden of being pre-judged and worthy of death. There is a dire need to move beyond the fixation on how people from different backgrounds choose to dress. Treyvon and Shaima’s deaths warrant Americans to shed biases and prejudices and ensure an end to hate crimes, triggered by race and religion, which are counterintuitive to the founding principles of this great nation. EVERY citizen deserves “certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” as laid down in the Declaration of Independence.
Collective efforts are needed to ensure that this invaluable doctrine is not reduced to a mere cliché, rather, it must become a reality for all citizens, irrespective of race, color or faith. Justice for Treyvon and Shaima is the only succor here. It is imperative to look beyond the hoodie and the hijab and judge the wearers by the ‘content of their character’. It will surely surprise many!
Read original post here: A Hoodie and A Hijab - Justice for Treyvon and Shaima
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