Christopher Arps of the “New Leadership” blog explores a recent lynching reenactment.
“How does this “commemoration” improve the plight of the black underclass in general? Specifically, how does this address the problems of teenage pregnancy and the lack of a father figure in our communities? How does this address the increasing problem of black on black crime and the alarming statistic of more black men in the justice system than in college? How does this address the widening educational gap between black children and the rest of society? How does this address the healthcare and life expectancy disparities between blacks and whites?”
TheStateOf…Lynching. I have no problem with reenacting lynchings. In fact, we should do it weekly or monthly so that we never forget (1) how far we’ve come and (2) how brutal America has been to us. We can’t live in the past, but we can’t forget it either. No other racial group is compelled to ignore their own history as much as African Americans.
I saw a moving lynching exhibit at the Chicago Historical Society over the weekend. Looking at the pictures and reading about things like black men having their own testicles shoved down their throats brought about an anger in me that I usually keep locked under a tight lid. A few women viewing the exhibit–black and white–cried out loud. What would make people do that to someone? Why isn’t this issue discussed among Black Americans? Click here for more information this horrible practice.
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