Progressive faith leader Jim Wallis joined in on issuing commentary in the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal. In a Huffington Post blog piece entitled, "Lament From a White Father," he alleged that, had shooting victim Trayvon Martin been white, he would still be alive today. Wallis also pleaded with Caucasians -- and parents, in particular -- to "listen, to learn, and to speak out" about the tragic death.
Race, he contended, was at the center of the incident from the start.
"If my white 14-year-old son Luke had walked out that same night, in that same neighborhood, just to get a snack, he would have come back to his dad unharmed -- and would still be with me and Joy today," Wallis wrote. "Everyone, being honest with ourselves, knows that is true."
Jim Wallis, president and CEO of Sojourners, speaks during a press conference at the United Methodist Building January 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
The Sojourners leader went on to call it "a political, legal and moral mistake" not to ensure that the trial focused upon race, as he believes that this was the root cause that inevitably led to Martin's death. In fact, Wallis overtly accused Zimmerman of having racially profiled the 17-year-old victim.
"[Martin Luther] King's dream failed on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Fla., when George Zimmerman decided to follow Trayvon Martin because of the color of his skin," he added. "This led to a confrontation in which a child was killed by an adult who got away with it, because of the way Florida laws were written and interpreted."
Wallis went on to say that "racial profiling is a sin in the eyes of God" and he described the "systematic injustice" that he believes is at play in American society -- a system that he contended puts African Americans at a disadvantage. He described the case as providing a window into "an utterly segregated society."
While Wallis called for the acceptance of the verdict, the faith leader also said that the case's meaning must be explored, particular when it comes to its societal impact.
Read the faith leader's entire article and let us know what you think in the comments section. Other pastors and faith leaders, too, have taken to the pulpit to issue similar sentiment, as TheBlaze has highlighted.
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