Sinead O’Connor has published an open letter to the family of murdered American teenager, Trayvon Martin.
Martin, a black 17-year-old, was killed on 26th February this year.
He was walking home from a convenience store when he was shot by neighbourhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman.
Zimmerman claimed to be acting in self-defence although Martin was not carrying a weapon. All he had was a packet of Skittles and an iced tea. Zimmerman was not arrested and the police failed to test him for alcohol or drug use.
Martin’s family have being petitioning for the arrest of Zimmerman and have celebrity support from music producer, P Diddy and Hollywood director, Spike Lee.
Irish star, Sinead O’Connor has also shown her support for the Martin family and her disgust for racism in general with an open letter posted on her website.
Deep sympathy for Martin’s loved ones
She started the letter with her condolences to Martin’s family. She said: “I would like to extend my very deepest sympathies to the family and other loved ones of murdered teenager, Trayvon Martin.
“I am very sad today (and am certain the whole of Ireland is) to learn of poor Trayvon’s terrifying ordeal and horrified by the fact his known and named and admitted killer has not been arrested, despite the crime having taken place a month ago. This is a disgrace to the entire human race.”
She stated that all human beings could trace their roots back to Africa: “EVERY human being on earth, no matter what their culture, creed, skin color, or nationality, shares one gene traceable back to one African woman.
“Scientists have named it ‘The Eve Gene’. This means ALL of us, even ridiculously stupid, ignorant, perverted, blaspheming racists are the descendants of one African woman.”
She called for an end to black on black violence
She called for an end to black on black violence and encouraged black teenagers to reject hip hop stars such as 50 Cent as role models. Instead they should look back to the great black stars of the 60s and 70s.
She said: “Go back to strong black musical guides who left you information in the 60s and 70s when they were living through the civil rights struggle. Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson. Sing back the Holy Spirit ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, as those artists did.
“Forget bling. Forget “Get Rich Or Die Trying”. That is an evil message.”
She also briefly reopened her Twitter account to pass details of online petition, change.org, onto her followers.
