The debate over the slaying of a Florida teenager rumbled onto Capitol Hill on Tuesday, with the parents of Trayvon Martin suggesting racial profiling caused their their son’s death.
Standing amid a sea of supporters, a scrum of reporters and the clamor of clicking cameras, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin asked House Democrats to use Martin’s death as an opportunity to prevent similar incidents.
“Trayvon was our son, but Trayvon was your son,” Fulton told Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee who met with them to examine the federal government’s role in eliminating racial profiling and hate crimes.
“A lot of people can relate to our situation, and it breaks their heart just like it breaks mine,” Fulton said.
Tracy Martin thanked “everyone who is holding the legacy of Trayvon and making sure that he did not indeed die in vain.”
“He’s sadly missed and we’ll continue to fight for justice for him,” Martin said.
For more on the House Judiciary Committee’s proceedings, click here.
