Congressman wears hoodie on House floor to honor Trayvon Martin
Reporting from Washington — As concerns over the Trayvon Martin case mount, a congressman donned a gray hoodie Wednesday morning to deliver a speech on the House floor pressing for justice for the slain Florida teen and his family.
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) spoke for moments during a time typically reserved for lawmakers to deliver one-minute speeches on any topic.
“The death of Trayvon Martin is an American tragedy,” the congressman said on the floor.
“Racial profiling has to stop... Just because someone is a young black male and wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum.”
Rush’s comments were often difficult to hear as he was gaveled out of order by the GOP congressman presiding over the nearly empty chamber for violating House rules that prohibit hats from being worn on the floor.
Rush’s office said the congressman took the unusual move as a way to bring attention to the case and to press for justice.
Last week, congressional staff members donned hoodies during a gathering on the Capitol steps in a similar act of solidarity with Martin and his family.
The Florida teen was gunned down by a neighborhood-watch volunteer in an incident that has drawn continued concerns about whether the gunman acted out of self-defense or was racially profiling the African American youth.
Original source: Congressman brings hoodie to the Capitol in honor of Trayvon Martin
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