NAACP Outrage as Jury finds Zimmerman not guilty in Trayvon Martin murder

By Melanie Nathan, July 13, 2013

In the midst of the not guilty verdict a few hours ago, in the George Zimmerman trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin, the NAACP is calling for justice in the case.

Here is a letter which they have sent to supporters:-

Melanie ,

A jury in Sanford, Florida has found George Zimmerman not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin.
I know I am not alone in my outrage, anger, and heartbreak over this decision. When a teenager’s life is taken in cold blood, and there is no accountability for the man who killed him, nothing seems right in the world, but we cannot let these emotions alone rule.

In these most challenging of times, we are called to act. There is work left to be done to achieve justice for Trayvon. The Department of Justice can still address the violation of Trayvon’s most fundamental civil right — the right to life, and we are urging them to do so.

Sign our petition to the Department of Justice. Tell them to file civil rights charges against George Zimmerman.

We continue to grieve the loss of Trayvon with his parents, his family, and all who loved him. Do not forget what brought us to this day.  George Zimmerman was arrested and charged because we would not back down when he was initially released. The Sanford Police Chief was removed from his post because we voiced our disbelief that he would overrule his detectives and block George Zimmerman’s arrest.

And, perhaps most importantly, not a single state has passed a “stand your ground” law in 2013 — the first time in eight years — because we refuse to let the memory of Trayvon fade from the hearts and minds of America.

So, now we have a choice: We can be felled by our sorrows over the jury’s decision, or we can turn our frustration into action. We can demand the Department of Justice address the travesties of this tragedy. We can take a step forward in our efforts to finally end racial profiling in America once and for all. What will you do, Melanie ?

For Trayvon Martin, for his family, and for all parents who suffer the horror of burying a child, sign our petition to the Department of Justice:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/open-a-civil-rights-case

Updated: 7/14/2013 -

The NAACP petition calling for a federal prosecution of George Zimmerman collected 225,000 signatures in the hours after he was acquitted of killing Trayvon Martin, but the effort was temporarily cut short when the site crashed under the heavy traffic.

The rush to add to the petition — which had more than 350,000 signatures by noon today — was matched by the outpouring of anger on social media.

Protests, which police had feared could turn violent, were muted, but the rhetoric was impassioned and often framed around the issue of race. Zimmerman, 29, is a white Hispanic and Martin, 17, was black.

Related articles

• NAACP Is ‘Outraged And Heartbroken,’ And Will Pursue ‘Civil Rights Charges’ Against George Zimmerman (businessinsider.com)