It's disappointing, but the jury has spoken.

Every couple of months something happens and I can't seem to tear myself away from the news. I don't know why because I know it could all be lies and whatever they show the audience is only for their benefit, or to prove a point they are trying to make. But nonetheless, here I am watching the news and reading the news hoping something about last Saturday's verdict will change. I just feel baffled.

Sean doesn't understand why I get invested in news stories about people who I don't know, will never know and who live states (and sometimes countries) away from us. But I always feel like I need to know what happened; what the outcome was and why. After all, one day it could happen closer to home; the person involved or killed could be my family member, my friend, my somebody -- and I would want the whole world to care. So, I care. I invest my time and my emotions and my thoughts. 

Now, I really believe in the government. I really believe in the legal system. I'm excited when I'm summoned for jury duty. I pay taxes immediately, I exercise my right to vote, I don't text and drive. The government says something, and I do it. I don't ask questions. I believe the government makes decisions based on the best interests of its people, and because of this the people should follow the rules, contribute, participate and be thankful. 

So, what do you do when you strongly disagree with something the legal system has decided? 

Well, people can take to the internet, to tweet, to status update, to blog, to sign petitions. People can take to the streets to rally or to riot. People can stop major public events for a moment of silence and they can question what went wrong or (unfortunately, in my opinion) rejoice in what went right.

Everyone thinks they are right. But whether you think the trial was too focused, or not focused enough, on race, gun control, certain state laws, character witness, etc. -- you can't argue that a teenager was murdered. And while, some may say that it was "justified" by self-defense -- I disagree. Why do we live in a world that classifies someone as suspicious just because you don't know them? It's wrong.

Sadly, this isn't the only case like it. There are tons and tons and tons. Tons of people killing other people, daily -- with guns -- because they look "suspicious" or because they "talked back" or because they are "mentally unstable". That's just not reasonable. It's not okay. I simply cannot stand behind a verdict that believes this treatment of people children, who are murdered, is honest and fair. I don't comprehend that the laws, can and do, defend the actions of their killers.

I waited almost a week to write anything down in hopes that the verdict would change. It didn't. I didn't take to Facebook, or Twitter, or any other rapid and immediate social media outlet where people can be rude and judgmental or attempt to crack a joke. I didn't riot or rally -- and maybe that's all wrong. Instead, I had quiet conversations with friends and family members about my thoughts and that's it. I reflected on it. I read about it. And I listened to what people said regarding it. But above all, I was reminded, yet again, that this is always true:

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