For now, Wonder has left Floridians

It’s been almost a week now since George Zimmerman was acquitted from charges of murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Since the verdict was announced July 13, the reactions have ranged from peaceful protests to the occasional riots in the streets. To be honest, I tried not to think a lot about how the outcome of the trial might turn out for fear of being bitterly irate. I tried not to think much about George Zimmerman, period.

I’m not exactly angry about the verdict so much as greatly disappointed we as a nation allowed a man to easily walk away with murder using the preposterous “Stand Your Ground” law as an ace-in-the-hole.

Sometimes I ask myself, “What the hell is this country thinking?!”

In the wake of the verdict, people across the country have voiced their outrage and anger about what should have been swift justice for the Martin family. Even celebrities and athletes have taken to social media to show their opposition.

But what really grabbed my attention was what Grammy-winning R&B singer Stevie Wonder promised he’d do.

During a concert in Quebec City, Canada, this past Sunday, Wonder vowed he would boycott the state of Florida in response to Zimmerman’s acquittal.

“I decided today that until the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again,” he said. “As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world.”

Personally, I have mixed feelings on this one.

On one hand, it’s a move that shows he is willing to distance himself from a state that has allowed this kind of injustice to happen.

On the other hand, it could be problematic for residents of Florida who are fans of Wonder and are against the Zimmerman acquittal.

For lack of a better analogy, it’s almost like coal miners who go on strike against their bosses even though it hurts the surrounding coal-dependent community.

So even though this is a bold move on Wonder’s part, it won’t be enough to bring about actual change.

He also said during his concert, “(What) we can do is we can let our voices be heard. And we can vote in our various countries throughout the world for change and equality for everybody. That’s what I know we can do.”

So what are we waiting for?

­— tjollo@indiana.edu