South Cobbers Still Mourning, Demonstrating after Trayvon Martin Shooting

Several South Cobb residents, including Austell activist Rich Pellegrino, held a prayer vigil in the Marietta Square on Sunday.

The vigil was held for 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in Sanford, Fla. on Feb. 26. The shooting has sparked demonstrations, rallies, vigils and several tough conversations about race in the United States.

Martin was African-American and Zimmerman has a Hispanic and white racial background.

State Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan (D-Austell) and State Rep. Rashad Taylor, D-Atlanta pledged during a rally on the Capitol on Monday to introduce a bill that would repeal Georgia’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Many believe a similar Florida law has allowed Zimerman to remain free.

Zimmerman said he acted in self-defense.

An estimated 7,000 people rallied at the Capitol demanding the arrest of Zimmerman and the elimination of Stand Your Ground, which allows anyone in imminent danger to defend his or herself instead of retreating.

Since Tuesday was the 39th day of the 40-day session of the Georgia General Assembly, the bill saw little action, but Morgan said she wanted to begin the conversation.

State Sen. Greg Goggans, R-Douglas, the man who crafted the “Stand Your Ground” law, told CBS Atlanta, "This just says if a person is being attacked, they can take action to protect themselves. But this isn't to give a cart blanche 'get-out-of-jail-free' card. The judicial system and the legal system still takes its course."

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Currently, the Georgia state legislature is considering two proposed gun rights bills. One would expand the areas, such as the Capitol, where concealed weapons could be carried. Another would allow 18-year-old military veterans to carry concealed weapons.

“Some of my colleagues will not understand why we have to stop some of these gun laws, but, you see, they don’t have to have the conversations that black mothers have to have with their black sons every day. They don’t have to go to funerals of teenaged boys who’ve been shot in their own communities,” Morgan told the crowd on Monday.

Morgan also wanted to invite the thousands of people who may never have been to the Capitol before the rally to come back and to get involved in their local communities.

“Do not be discouraged. Do not turn around from here today and do nothing,” Morgan said.

The thousands at the rally chanted, “No justice. No peace,” while donning hoodies and waving Skittles, the candy Martin had purchased right before he was shot. They had a moment of silence, they prayed, they had a little bit of church. They joked a little bit, got angry a little bit and vowed to do even just a little bit to help make their communities better after the rally was over.

Law enforcement officials closed the streets surrounding the Capitol for the two-hour rally, which ended with the ralliers holding hands and singing “We Shall Overcome.”

“I believe the rally today was pretty powerful, just so many people came out here today just to protest something they felt was wrong,” said 13-year-old Edward Holladay.

Parents brought their children to the rally to take part in the historic event, but also because they feel that any of their children could have been or could be Martin.

Rev. Sam Mosteller, president of the Georgia SCLC, said, “I come here as a father of two black men. I come here as a grandfather of one granddaughter. And when I say I am afraid all the time that I’m going to get that call that my sons aren’t coming home.”

 “We need to pay homage to the fact that black men don’t live very long in America. They never have…It’s always been dangerous being black and male in America,” said Mosteller. “What are we going to do about it?”