Injustice Still Lives...Unfortunately

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Books like this are hard for me to talk about. Why? Because I am a middle class, white woman, and this book is about a young, black man who comes from poverty. There's no way I can relate to his struggles, and if I express any empathy at all, there are those who will say it's because of "white guilt." I would like to say that they are wrong, but I don't know that they are. Why shouldn't I feel "white guilt"? I know where I come from, and it's not pretty. I have family who are most definitely racists. My own grandfather used to tell people that he was the Grand Dragon of the KKK in Mississippi, as though that is something to be proud of. It's not. My parents tried really hard to raise my brothers and me to not be racists. I'd like to believe that they did a good job.

I loved this book. It made me think. It makes me want to try even harder to make this world a better place.

Justyce is a senior in high school. He's on an academic scholarship at a fancy prep school. At the beginning of the book, he is arrested for being black. Honestly, that's what it boils down to. He was trying to keep his (ex)girlfriend from driving drunk, and when the police rolled up, they thought he was trying to rob her (or worse). They only thought these things because he was black, and they wouldn't listen to anything he had to say.

Later, we see Justyce's schoolmates are racists, although they don't see it themselves. They seem to think that just because they are friends with black men, that means they aren't racist. They don't hear the things that come out of their mouths, and when they are called on it, they don't understand how it's considered racist. These comments lead to Justyce and his best friend, Manny, going for a drive one day instead of going hiking with friends. On this drive, they are listening to music, and the driver in the car next to them says it is too loud. This driver ends up shooting Justyce and Manny. Manny dies, and Justyce is critically injured. Oh, and the shooter is an off-duty cop.

Unlike most of the similar cases in the news at the time this story takes place, the cop in this instance is indicted, so Justyce has to go to trial. He has to relive that horrible day, all while doubt is being cast simply because he is black.

This book is powerful. It's relevant. It needs to be read--by everyone.