"We will march and march and march until the right thing is done." - Tracy Martin

This is not justice.  Justice is a world where kids don't get shot because of the color of their skin.  This is a step in the right direction.  


I appreciate what Benjamin Jealous articulated about the twin tragedies of this horrific crime.  Not just that Trayvon was racially profiled and murdered, but that the police department largely ignored and attempted to bury the crime, protecting the shooter rather than an innocent child.

“Forty–five days after Trayvon Martin’s life came to a violent end, the wheels of justice have finally begun to turn. This is an important first step toward bringing justice for Trayvon and his family.  Trayvon’s case moved the nation because it underscored the twin tragedies that affect so many of our young people: Trayvon was profiled because of his race—looked upon as a threat rather than the loving son he was.  And then, once he became a victim, he was neglected by the very police department tasked with protecting our communities and families.  As a nation, we’ve got to address the issues of racial profiling and the valuation of black mens’ lives by law enforcement. In the months ahead the months ahead, the NAACP and our allies in the civil rights community will continue to take these issues on as well as the urgent need to repeal stand-your-ground laws.  Tonight our thoughts and prayers are with Trayvon’s family. We are grateful for the courage and tenacity of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin that continue to help shape a national movement for justice for their son and for all of America’s children.” - Benjamin Jealous, NAACP, President

I know better than to hope this is the turning of the tide of racial profiling, but I can hope that Trayvon's death will continue to shed light on this national shame.

xo kate

"..the burden of Black boys..."

Ever since I heard about Trayvon Martin, the 17 year-old African American boy who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a paranoid neighborhood watchman with a history of violent behavior, I have been attempting to process my own emotions.  My initial anger and horror that I live in a country where -- 44 years after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- being young, Black and male is still a crime worthy of punishment,  has faded to a deep, deep sadness and anger.

Now, 23 days after Trayvon's tragic death, there have still been no arrests made -- despite the fact that George Zimmerman admitted to shooting Trayvon, who was described by a teacher as an "A and B student who majored in cheerfulness," because he "looked suspicious."  The police in Florida have been accused of tempering with witnesses to try and fabricate an altercation between these two men in order to back up Zimmerman's claim that he acted in self-defense.  (For those who are less familiar with the case, Trayvon Martin was a 140 pound, 17 year-old, walking with Skittles and an ice tea, and George Zimmerman is a 28 year-old, 250 pound man driving an SUV and armed with a 9mm handgun.  George Zimmerman pursued Trayvon and confronted him.  Trayvon was also heard crying and screaming for help by at least three witnesses.  But obviously it was Zimmerman who was in immediate physical danger.)  To me, this case exemplifies the deep and insidious racism that still pervades so much of this country and that too many people are unwilling to even recognize, let alone take a stand against.

Yesterday, Charles Blow wrote an opinion piece that really hit home with me.  It's worth reading in it's entirety, but here's the quote that got to me in particular.

This case has reignited a furor about vigilante justice, racial-profiling and equitable treatment under the law, and it has stirred the pot of racial strife.

As the father of two black teenage boys, this case hits close to home. This is the fear that seizes me whenever my boys are out in the world: that a man with a gun and an itchy finger will find them “suspicious.” That passions may run hot and blood run cold. That it might all end with a hole in their chest and hole in my heart. That the law might prove insufficient to salve my loss.

That is the burden of black boys in America and the people that love them: running the risk of being descended upon in the dark and caught in the cross-hairs of someone who crosses the line.

xo kate

Please don't go, Girl

Dear Kate,

I'm so happy for you. And yet sad for me.

I'll see you in DC this fall.

 In the meantime...



Wildcats 4-eva,
Dfest

Heartbreak...and Recovery

In light of Danielle's inspiring message about turning sadness into awesomeness, I've decided to pick myself up off my living room floor, dry my tears, clean up all the things I broke in a rage last night and concentrate on all the things that make life just a little more awesome.  Here's a few...

On Fridays, when Us Weekly comes and I get to learn all the reasons stars are just like us (Their dogs go poo!  They eat food!), and decide for myself who wore it best.

The new Britney song, which I'm proud to love.  Don't hold it against me.

Vacation planning.  I'm currently planning my annual spring weekend with my BFF.  So many choices, so much fun.

Those three-pairs for $4.99 earrings at Target, they are totally made for someone like me who loses earrings constantly.

Chuck Bass is a real lady killer.

Jalapeño infused tequila.  I had it for the first time on Saturday night, and it was a spicy delight.  Much like me.  Wink.

My fish, Chuck Bass.  Much like the warm-blooded Chuck Bass, the aquatic version is flashy, aloof and a big snob.  He also has a flair for the dramatic. He can hold REALLY still. For a REALLY long time.  I'm not going to lie to you, it can be pretty disconcerting at times.  But it makes especially awesome when he starts swimming around again.

Hats.  I love them, and despite having an unusually large head, I can mostly pull them off.  Assuming I can find ones that can fit on my huge noggin.

Those alcohol wipes at the gym.  So much better than that towels and spray bottles.

Shows that you can watch over and over and never get sick of.  I think there's a comfort in knowing exactly what is going to happen, but still enjoying watching the stories unfold.  For me, it's Friends and The West Wing.  In the words of Depeche Mode, I just can't get enough.

People who get things done.  You know those kinds of people who are smart, competent, efficient and self-directed and just get it done?  I want to be just like them when I grow up.

Awards season has officially begun -- which means lots and lots of vapid judging and fashion spreads.

Good looking guys, great looking city.

Movies that feature Boston.  My favorites are Good Will Hunting and The Departed, but I'll pretty much watch anything set in my favorite city.  Sometimes I even watch the fifth and sixth seasons of Dawson's Creek for the aerial panoramas and Boston-based exterior shots.  And definitely not for the plots or because I love Pacey or anything.  Cuz that would be weird...  Anyway, I especially love when non-Bostonian actors can do great non-rhotic Boston accents.  Jeremy Renner in The Town and Leonardo DiCaprio in The Departed are great examples.  Martin Sheen in The Departed is not a great example.

These are just a few of the things that are making life awesome now, instead of tragic.

xo kate