Reflection on Lynching

Studying these photos has engendered into me heightened hesitation and disgust for whites of the olden times and the ramifications of those past events has rippled throughout history and have become embedded into my psyche to reflect the same emotions of whites today. Although it is not a fair justification or warrant to hold a regard over individuals who have had no actual participation these horrific events, I am not able to produce a pardon for these acts and the emotions that are birthed from the events of the past. The mentality of many whites is still the same, maybe not as harsh, but more subtle and inconspicuous means of racism and discrimination and acts of prejudice and hate still go on today; and the sad and scary part of it is that those who perform these acts don't know they are doing it because they believe it to be the societal status quo. In both Beloved and Native Son, there are acts of violence against blacks as with beatings from slavery to acts of violence from hatred and racism in post reconstruction America. Viewing a postcard of these lynching of blacks paints a morbid physical representation and actual view of something that is almost unbearable just to think about. It is a reality based solidification of events that actually occurred that you can't believe to have happened until you see it personally. A literay text can portray the the acts of violence on a more logical, hypothetical, and cognitive way. Readings dive more into the psychological aspects of the hatred and can portray the depths of the soul that are demolished by continuous dehumanization and degradation. A picture postcard can tell us how the event actually happened. The picture makes our wildest viewpoints of imagination on the subject come to life before our very eyes, and it is often times enough to make one physically sick on sight. Yet this is an important element in American history to portray the insanity and horrific nature of whites. To read about acts of violence in the past and living in the present is something that is a constant reminder of the pain and turmoil many groups of people had to endure due to the European race. It literally sickens me to see the mentality, ignorance, lack of human decency and respect that whites have towards those of a different race. I honestly cannot understand the vile nature of these things. The worst part about all of it is that these mentalities are still being taught, and although sometimes not as severe the nature of the past often has a way of reverberating to the present and eventually the future. It is all due to ignorance. Ignorance by definition is lack of knowledge and the lack of desire to obtain knowledge. From ignorance stems misunderstanding, from misunderstanding stems confusion, from confusion stems fear, and from fear stems hate. It is a vicious cycle that only education can break because those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.