Trayvon Martin’s Mother Announces Run for Office on a Gun-Grabbing Platform
Jose Nino
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According to the Miami Herald, Sybrina Fulton—the mother of Trayvon Martin—announced her campaign to run for a seat on the Miami-Dade county commission.
In a statement, Fulton said “Since 2012, I have advocated tirelessly to empower our communities and make them safer. But the work is not done. I am proud to announce that I will run to represent District 1 on the county commission.”
She said, “Our county must continue moving forward so our families are safe from violence, can afford to live in Miami-Dade and have access to good paying jobs. I am ready to take on these issues and many others in county government.”
Trayvon Martin was killed in an altercation with neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman after he brutally assaulted the neighborhood watchman. Martin had a track record of suspensions in high school and was suspected of robbery in one of those suspensions, but was never criminally charged.
The altercation with Zimmerman was provoked after Zimmerman followed Martin on suspicions that Martin was casing house in the neighborhood that he was in. Instead of peacefully asking Zimmerman why he was following him, Martin opted to assault Zimmerman to the point where he had no choice but to use lethal force to neutralize Martin’s attack.
This incident sparked a racially charged debate about violence against unarmed African Americans and the need to reform certain gun laws such as Stand Your Ground.
Fulton expressed her sentiments following this incident:
“I did not drop to my knees for too long because I refused to be depressed. And so I stood up, and when my son got shot down, I stood up, and I’m still standing.”
In the past, Fulton has advocated for certain gun control measures such as universal background checks and closing the so-called “gun show” loophole.
Gun control will likely be the main focus of her campaign.
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