Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed released his statement yesterday regarding the Trayvon Martin case. Just like many others, Reed disagrees that justice was served for the Martin family in this senseless murder but as a mayor he respects it as it pushes him to work harder to promote and improve public safety daily.
“The genuine tragedy of the Trayvon Martin case is that a mother and father lost their son senselessly. I find it troubling that a 17-year-old cannot walk to a corner store for candy without putting his life in danger. I find it more troubling that a citizen could not see a young African-American youth without immediately concluding that he was up to no good.While I disagree with the jury’s verdict, we must respect it. This case reminds me why my number one priority as mayor is public safety. I work every day to create a safer city where our sworn police officers are trained and equipped to effectively uphold the law, so that our residents feel secure in their neighborhoods and our diverse communities respect each other. The death of Trayvon Martin shows that we must all work harder to shed the dangerous stereotypes that can have devastating consequences for individuals, families and our society”
