George Zimmerman to Fight DMX, And Everyone Loses

Today would have been Trayvon Martin’s 19th birthday.

But instead of mourning the life he could have had – the life he SHOULD have had – we’re reduced to tabloid idiocity. From CNN.com:

Former neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman  has found yet another way to remain in the public limelight.

This time, he’ll be stepping into a boxing ring to fight rapper DMX.

Zimmerman said the celebrity boxing match was his idea. Boxing was his hobby, he told Radar Online last month, even prior to the “incident.”

The incident, of course, is the February 2012 encounter in which he shot dead an unarmed Trayvon Martin, 17. He stood trial for murder, but was acquitted.

DMX, as we know is a rapper, and braggadocio is his calling card.

He’s out for blood, he told TMZ. Not only will he break every rule in boxing, he said, he’ll “beat the living (expletive)” out of Zimmerman.

Judging by my social media feeds, most people are downright giddy with the chance for Zimmerman to finally “get his.” Justice for Trayvon!

How soon we forget that vengeance is what brought us here in the first place.

First, don’t confuse me. By no means do I weep for Zimmerman. I’d love to personally introduce him to the business end of my Stacy Adams. But look at the facts – this celebrity boxing match was Zimmerman’s idea. It’s yet another cheap ploy to cash in on the horrific death of young Trayvon two years ago.

We’re playing right into his hands.

And y’all know how much I love X. He’s one of my all-time favorite rappers, his 1998 debut is one of the greatest albums in history (cuz I said so) and he’s just flat-out hilarious. How can you not love a grown man who barks and howls at the moon? He’s like Sabrewulf from Killer Instinct.

But for all you Internet geniuses that are so confident that The Dog will behead Zimmerman, you must not remember X’s history.

Which X will show up to the fight?

The psycho who bathes in his enemy’s blood?

The bible-thumping street preacher?

Or the drugged-up homeless guy who keeps all his belongings in a shopping cart?

It wouldn’t surprise me if X showed up to the fight high/drunk/overconfident/itching with worms only to have Zimmerman put him to sleep.

But what if X does win? What will we gain? Will Trayvon suddenly be resurrected? Will all past injustices  be erased? Will our young black boys no longer be the victims of racial profiling?

If Zimmerman gets destroyed, he’ll hurt for awhile, X will regain some street cred, and black folks will act like we overcame. Meanwhile, another of our kids – your brother, your son, your student, your friend – will accosted because he seems to be a threat. Nothing will change.

And Trayvon’s death will have taught us nothing.

This quest for vengeance in Trayvon’s name is nothing but a farce. It’s just another chance for Zimmerman to remain in headlines while spitting on the grave of a child who didn’t deserve to die.

Stop looking for justice in the boxing ring. Want real, lasting justice? Start in the courtrooms with stronger laws and by enlightening closed minds.

Zimmerman is just scratching the surface. We need to dig deeper and fight the root of the problem.

Trayvon deserves better.