Serrano Reacts to Zimmerman Verdict

Statement

Congressman José E. Serrano released the following statement in reaction to the verdict over the weekend in the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case.

"Regardless of the verdict, one fact remains: a young man who went to get Skittles and iced tea from the store is dead," said Congressman Serrano. "We must take this opportunity to reevaluate our laws and examine our society's prejudices. We have come a long way since the days of the civil rights movement--particularly in places like Florida--but we still have a long way to go. No child of any color should fear for his life when he walks in his own neighborhood.

"I believe that there are several things that must be done. First, I support the Department of Justice's investigation into whether civil rights laws were violated. Second, all the so-called "stand your ground' laws should be repealed to prevent these sorts of situations. And lastly, we must yet again come together in a national conversation about race, racial profiling, and the prejudices that still afflict us. Until we overcome these barriers to tolerance, we will continue to have sad tragedies like this one. "

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