Gospel songs rang through the sanctuary of a Florida church Sunday afternoon just before Trayvon Martin’s father exhorted the congregation to combat gun violence in black communities or risk losing a generation of young adults.
Tracy Martin told a “Black Lives Matter” ceremony at the Praise and Deliverance Church of God By Faith that while police shootings of young black men is a serious issue, it’s not the biggest one in black neighborhoods.
A far larger problem, Martin said, is the current generation of African-American children growing up without adult guidance and parental love.
While acknowledging America’s intransigent racial divide. Martin told the congregation to teach their children to solve problems without violence.
“This generation of children is being lost,” Martin said. “We’re committing genocide amongst ourselves. Each time a young man or woman is killed in the street, it has an effect on our children. Death becomes normal. When did death become the normal for us?”
Martin’s unarmed 17-year-old son, Trayvon, was shot to death in Sanford three years ago this month by neighborhood watch organizer George Zimmerman, igniting nationwide protests.
Martin and Trayvon’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, started the Trayvon Martin Foundation to teach conflict resolution to teens while supporting victims of gun violence.
Martin told the congregation of about 120 that “Black Lives Matter” rallies are making a difference by starting new conversations about black-on-black violence and racial profiling, as well as officer-involved shootings of young black victims.
“God has given me the strength to stand up and say, ‘No more’,” said Martin, a bearded, soft-spoken man. “This wasn’t something I signed up for, but it is something I’m going to do.”
Martin joined young adults in the front of the sanctuary who raised their hands to demonstrate solidarity with the families of young black men killed by police, a symbol begun after Michael Brown was shot in Ferguson, Mo., on Aug. 9.
“Authority figures should be respected because they have a duty to perform, but at the same time, our young people need to be respected, too,” said Martin.
Pastor John Robinson III pleaded with his congregation to take Martin’s words seriously.
“If you don’t, just like they killed his boy, they’ll kill my boy. They’ll kill your boy,” said Robinson, who said he organized the ceremony to start new conversations about race in his city.
“We’re not angry, but we think the church has to make a stand and help our city officials,” Robinson said.
City commissioner David Merker, the only Boynton Beach official at the rally, challenged the congregation to help him improve race relations in the city.
Representatives of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Boynton Beach Police Department were invited, said organizers, but none appeared at the rally.
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