"First and foremost, my continued prayers for peace and comfort go to Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, as well as the parents of every child our nation has lost to gun violence. The murder of Trayvon Martin is but the most recent example of profiling in America, a practice that is discriminatory at its best and deadly at its worst. Our society must be re-examined at every level, from law enforcement to criminal justice to the basic way we relate to each other. Laws like 'Stand Your Ground' are not only inhuman, they have exacerbated some of these basic problems. Furthermore, they are fueled by a gun culture that is literally killing our children one by one.

"We are sick and tired of being sick and tired. What we are now charged with is the responsibility to sustain our unity and have our emotions fuel a relentless pursuit of reform. In 2013, it should not be this difficult, by every statistical metric, to be a black man in America."