Travon Martin

Remember that Trayvon was a child

Phil Alderman’s April 4 letter about Trayvon Martin having the right to stand his ground was excellent, with one correction: Trayvon was a 17-year-old minor. If George Zimmerman hadn’t been armed with a lethal weapon, or if he had listened to the 911 dispatcher who told him not to follow/chase Trayvon, the boy would be alive today.

Dispatcher: “How old would you say he looks?”

Zimmerman: “Late teens.”

Dispatcher: “Are you following him?”

Zimmerman: “Yeah.”

Dispatcher: “OK, we don’t need you to do that.”

Zimmerman: “OK.”

Trayvon is “everyone’s chid” and Zimmerman’s rogue killing, then playing the victim card as he is trying to do, is both unacceptable and unconscionable.

As lawyer Lauren Regan stated at an April 2 Eugene rally, “stand your ground” laws “allow anyone with a gun be a judge, jury and executioner.”

Trayvon committed no crime and had every right to walk in what is called the “land of the free.” Murder was committed and justice needs to be served.

We cannot allow innocent children to be gunned down because of racial profiling, fear and prejudice.

FRAN GILLESPIE

Eugene