Without Sanctuary
Studying these photographs has engendered in me a fear of public opinion's destructive power when it becomes corrupt by the heartless individuals of society. As I examined the disgustingly graphic images of men stripped of their dignity, oddly the faces of the spectators frustrated me most of all. Within the photograph of Jesse Washington's lynching, the sheer number of individuals pictured is one of the most horrifying aspects of this shameful American practice of lynching. The fact that countless individuals could publicly murder, torture, and humiliate African Americans as a spectacle baffles me. Furthermore, the white spectators’ mixture of stoic as well as disturbingly proud expressions demonstrates their society’s sickening, numb perspective towards such violence. As one man referred to Jesse Washington's burnt corpse as a "barbeque [they] had last night," my fear of such a barbaric, corrupt society is only solidified.
Contrary to Toni Morrison's novel Beloved or Richard Wright's novel Native Son, these photographs depict individuals who actually existed and may have had families, lovers, and friendships. I believe it is the biographical nature of photographs that make them so difficult to examine. Unlike Beloved or Native Son, society cannot brush these acts of violence aside as simply fiction, rather they must confront them.
In a sense, though, novels do provide the reader with a testimonial for both the reasoning of the victims as well as the perpetrators. Through literature and poems, the reader finally understands the agony of victims subject to such a horrific environment. Likewise, the narration also reveals the disgustingly spiteful opinions of white Americans, such as schoolteacher in Morrison’s Beloved. Ultimately, through these works of literature an explanation emerges for the seemingly stoic expressions on Jesse Washington’s postcard and a voice is given to the many silenced victims hung by a noose.
Although it may appear cliché, I believe it is essential that we as a society read these emotionally raw texts and view the frightening photographs of lynching so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Evidently we must understand the power of public opinion, in order to prevent the frightening reign of a corrupt majority once again.
Contrary to Toni Morrison's novel Beloved or Richard Wright's novel Native Son, these photographs depict individuals who actually existed and may have had families, lovers, and friendships. I believe it is the biographical nature of photographs that make them so difficult to examine. Unlike Beloved or Native Son, society cannot brush these acts of violence aside as simply fiction, rather they must confront them.
In a sense, though, novels do provide the reader with a testimonial for both the reasoning of the victims as well as the perpetrators. Through literature and poems, the reader finally understands the agony of victims subject to such a horrific environment. Likewise, the narration also reveals the disgustingly spiteful opinions of white Americans, such as schoolteacher in Morrison’s Beloved. Ultimately, through these works of literature an explanation emerges for the seemingly stoic expressions on Jesse Washington’s postcard and a voice is given to the many silenced victims hung by a noose.
Although it may appear cliché, I believe it is essential that we as a society read these emotionally raw texts and view the frightening photographs of lynching so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Evidently we must understand the power of public opinion, in order to prevent the frightening reign of a corrupt majority once again.
posted by ishay919 at 5:39 PM
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!["barbeque [they] had last night,"](http://withoutsanctuary.org/photos/26.jpg){kind=link}