The election and recent re-election of President Obama signals racial progress in America, but Ebony [5] news and lifestyle editor Jamilah Lemieux sees the death of Jordan Davis, like Trayvon Martin, as a sign that America still doesn't value black life.

Dunn's daughter has come forward to defend her father as "a good person." While we all make mistakes, I'm inclined to say that picking an argument with a car full of teenagers and then shooting into the vehicle is the first step a "good person" makes off of the path of righteousness. I'm inclined to assume that the gun collector wasn't a big fan of young Black men and had probably done other non-"good person" things before.

The shooter's lawyer, Robin Lemonidis, originally stated that her client was not guilty and had acted responsibly, adding that the full story had not yet been made public. A report late Tuesday night included claims that Dunn had "seen a gun." While he certainly is entitled to his day in court … why was the gun claim not made until two days after he was arrested? Why didn't he turn himself in if he felt he'd done nothing wrong? Where was the "good person" his daughter swears he is then? …

And so Jordan joins Trayvon as one of many, many Black boys and girls to be felled by senseless violence. Death by White hands, death by Black ones … one thing seems to remain constant: our lives simply do not matter enough to be protected. We march, we pray, we cry and still, we die for no reason.

Read Jamilah Lemieux's entire piece at  [6]Ebony [5].

The Root aims to foster and advance conversations about issues relevant to the black Diaspora by presenting a variety of opinions from all perspectives, whether or not those opinions are shared by our editorial staff.

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