Letter to the Editor: What Does the Trayvon-Zimmerman Shooting Say About America?

I think it's a travesty for America that we allow George Zimmerman—the 28-year-old man who killed the black teenager Trayvon Martin—to just walk around free.

About a month ago, on Feb. 26, Zimmerman shot and killed Martin in Stanford, Fla. Martin was unarmed and screaming for his life when he was shot. Zimmerman pursued Martin after being told by the police not to. Zimmerman's excuse was self defense—you have to be kidding me!

You can just shoot someone, tell police you did it, claim self defense, and then just walk out the door with your gun and not be arrested? That is just plain crazy!

Allowing Zimmerman to walk free without an arrest sends a message to all black people that, in America, someone can come up and shoot you and just walk away—and it's not just a message heard by black people.

I'm white and this incident tells me that I can be shot like that by anyone who doesn't like me for any reason, and all they have to do is claim self defense to walk free. It makes me wonder if this is a sign that we have collectively gone insane?

I'm Gilroy resident Marc Perkel—and I approve this message!