Trayvon Martin: Why America's Race Problem Won't Go Away

The tragic murder of 17 year old Trayvon Martin rips at the core of America's deeply embedded problem: a race problem eroding at the heart of America's social infrastructure. As we reflect on the 44th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination (April 4, 1968) why is race such a potent factor in how decisions are made, who gets arrested, and who gets murdered in this country?

Two special guests are featured on today's show to discuss this case and these tough issues.  Ed Primeau is an audio and video forensic expert, and was recently featured on Rev. Al Sharpton's television program on MSNBC. Ed analyzed the 911 tape that captured the screams during the February 2012 Trayvon Martin shooting. His analysis finds that the screams did NOT belong to the shooter, George Zimmerman.

Our second guest is bank executive turned community activist Monalisa Smith. The tragic murder of her 18 year old nephew drove Smith to launch a non profit activist group that she now heads: Mothers For Justice and Equality. (www.mothersforjusticeandequality.org)

Although my own 17 year old son died of a tragic car accident in 1997, I deeply identify with the loss of yet another African American young man who will never reach his manhood. Far too many Black youth are NOT reaching their full potential, as their lives are snuffed out in the blink of an eye. 

Today's show will look at the evidence and examine the race factor in the death of Trayvon Martin.